by Thinus Ferreira
MultiChoice Kenya is hiking DStv prices for the second time in just 7 months and by up to 10% in the East African country from 1 April 2023 with angry DStv subscribers saying they're cancelling DStv, upgrading their internet and permanently switching to streaming services like Netflix.
The latest DStv Kenya price hike comes mere months after MultiChoice Kenya last hiked DStv tariffs in September 2022 by almost 10%.
The latest DStv price hike in Kenya mirrors the shocking MultiChoice price increase being done in Uganda, where it will also be the shocking second price increase in 7 months.
MultiChoice Kenya in a statement says its DStv price hike from April comes as "MultiChoice acknowledges the difficult economic climate in Kenya and thus has kept the increase at the lowest possible point while ensuring sustainability and provision of quality services".
MultiChoice Kenya is making DStv Premium subscribers cough up 6.7% more, raising the cost of DStv Premium from KES9500 to KES8900 (R1264) from April.
DStv Compact Plus subscribers will pay 7.2% more from KES5500 to KES5900, with a shocking 10% increase for DStv Compact subscribers who will see their monthly DStv subscription skyrocket from KES3000 to KES3300.
The price of DStv Family is hiked from KES1600 to KES1750 - a big increase of 9.3%.
MultiChoice Kenya is also hiking the prices of its various GOtv packages which are being increased by as much as 8%.
DStv Kenya subscribers are furious about the second shocking price hike in less than a year, with one saying he is "not ready to pay KES3300 for services I don't enjoy. Instead, I will upgrade my internet and start streaming like others, you can come for your decoder and dish".
DStv subscriber Ken Walker says wants to know why MultiChoice is "increasing the price and reducing services like the number of devices that can stream, and mess up our favourite channels like Nat Geo".
Peter Obe remarks that "in this era of 4G/5G internet in our homes, you guys are still contemplating on how to increase monthly subscriptions? It's just headscrathingly dumb!"
Geoffrey Njenga slammed DStv Kenya's latest price hike as "undoubtedly insensitive", with Edwin Kirui saying "this is just exploitation".
Michael Fidds says "You cannot increase prices and your package just repeats old series! Will soon find my sports options elsewhere. For entertainment we're already on Netflix".
Kariuku Gicira says MultiChoice "has reduced streaming devices as well. I think we need another option", while Benji says "You keep crying about taxes and cost of business, yet your biggest competitor Netflix did the exact opposite and lowered their subscription charges".
George Ndamaiyu is also very upset with MultiChoice Kenya's price hike and says he "cant wait to connect to the internet and officially quit this service. No content. Just repetitive shows and movies".