by Thinus Ferreira
The South African public broadcaster's video streaming service SABC+ abruptly went down on Friday morning with the SABC that in response to a media query said it's working on moving SABC+ to a new platform.
After users were met with a "No Service available" notification on a black screen on Friday, the SABC told TVwithThinus that the "brief hiatus" "should not be more than 48 hours".
Viewers also noticed that the SABC removed all of the catch-up and third-party content from the SABC+ app, leaving only the broadcaster's seven TV channels and radio stations to stream live.
Search engines still direct users looking for "SABC Plus" to www.sabcplus.com/en although the website has inexplicably and without notification changed to https://sabc-plus.com - it's unclear which website will be used going forward.
The SABC in response to the media query said that the changes "is necessary to pave the way for an exciting new service offering. This will ensure that in future there is an enhanced and more robust digital content delivery for our valued viewers".
The SABC said it is migrating the SABC+ service "to a new technology system, which will result in scheduled downtime. It must also be noted that services will be limited, so don't be alarmed with the hew offering, as it is part of the migration process".
"Audiences will still be able to stream their favourite SABC content once the migration is complete. New features and modifications will continue to be implemented post the migration as the SABC continually enhances the offering, and we ask that audiences please be patient in this transition period. This update underscores the SABC's dedication to continue providing audiences with an optimized and enriched SABC+ experience".
"SABC+ assures its viewers that this interruption is temporary, and efforts are being
made to expedite the transition process. Regular updates will be provided to
keep our audience informed about the resumption of SABC+ services and the
exciting improvements to come."
