Coronavirus: ICASA says DStv and StarSat pay-TV must be made free and Vodacom and MTN must give cheap or free mobile data during the Covid-19 pandemic.

by Thinus Ferreira

With the rapid increase of the Covid-19 novel coronavirus in South Africa as society is increasingly hunkering down, South Africa's broadcasting regulator ICASA says it is asking mobile operators and pay-TV services to give people free DStv and free or cheap data.

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa wants MultiChoice and StarSat to give away their pay-TV services for free to South Africans during the coronavirus pandemic and for mobile operators like Vodacom, MTN and Cell C to give people free data so that they can communicate and stay informed.

ICASA in a statement says that there is expected to be a "surge in usage of data as the majority of South Africans across all sectors have no option but work from home, learn from home and carry on their day to day life activities (for instance shopping, entertainment) from home through technological means".

"This will result in a spike in data usage, particularly as consumers also access information with regards to the pandemic – thus placing strain on the capacity of networks."

Dr Keabetswe Modimoeng, ICASA acting chairperson, says ICASA is requesting all network service providers in the telecommunications industry to "heed the call to enable the country to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 by facilitating easy and affordable and/or free access to data".

"In this regard ICASA is engaging the sector on possible ways of radio frequency spectrum relief for the duration of the declared state of disaster to ease congestion, ensure good quality of broadband services, and enable licensees to lower cost of access to consumers, particularly in relation to education, emergency and other social services."

In terms of broadcasting Dr Keabetswe Modimoeng says that all broadcasting services are required to make Public Service Announcements (PSAs) about the Covid-19 virus in the public interest, but that over and above this that pay-TV providers like MultiChoice and StarTimes/StarSat "have been requested to open both their audio and television bouquets to consumers that do not subscribe to their services".

"This will assist the public to have access to information that they can use to deal with the scourge of the virus that is facing the country."

A black Friday as Cell C shuts down its loss-making Cell C black video streaming service after just 2 years.

by Thinus Ferreira

It's a black Friday on Black Friday in South Africa for the struggling Cell C which is shutting down its loss-making Cell C black video streaming service two years after it launched in November 2017.

The mobile operator poured over R1 billion into the subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service that is the next victim in the vicious streaming wars where it tried to compete in the small but growing market against rivals ranging from Netflix South Africa and Amazon Prime Video to MultiChoice's Showmax and DStv Now, PCCW Media's VIU, DEOD, Vodacom Video Play, Acorn TV and others.

Now Cell C black that failed to generate revenue, will shut down on 31 December 2019, joining a list of previous streamers who shuttered ranging from VIDI and the Altech Node to OnTapTV, Kwesé Play and Kwesé TV, and others.

In an SMS to Cell C black subscribers, the company says it's giving customers a Showmax voucher that will give them access to Showmax for free for 3 months and that the service will shutter on 31 December 2019.

"To fill your entertainment gap, we're giving you 3 months' free Showmax on us," says Cell C black in the SMS. 

Cell C launched Cell C black, accessed through its own set-top box (STB) called the blackBOX, as well as through web browsers in November 2017 but in late-August 2019 abruptly shut down the streaming of all of its linear TV channels, leaving only on-demand programming.

The 40 linear TV channels on Cell C black ranged from FOX and National Geographic, to TNT, Trace and Al Jazeera.

At the time Cell C black told its customers and subscribers that it was "experiencing difficulties which are affecting our live TV channels" that the IT-division is trying to solve - a notice still being displayed on the service's website.

"Our decision to reconfigure our product and services is part of putting the business on the right track," Douglas Craigie Stevenson, Cell C CEO, said in a supplied statement three months ago about the radical reduction in the services offered by and investment in Cell C black.

Candice Jones, Cell C spokesperson, told TVwithThinus on Thursday night in response to a media enquiry that Cell C black is shutting down, saying that "Following a review of the company’s product portfolio and decision to redirect expenditure to revenue generating initiatives, Cell C can confirm that it will decommission its streaming content service, black on 31 December 2019."

"Content remains part of Cell C’s broader strategy, however, we have had to carefully look at how we approach this to ensure we provide a sustainable service that customers want while at the same time offer a service that makes commercial sense to the business."

"The company suspended all linear live TV channels on the platform in September. Cell C will not be accepting any new registrations on the black service, and will be refunding customers for outright movie purchases. Existing customers will be able to use the service until 31 December 2019."

"Cell C is in the process of notifying existing customers on black of its decision to end this service."

Cell C poured R523.9 million into Cell C black during its 2017 financial year and another R523.9 million in content acquisition to buy licensing rights to TV shows, films and the streaming rights to TV channels.

In August 2018 Cell C in a statement said that 2.5 million people had "browsed" through the content on the Cell C black catalogue and sampled some of the offering with 60 000 transactions that had been completed and 260 000 customers who had made use of the free trial option.

In January 2019 Cell C black dramatically cut down its free trial period from 30 days to just 7.

In late-September Cell C in its financial report said that it's cutting back spending on Cell C black by at least R120 million and that it is "reviewing the channel options for the black video streaming service – which will ensure a saving of R120 million annually with additional savings expected as Cell C continues to right-size this business unit".

Douglas Craigie Stevenson said that its investment in the creation of Cell C black was a big mistake, noting that "Cell C black was not the right play for Cell C. We didn't have the resources to compete in that environment."

Vodacom says 'free' Bold that's back in SA is only beautiful on its restricted Video Play service with a Vodacom number.

Vodacom that announced that The Bold and the Beautiful is back and free to watch for viewers in South Africa on its Video Play streaming service, now says that the American weekday soap is restricted to customers who must have a Vodacom number.

A growing number of disappointed viewers and fans of The Bold and the Beautiful who tried to register on Vodacom Video Play to watch the soap that made its return on Wednesday after the struggling SABC dropped it in March this year, couldn't understand why they're not able to register and sign up for Video Play and getting a "register error".

It turns out that Vodacom only allows viewers to watch Video Play if they have paid to be a Vodacom customer.

In its initial statement issued by the WE South Africa PR company, Vodacom said that it has "secured the rights to stream the beloved TV show on its video-on-demand platform, Video Play. Now South African consumers will be able to stream the soap on their mobile devices, such as their smartphones, tablets and laptops". 

Vodacom said that "consumers don't need to subscribe to any packages" because The Bold and the Beautiful, produced by Bell-Phillip Television Productions, "is FREE".

Vodacom made no mention that people who want to watch The Bold and the Beautiful must buy a Vodacom SIM card and have a valid Vodacom number in order to register on Video Play.

TVwithThinus asked Vinnie Santu, Vodacom spokesperson for comment about South African consumers saying that they can't register or watch The Bold and the Beautiful because they don't have Vodacom numbers. She said that "Video Play is exclusive to Vodacom customers".

Asked why this was not specified in the announcement, Vinnie Santu said "Video Play is Vodacom's entertainment platform, exclusive to Vodacom customers". 

Rival Cell C doesn't restrict access to its struggling Cell C black streaming service to just Cell C customers, and neither does VIU, or any of the other major video streaming services available in South Africa like MultiChoice's Showmax, Netflix South Africa or Amazon Prime Video. 

ALSO READ: Brooke's back! The Bold and the Beautiful returns to South Africa - this time on Vodacom's Video Play streaming service.

ALSO READ: INTERVIEW. Katherine Kelly Lang on why Bold - now back in South Africa on Vodacom Video Play - remains beautiful: 'The times and moods and the technology all change and showrunner Brad Bell has done that very well'.

Cell C is gutting its video streaming service Cell C black by reducing investment by R120 million as Cell C posts R8 billion loss.

With massive ongoing losses, cuts to several of its services have been unavoidable as the embattled Cell C released its latest annual financial results showing a massive loss of R8.03 billion, revealing that it has cut back spending on its struggling Cell C black video streaming service by at least R120 million.

Cell C's R8.03 billion net loss for the financial year ending 31 May 2019 is a massive increase from its R656 million loss in the previous financial year and in which Blue Label Telecoms owns a 45% stake.

Douglas Craigie Stevenson, Cell C CEO, says management is trying to stabilise the beleaguered operator with a turnaround strategy which has included cutting back on its struggling Cell C black subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service.

R120 million in spending is being cut from Cell C black which means less content for users than what there used to be as Cell C black competes with services like MultiChoice's Showmax, Netflix South Africa, Amazon Prime Video and other players in a very small but overheated South African OTT market.

In its financial report Cell C says that it is "reviewing the channel options for the Black video streaming service – which will ensure a saving of R120 million annually with additional savings expected as Cell C continues to right-size this business unit".

Douglas Craigie Stevenson says its investment in the creation of its struggling Cell C black that it is now cutting back on was a big mistake.

"Cell C black was not the right play for Cell C. We didn't have the resources to compete in that environment."

In late-August 2019 Cell C black suffered a shocking and abrupt linear channels blackout that then turned out to be deliberate.

While Cell C black told its customers and subscribers that it was "experiencing difficulties which are affecting our live TV channels" and that the IT-division is trying to solve, Cell C had in fact deliberately cut this costly service, keeping some of its own staffers and PR people in the dark and making as if it's a technical issue.

Days later Cell C black suddenly admitted that it deliberately culled the Cell C black service and that "our decision to reconfigure our product is part of putting the business on the right track".

Cell C black subscribers who have abandoned the bad service say they are being kept in the dark as to how to get refunds from the streaming service that suddenly changed its offering without any prior notification.

After days the struggling Cell C now admits that it yanked all its TV channels as its Cell C black streaming service is cut down; first said that the black blackout is because of 'difficulties' that its IT division is trying to resolve.

With chaos inside the struggling and cash-strapped Cell C, the company on Tuesday finally admitted after days of no answers that it had to cut all its TV channels from its Cell C black video streaming service that is being downsized, after first saying the Cell C black blackout is because of "difficulties" that its IT division is "trying to resolve in a timely manner".

Cell C black started to apologise "for the blackout you're currently experiencing" just before the past weekend when Cell C black customers were confronted with a sad face emoji on-screen message instead of the carousel of live linear TV channels on the service.

In a note to scared Cell C black customers that TVwithThinus obtained, Cell C told concerned Cell C black subscribers to "kindly note that there is a current technical disruption with all live TV channels on the black portal".

"We humbly apologise for the inconvenience and would like to assure you that your black experience is important to us. We will update you on the progress once feedback from our IT department is received".

Now the blackout, "difficulties", "technical disruption" and problem that IT had to solve has been turned into a deliberate Cell C service cut, which means that either Cell C black lied to customers or that Cell C black executives and staffers didn't know and themselves were not aware that the TV channels service was abruptly being shut down.

Cell C on Tuesday responded to questions in a media enquiry from TVwithThinus made earlier, saying that Cell C had made a decision to review its Cell C black content strategy "in particular its linear channels and enter into negotiations with its content providers".

Cell C didn't say why it failed to warn the South African TV industry and its paying subscribers beforehand that the channels would go dark leading to speculation that it is channel suppliers who revoked access to their content over non-payment causing the black blackout crisis.

"We are taking the right steps to right-size the business, focusing on revenue generating activities and cutting costs where necessary. Our decision to reconfigure our product and services is part of putting the business on the right track," said Douglas Craigie Stevenson, Cell C CEO, in a supplied statement on Tuesday.

"We need to move forward based on a roadmap that is robust, profitable and in the best interests of Cell C and its customers. "Content remains part of the broader strategy and will continue to be offered, albeit in a different format."

Cell C said that "Cell C black customers will continue to have access to music, series and movies even though linear channels have been temporarily suspended. All impacted linear subscribers will receive alternative black products and services."

Besides offering a catalogue of on-demand programming including series and films, Cell C black also offered a carousel of linear TV channels ranging from entertainment and news to sports, music and lifestyle that viewers could watch through the video streaming service, exactly similar as to using a rooftop satellite dish like DStv or StarSat.

The 40 linear TV channels on Cell C black ranged from FOX and National Geographic, to TNT, Trace and Al Jazeera.

Cell C launched Cell C black, accessed through its own set-top box (STB) called the blackBOX, as well as through web browsers in November 2017 to compete with MultiChoice’s Showmax, Netflix South Africa and Amazon Prime Video in the growing but video streaming consumer market.

The Cell C black channels shutdown brings the Cell C black service perilously close to the group of already terminated and failed video streaming services in South Africa ranging from VIDI and the Altech Node to OnTapTV, Kwesé Play and Kwesé TV and others.

ALSO READ: Cell C black blackout as all its channels abruptly disappear without warning or explanation and customers fear a product implosion similar to Econet Media's shuttered Kwesé TV.

Cell C black blackout as all its channels abruptly disappear without warning or explanation and customers fear a product implosion similar to Econet Media's shuttered Kwesé TV.

A blackout has hit Cell C black with all of the video streaming service's TV channels that have abruptly disappear without warning or explanation.

Customers not getting what they've paid for or any answers, are fearing that a product implosion similar to Econet Media's shuttered Kwesé TV might be hitting Cell C black.

Cell C black was asked what happened, why all of the linear TV channels disappeared, what message Cell C has for black customers, when service will be restored and whether customers will be getting a refund for the service they're not getting. The company didn't respond with answers to the media enquiry at the time of publication on Monday.

Besides offering a catalogue of on-demand programming including series and films, Cell C black also offer a carousel of linear TV channels ranging from entertainment and news to sports, music and lifestyle that viewers can watch through the video streaming service, exactly similar as to using a rooftop satellite dish like DStv or StarSat.

The 40 linear TV channels on Cell C black range from FOX and National Geographic, to TNT, Trace and Al Jazeera.

Cell C launched Cell C black, accessed through its own set-top box (STB) called the blackBOX, as well as through web browsers in November 2017 to compete with MultiChoice’s Showmax, Netflix South Africa and Amazon Prime Video in the growing but video streaming consumer market. 

In a note to scared Cell C black customers that TVwithThinus obtained, Cell C only tells concerned subscribers to "kindly note that there is a current technical disruption with all live TV channels on the black portal. We humbly apologise for the inconvenience and would like to assure you that your black experience is important to us. We will update you on the progress once feedback from our IT department is received".

On its website Cell C black since Monday morning, 4 days after channels blackout started, now simply says: "We are experiencing difficulties wich are affecting our live TV channels and are working to resolve the issue in a timely manner. We apologise for any inconvenience caused".

It sounds ominously similar to the pro forma platitude message that Econet sent to customers of its now bust Kwesé Play streaming service through a Roku device, its Kwesé TV pay-TV service and its Kwesé Free Sports linear TV channel that it provided to e.tv's Openview platform, that all abruptly went down while Econet kept telling customers it's working on the technical problems only for the service to be placed into liquidation.

Cell C that has sunk millions into its video streaming venture is facing massive financial problems with investors who have been saying that they're being kept in the dark about the growing Cell C cash crisis.

Cell C's black subscription video-on-demand service slowly making inroads with 80 000 active user logins, 260 000 free trial users.

Cell C's black subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service is slowly making inroads with 60 000 content sale transactions since it launched and 2.5 million perusals through its content catalogue.

As part of its annual financial results for the year ending 30 June 2018, Cell C that made a net loss of R645 million, on Tuesday included some information from its Cell C black business unit.

Cell C didn't include any profitability or revenue figures for Cell C black.

Cell C black, launched in November 2017 and now competing with MultiChoice's DStv, its SVOD service Showmax, Netflix South Africa and Amazon Prime Video, is now the top streaming service for the DLM3 market representing the average South African internet user.

"Cell C black is the top streaming service for the DLM3 market - average internet users, which represent a large portion of the population in South Africa. In the DLM5-segment - high-tech users - the awareness of Cell C black has grown by 14%," the company states.

"There has been a sharp increase in content consumption since Cell C zero-rated its data for Cell C black content streaming," the company said.

According to Cell C, its own subscribers make up 70% of Cell C black users, with 30% of black users coming from other cellular networks. So far 2.5 million people have browsed through the Cell C catalogue.

Cell C black currently has 80 000 active user logins, with 60 000 completed transactions. Meanwhile the number of Cell C black free trial users have reached 260 000.

One of the best things about Cell C's new streaming service, black, is its strong, impressive carousel of TV news channels, several carried in HD.

If you thought that MultiChoice had locked up the status quo on DStv as far as the Rubik's Cube of linear TV news channels are concerned more than a decade ago, a very pleasant and unsuspecting surprise awaits with the strong, impressive and well-balanced set of TV news channels assembled on Cell C black.

Cell C's newly launched subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) streaming service, black, offers linear TV channels - something that Netflix, Naspers' Showmax and Amazon Prime Video do not.

Quite interestingly, the linear TV channels include a set of TV news channels, which seen in the totality of this offering, actually comes very close in rivaling the TV news channel offering provided by MultiChoice on DStv.

For Cell C black to have assembled this many TV news channels - several of which get an above average grade in terms of news content, news spread, on-air look and production values - gives black a very high score on its TV news offering for an out-of-the-box, just-launched service.

It shows how bad TopTV (now StarSat) was when it launched and had a paltry news offering, with Cell C black that shows how it is possible to put together a decent linear TV news channel offering even in the face of competing pay-TV services.

Granted, TV news channels do not play as big a factor in the overall unique selling proposition of a pay-TV service like lets say, general entertainment and sport channels do, but for this TV critic at least, TV news channels are as much and closely watched and tracked, and are as important.

Keep in mind that the FOX News Channel, also available on StarSat from China's StarTimes Media SA and On Digital Media (ODM), is carried on Cell C black but that it is blocked - unless you pay another R99 per month to get access to all of the FOX Networks Group Africa (FNG Africa) supplied channels.

Cell C black offers a very impressive line-up of TV news channels - several of which are streamed in high definition (HD).

(It also means that Cell C black has more TV news channels in HD than on DStv!)

Cell C black carries BBC World News (501), FOX News Channel (502), Al Jazeera (503), euronews HD (504), its new Africa sister africanews (505), Deutsche Welle (506), France24 (507), TRT World HD (508), Russia Today HD (509), Bloomberg HD (511) and CNBC Africa (512).

Weirdly Cell C and Cell C black hasn't bothered to say a single thing about its news channels offering to the media - something that is actually a very strong selling point.

This TV critic had to activate the service and start scrolling through the linear TV channel offering on the blackBOX to discover channels like TRT World - and to have a jaw-dropper moment when I saw that it streams in HD, just like Bloomberg and Russia Today.

With this offering, no big international news event or some big Africa news event will happen without a user of Cell C black not being able to watch and keep up with all the news about it.

BBC World News is already carried on DStv, StarSat and OpenView HD (OVHD) from eMedia Investment's Platco Digital.

Al Jazeera and Bloomberg (but not in HD) are already carried on both DStv and StarSat.

DStv also has Deutsche Welle and France24 but only on special language packages, and also carries Russia Today (but not in HD) and CNBC Africa.

StarSat also has FOX News Channel and France24.

It's striking that Cell C worked to get the Turkish English-language TRT World on its service, as well as several channels in HD.

It feels weirdly wonderful watching Bloomberg and euronews and TRT World in crystal-clear high definition and to think that this is being watched on a big-screen TV set ... but is being streamed through data rather than coming through a satellite dish.

Noteworthy is that Cell C black decided to place BBC World News first as the frontload news channel, just like MultiChoice did with DStv, and is also the case on StarSat and OpenView HD.

Does it mean that every pay-TV service considers BBC World News the most proper international TV news channel of record?

DStv had euronews but dropped it. It means that Cell C "exclusively" for the moment carries euronews, africanews and TRT World.

In fact, Cell C black will forever hold the footnote as being first to ever make the africanews and TRT World news channels available as linear TV channels in South Africa on a pay-TV service.

WHAT THE FOX? Cell C black and FOX Networks Group won't give you access to any of the FOX supplied channels ... unless you pay another R100 more - even on the most expensive package.

The nastiest surprise when it comes to the linear TV channels carried on Cell C's new subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service, black, is the horrible discovery that all of the FOX supplied channels are blocked and that Cell C and FOX Networks Group Africa wants you to pay even more if you want to see any of it - even if you're on the most expensive monthly package already.

An even more eye-rollingly bad decision is that Cell C's black decided to front-load the FOX channels like FOX (channel 201) and FOX Life (202) at the very beginning of the linear TV channel list.

If you don't have the FOX channels and are not paying for them (presumably the bulk of Cell C black users) the very first thing all Cell C black customers see, and will see constantly, are just "blocked", "blocked", "blocked" and off-putting reminder notification pop-ups that "You lack the permission to view this content".

Out-of-the-box when you start up the blackBOX, it creates a very bad impression of Cell C's black.

Even after you've become used to it, Cell C and FOX are going to continue to keep "reminding" you of this - since it's what you're always going to see when you return to the start of the BINGE TV or "BTV" menu and channel list for the linear TV streaming section.

The biggest disappointment of opening Cell C black on the blackBOX was how it spoiled that feeling of excitement and anticipation you have when opening something new when, with the opening, unboxing and starting up of Cell C black, I discovered that all of the FOX supplied channels are blocked unless you pay even more.

The BINGE Premium Plus package of Cell C's black costs R389 per month.

That's the single-most expensive package on Cell C's just launched black streaming service.

Yet, when it comes to its linear TV channels offering, that R389 isn't enough for Cell C black to give you access to all of the TV channels.

Somehow Cell C black and FOX Networks Group Africa want the user to pay yet another R99 per month on top of the R389 to see channels like FOX, FOX Life, National Geographic, Nat Geo WILD, Baby TV, FOX News, FOX Sports and FOX Sports 2.

Why didn't/isn't Cell C black bundling the FOX offering and its costing into the existing channel carousel pricing?

And why isn't Cell C black not making it upfront in its package information much more explicit that you won't and don't get the FOX Networks Group Africa channels as part of BINGE Premium Plus?

MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV service, and StarSat from China's StarTimes Media SA and On Digital Media (ODM), both carry FOX, FOX Life and Nat GEO WILD already.

DStv carries National Geographic, and StarSat carries Baby TV, FOX News, Fox Sports and FOX Sports 2.

It feels disingenuous of Cell C black to offering a "BINGE Premium Plus" package when 8 linear TV channels are still blocked out, meaning it's not truly "binge", nor "premium", nor "plus".

Where is the Cell C black package that is really, truly all-inclusive of everything?

The answer is there isn't one which means BINGE Premium Plus is actually a bit of a minus - minus 8 to be exact.

Cell C black should move something like the two Sony channels, or the set of news channels upfront, and then middle or back-load the FOX channels.

In that way new and existing customers starting up the linear TV channels on Cell C's black, immediately see something that "works" instead of just stuff that are blocked.

When you pay R389 for a month's "premium plus" TV content and the first thing on the very first TV channel on Cell C black that you see is "You lack the permission to view this content", it creates not just a shock but a very bad feeling about the product - as if it's "broken" somehow, although it's not.


PS:
The pay-another-R100-if-you-want-FOX shock should also serve as a warning to those pay-TV subscribers who keep clamouring for a "I want to pick my own channels" on DStv or StarSat - the so-called a la carte option.

The R100 for the FOX caboodle shows how DStv subscribers and StarSat subscribers will very quickly end up paying more, and have less TV channels, if MultiChoice or StarTimes do actually "unbundle" channels and individually price tag a supplier's TV channel set like the ones from FOX, or SuperSport or M-Net or Discovery or Scripps Networks.

Here's the linear TV channels available at launch on Cell C's streaming video-on-demand service, black, and their channel numbers.

Here's the names of the TV channels available at launch on Cell C's streaming subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service, black, and their channel numbers.

Cell C recently launched black in South Africa that offers viewers access to several linear TV channels (meaning traditional TV channels that run 24 hours per day); including channels spanning the genres of entertainment, lifestyle, documentary, reality, film, kids, sports, news, music and religion.

FOX                                        201

FOX Life                                202

Sony Channel                          203

Sony Max                                204

African Movie Channel          205

African Series Channel           206

CBS Reality                            207

Scoop Network HD                208

TCM                                        241

True Movies                            242

Nina TV                                  250

Fine Living HD                       251

Fashion One HD                     252

Fashion Box                            253

FTV                                         254

Travel Channel                        255     

National Geographic               261

Nat Geo WILD                        262

RT DOC HD                           264

Boing                                      301

Toonami Africa HD                302

POP                                         303

JimJam                                    304

Fix & Foxi                               305

Baby TV                                 306

Duck TV                                 307

FOX Sports 1                          401

FOX Sports 2                          402

MUTV (Man United) HD      403

Chelsea TV HD                      404

LFC TV HD                           405

Barca TV HD                          406

Real Madrid HD                     407

Trace Sports Stars HD            410

Extreme Sports                       411

E Sports TV HD                     412

Game Toonbox HD                413

Motorvision HD                      414

Nautical HD                            415

Outdoor Channel HD             416

Sportskool                               417

Havoc TV HD                        418

Fightbox HD                           419

Fast and Funbox HD              420

BBC World News                  501

FOX News                              502

Al Jazeera                                503

Euronews HD                         504

Africanews                              505

Deutsche Welle                       506

France24                                 507

TRT World HD                       508

Russia Today HD                   509

Bloomberg HD                       511

CNBC Africa                          512

Kiss                                         601

Box Hits                                  602

Trace Gospel                           603

Trace Africa                            604

Box Africa                              605

360 Tunebox                           606

Magic                                      607

Kerrang                                   608

GOD TV                                 702

Inspiration TV                         703

Firstly, the list of linear TV channels for this Cell C black service is out of the box very impressive for the service and at the price point (of course yes, the customer also still has to pay separately for actual data).

But the product, taken at face value, on the offering of its number of linear TV channels, is surprising, and surprisingly good and above average for a pay-TV service.

Cell C's black has different subscription services to get access to the linear TV channels, each coming with slightly different access to a different number of these TV channels.

Here's the very bad thing about Cell C's black linear TV channels: There are too many different plans, and these plans are too difficult to understand, and doesn't tell upfront in enough detail exactly what you get for it.

The BINGE Premium, abbreviated as BTV Premium, costs R279 per month and gives access to 60 of these TV channels (and include access to on-demand shows).

The BINGE Access, abbreviated as BTV Access, costs R89 per month. I was unable to figure out, despite research, how many TV channel you actually get access to.

Then there's several other "monthly recurring" TV packages.

Monthly BTV Premium (R189) and Monthly BTV Access (R69) for instance are available but once again Cell C black isn't telling potential consumers how many actual TV channels you get for these packages.

These "monthly recurring" packages also likely mean you're locked into some long(er) term fixed contract. We also don't know that since Cell C black doesn't spell it out clearly.

The soccer club channels costs extra and that's quite obvious.

Also not spelled out and extremely bad of Cell C black and of FOX Networks Group Africa (FNG Africa) are how all the FOX channels also require yet another separate subscription payment.

Even if you pay for the most expensive BINGE Premium Plus package, a very nasty surprise awaits: You will have to pay yet another R99 per month if you want to actually get any of the FOX supplied channels unblocked.

FOX, FOX Life, Baby TV, National Geographic, Nat Geo WILD, Baby TV, FOX News, FOX Sports and FOX Sports 2 will remain unblocked even if you're on BINGE Premium Plus - the most expensive package on Cell C's black, unless you pay yet another R100.

Why does Cell C black have a "BINGE Premium Plus" when stuff like the FOX channels are excluded? it means it's neither "binge", nor really "premium", and definitely not "plus".

The only "plus" is the "plus R100" out of your wallet that you have to cough up if you want to have the FOX supplied linear channels unblocked.

Both Cell C and the South African media supposed to be covering this, have done and are doing an extremely bad job of actually communicating about the linear TV channels available on Cell C's black and what these channels are.

It is impressive however that Cell C black has such a lot of channels (keep in mind that none of the FOX channels are actually usable without an additional payment).

It's equally impressive how Cell C's black is offering so many of these TV channels in high definition (HD) at launch, and that all of these are linear TV channels that are streamed through the internet.

(Even) MultiChoice doesn't offer some of these channels in HD on DStv, which means that from launch, Cell C's black is doing some things better than DStv when it comes to linear TV channels and stream watching.

UNBOXING. Cell C's tiny black streaming set-top box, blackBOX, comes in a cool looking box with a double-sided remote control.

Cell C's recently launched subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) streaming service, black, works with mobile devices, tablets, laptops and desktop computers - but also has its own streaming set-top box (STB) and remote control that comes in its own cool looking and impressive looking box.

This is its unboxing and how it looks:

For review purposes Cell C couriered over to TVwithThinus and gave other select press and TV critics:

■ A black STB starter box called a blackBOX that includes the STB and remote control (R1499).
■ A portable mini WiFi router (ZTE MF920V LTE Ufi) (separate price unknown).
■ A Cell C SIM card that had to be RICA'ed.
■ A voucher code for a month's subscription to black BINGE Premium Plus (R389).
■ A voucher code for 1 free movie rental (R35).
■ A 100GB blackDATA bundle that's valid for 180 days and that can only be used to stream black content (R999).

I immediately just used my own existing 10Mbps uncapped Telkom ADSL line to try out the black service for review purposes (more on that in a separate review article).

Only later did I go through the process of getting the SIM card RICA'ed, then getting the data bundle loaded, then setting up the portable pocket router and connecting it to the black STB.

Before you do anything else, in order to use the service you also need to register and create an account for the black service.

You can create a black account without having to pay anything or having to enter any payment details.

Cell C's blackBOX is manufactured in China and comes in a light, black non-gloss box that's smaller thank you'd expect. It's just a bit bigger than lunchbox size.

It folds open from the front with "The Future of entertainment. NOW." embossed on the inside lid cover, and two fold out flaps opening to the left and right.

Inside and underneath the flaps is first a 14-page booklet - it's a mini instruction manual for users of the black set-top box.

Underneath that is the small blackBOX, a 2-prong power adapter, a remote control that users both sides (normal remote buttons on one side, a QWERTY-keyboard on the other side), and a HDMI cable.

As to scale, the black remote control is smaller than MultiChoice's DStv remote control, yet it's bigger (longer) than the blackBOX, which gives you an idea of how actually tiny the set-top box it is.

As you can see from the image above, the set-top box is almost the size of its power adapter.

The blackBOX remote control is an extremely light "chocolate slab" type rectangular remote control with smooth, rubber-type buttons.

The back of the blackBOX remote control has a QWERTY-keyboard that makes it easier to type words and numbers to make registration and linking to whatever internet data service easier.

Ironically, initially it didn't seem to work very well, and I struggled a lot.

From learnt behaviour and knowing that the box must be able to get a direct signal, I intuitively kept holding the remote control with its traditional front end to the blackBOX and grew frustrated about the slow and non-response of the keyboard.

Then I discovered you're supposed to hold it like a keyboard in front of you, pointed to the blackBOX.

The remote control doesn't just have a traditional infrared light-emitting diode (LED) at the front, but also one on the side. You can just point the "keyboard" at the blackBOX and type.

Once the blackBOX is connected to your TV set and you turn it on and connect it to your data service, you will see the "black" logo come on, after which the box will first check for a firmware upgrade to the latest version (there will very likely be a newer version than the one shipped with the box).

After the initial set-up and restart, you can enter your black user information.

It's better to register online on a desktop computer or laptop and then just enter those details on the remote control, than registering for the first time through the blackBOX, although the latter is possible (it's just more clunky).

As with a DStv or StarSat decoder there's now several menu screens you can peruse on the blackBOX interface where you can control and set your preferred settings.

On these menu screens you can set everything from network and internet settings, privacy settings and things like how you want the time to display and other preferences.

Then there's the menus for the live, linear TV channels, as well as the on demand content and shows.

The best button on the black remote control is the MENU button right in the middle.

The BACK button that I've used the second most is wholly in the wrong place, it needs to be to the left of the MENU button. Basically the MUTE and BACK buttons should be switched around.

Some things about the blackBOX and Cell C's black streaming service really are great and are really surprising and quite remarkable.

Some things about blackBOX and black are frustratingly bad right out of the box and damages the user experience - a lot of it is the same problems that MultiChoice has with its DStv Now and DStv Catch Up services, but black has some additional issues.

I will address all of these in a review of the blackBOX and Cell C's black SVOD service.

Disney buys majority of 21 Century Fox in historic $52.4 billion deal that will not just reshape Hollywood but also the TV and content production landscape internationally including Africa and South Africa.

On Thursday morning the expected announcement was made that The Mouse House has taken over the Fox Hole when The Walt Disney Company said that it's buying the majority of 21st Century Fox in a historic entertainment biz deal that will have not just massive ramifications for Hollywood but a rippling effect internationally and that will also impact content and TV channels as seen in Africa and South Africa.

The Disney-Fox deal will change Hollywood and the content production and distribution landscape internationally forever.

Disney is doing it so that it can start its own, well-populated subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service that would be able to successfully compete against the growing global dominance of Netflix.

In an memo to Fox staffers, Fox boss Rupert Murdoch hinted at possible firings, saying "we are deeply committed to finding opportunities for our people as well as ensuring that anyone impacted is well taken care of".

Fearful Foxers globally are scared and dismayed, apprehensive about the potential firing of staffers since there's huge global overlap and duplication in terms of the distribution, marketing and international divisions between Disney and Fox - with Disney topping Fox in all areas.

In the deal worth $52.4 billion, Disney will gain control of Fox Networks Group International and its 350 TV channels ran globally in 170 countries.

Several of these channels are seen in Africa and South Africa on several pay-TV services ranging from MultiChoice's DStv, StarSat operated by China's StarTimes Media SA and On Digital Media (ODM), as well as Cell C's new video streaming service, black, and on StarTimes elsewhere in Africa and pay-TV operators like Zuku.

Disney in the deal is also taking over what will amount to a seismic shift in Hollywood's content business.

Diseny takes over Fox's 20th Century Fox movie studio (Avatar, The X-Men, Fantastic Four, Deadpool) and the Fox Searchlight Pictures and Fox 2000 film studios.

Disney also gets Fox's TV production studios called 20th Century Fox Television and FX Productions that produces shows for both the FOX channel like The Simpsons but also for other channels like This is Us, Homeland and Modern Family seen on M-Net (DStv 101).

Disney also gets the pay-TV channels like National Geographic and Nat Geo WILD through taking over National Geographic Partners - something that quickly became evident during early negotiations, but also all of the FX channels, and the 39% stake in the Sky pay-TV operator in the United Kingdom and Europe.

Disney also takes over Star India that operates 69 channels reaching 720 million viewers a month across India and more than 100 other countries, with some of the Star pay-TV channels that are also being distributed in South Africa and Africa.

Disney also takes over the international Endemol Shine Group that also operates in Africa and South Africa and Endemol Shine Africa that produces shows ranging from Isidingo on SABC3 to My Kitchen Rules South Africa on M-Net (DStv 101).

In relation to South Africa and Africa, Disney gets things like the nascent production unit, FOX Networks Group Original Productions, that the FOX Networks Group Africa headquartered in Johannesburg for instance conceptualised last year and got off the ground just this year.

Disney will also gain a majority share in Hulu since it will be taking over Fox's 30% share and added to its own existing 30% gets a 60% controlling stake in the American streaming service.

Fox will keep the FOX broadcasting channel in America (but in America only), the FOX News Channel, the FOX Business Channel and the FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2 channels.

It creates the very awkward situation where, although the FOX channel in America belongs to Fox, the FOX channel as seen on DStv and StarSat and FOX and FOX+ on Cell C, will actually belong to Disney that already runs its own set of channels in South Africa and Africa.

In a statement released by The Walt Disney Company, Robert Iger, Disney chairperson and CEO confirmed that Disney is acquiring National Geographic Partners and FOX Networks Group International.

"The deal will also substantially expand our international reach, allowing us to offer world-class storytelling and innovative distribution platforms to more consumers in key markets around the world."

"Bringing on board 21st Century Fox's entertainment content and capabilities, along with its broad international footprint and a world-class team of managers and storytellers, will allow Disney to further its efforts to provide a more compelling entertainment experience through its direct-to-consumer offerings".

"The agreement also provides Disney with the opportunity to reunite The X-Men, Fantastic Four and Deadpool with the Marvel family under one roof and create richer, more complex worlds of inter-related characters and stories that audiences have shown they love."

"Through the incredible storytelling of National Geographic - whose mission is to explore and protect our planet and inspire new generations through education initiatives and resources—Disney will be able to offer more ways than ever before to bring kids and families the world and all that is in it."

Disney says the Fox assets acquisition is expected to yield at least $2 billion in cost savings "from efficiencies realized through the combination of businesses".

In a 1998 episode of Fox's The Simpsons entitled "When You Dish Upon a Star", the show predicted that Disney would one day buy 20th Century Fox and would become "a division of Walt Disney Co."