by Thinus Ferreira
In a shocking move causing consumer outrage, MultiChoice Uganda is hiking DStv prices again from April 2023 seven months after its last DStv price hike in September 2022 in the country, with furious DStv subscribers slamming the pay-TV operator for its "repeated and super old" content.
MultiChoice Uganda blames the "economic outlook in Uganda prior to making this decision" for the increase of up to 10.25% in monthly DStv subscription fees, coming half a year after it hiked DStv prices in September 2022 by up to 7.6%.
MultiChoice Kenya is also hiking DStv prices from April 2023 for DStv subscribers in that East African country by up to 10%.
From April 2023 DStv Uganda subscribers will be paying more in Uganda shilling, with DStv Premium monthly subscriptions hiked from UX255 000 to UX275 000 (R1350) an increase of 7.84%, and DStv Compact Plus rising from UX150 000 to UX160 000, a MultiChoice price hike of 6.66%.
DStv Compact is increasing from UX95 000 to UX104 000 (up 9.47%), DStv Family is increasing from UX59 000 to UX64 000, up 8.47%, while DStv Access subscribers will be paying 10.25% more from UX39 000 to UX43 000 per month.
DStv Lumba subscribers will see their monthly subscription fee increased from UX15 000 to UX16 000, an increase of 6.66%.
The DStv XtraView and PVR Access fee is getting hiked from UX46 000 to UX50 000, an increase of 8.69%
DStv Uganda subscribers are slamming MultiChoice Uganda for the DStv price hike decision, saying DStv's content "are repeated and super old".
Reacting to the DStv price hike, a DStv subscriber in Uganda told MultiChoic that "when you look at your content amid increasing prices, it's hocus pocus. Apart from football, it's just garbage. Same old movies of 1990s. This is not fair at all".
DStv subscriber JonahKirabo told MultiChoice he's cancelling DStv, saying "Come on DStv, you increased prices in September which is just 5 months ago. It's not fair. You can as well come for your dish because I'm not paying this".
Simon Ssembiro remarked that "We are now live streaming Netflix and we have sites for football. After all, that's what most of us watch".
Innocent Ojangole says "You have twice increased prices in the last 6 months. We are tired of this monopoly, with Edward Amanyire, saying "I used to pay DStv Compact Plus. When you increased about 5 months ago, I moved to DStv Compact because that's what my budget allows. With these new rates, I am shifting to DStv Family. Keep increasing. Eventually, I won't afford to pay DStv Access".
Tinash says that "with so many alternative sources of televised entertainment, DStv Uganda has to find ways to retain their clients. Cost of living has increased but income hasn't Internet is now cheaper and streaming is way cheaper".
Ejoku Isaacs said that "this is definitely my last month for DStv subscription".