by Thinus Ferreira
MultiChoice will increase DStv prices
again from 1 April with two packages seeing an above-inflation increase.
DStv Premium is increasing from April
2024 by 5.7% from R879 to R929, with a 6.9% increase for DStv Compact Plus
increasing from R579 to R619.
DStv Compact is increasing 4.5% from
R449 to R469, DStv Family is increasing 3.1% from R319 to R329, while DStv
Access is increasing 7.8% from R129 to R139. DStv EasyView is remaining the
same at R29.
MultiChoice is increasing the DStv Access
fee by 4.3% from R115 to R120 monthly, with no increases for the ADD Movies
package at R79 monthly and DStv BoxOffice rentals also remaining unchanged at
R40 per popcorn couch-watching pop.
All streaming-only services will
maintain their current subscription fees.
DStv Compact Plus and DStv Access are
the two packages getting price hikes bigger than South Africa's inflation rate
of 6%. DStv Access is however getting a sport-injection in the form of
access to content from ESPN, La Liga, SuperSport Variety 4 and the SuperSport
Blitz channels.
To promote its relaunched Showmax video
streaming service, MultiChoice will soon rebrand and reprogramme one of the
M-Net packaged linear TV channels on DStv to carry a curated offering of the
content on offer on Showmax to aid sampling.
This will include locally produced
series made for the Showmax platform that DStv subscribers will be able to
watch on the linear channel.
MultiChoice is also introducing what
the Randburg pay-TV operator calls a "Price guarantee" agreement,
whereby DStv subscribers can ensure that their subscription fee remains fixed
for the period of their contract, as well as its subscription price
adjustments for 2024.
"We're excited
about DStv Price
Guarantee which secures a price lower
than today for our customers who sign up for our 24-month deal to beat the
increase," says Marc Jury, MultiChoice SA CEO.
"Our priority is to ensure
that we continue to provide unparalleled entertainment, which includes local
South African stories and the world’s best sports. Subscribers can look forward
to an array of exciting content such as Big Brother Mzansi as well as major
sporting events like the SA20 Cricket and the Olympic games."
"We believe these
adjustments are reasonable considering the significant 16% year-on-year
depreciation of the Rand against the US Dollar, and our commitment to securing
long-term broadcast sports rights and international studio deals, which are
priced in US
Dollars," he says.
"As Africa's premier
entertainment provider, we are committed to delivering exceptional value to our
customers. We have an excellent line-up of local and international shows and
sports. Our customers can also look forward to continued savings on our DStv Internet
bundles, DStv Insurance, and Namola."
