MultiChoice's DStv BoxOffice Online and MWEB giving 6GB free 'DStv data' to subscribers to download or stream content in a promotion.

In a promotion MultiChoice's DStv BoxOffice Online service from Naspers teamed up with Naspers' internet service provider MWEB to give DStv subscribers who are MWEB ADSL customers 5GB of free "DStv data" to use as DStv BoxOffice streamed or downloaded content per month, and 1GB of blended data to surf local and international websites.

The 1GB blended data can also be used to download or stream DStv BoxOffice content.

At the beginning of the month MultiChoice launched the official online version of its DStv BoxOffice film rental service.

The South African pay-TV platform launched an online beta testing version of DStv BoxOffice in December 2011 and planned to introduce the official commercial version in March last year, but then decided to rather test its cyber video-on-demand (VOD) service for a whole year.

The DStv BoxOffice Online and MWEB 6GB promotion lasts for six months once a subscriber signs up. The product has been designed to make 5GB DStv data available to subscribers per calendar month to access the DStv BoxOffice service only. Thereafter the option of another 1GB for download or streaming exists.

BREAKING. DStv BoxOffice Online launches on the internet as MultiChoice rolls out a beta version for its cyber video-on-demand service.

DStv BoxOffice, MultiChoice's video-on-demand (VOD) service that was launched at the end of July with DStv Online promising an online version and roll-out before the end of 2011, has now done so by launching its internet-based DStv BoxOffice service in a beta form at DStv BoxOffice.

Only the first 1 000 people who register for DStv BoxOffice's internet-based VOD service before the end of the month will be able to take part in the Beta testing with another 1 000 that will be allowed to sign up during January 2012; with DStv Online planning an official commercial launch of DStv BoxOffice Online for March 2012.

DStv Online is doing a soft Beta roll-out to test for bugs, possible payment problems and accessibility problems to prevent the public embarassement and disastrous system failure DStv BoxOffice suffered on its commercial launch day on 22 July when it suffered what it termed ''a core systems failure''.

DStv BoxOffice's online version allows registered users of the Beta service to choose and watch from around 50 movies, compared to only the 15 movies stored on DStv PVR decoders' hard drives due to space constraints. Watching DStv BoxOffice Online movies cost R33 (compared to R25 for the current commercial DStv BoxOffice service through decoders).

Customers also don't need to be DStv subscribers. Registered DStv BoxOffice Online users have to first download a special programme that supports both Windows and Apple Mac operating systems which helps with the end-to-end encryption and protection of the content.

Users need at least 3GB of available hard drive space to download the special programme and for space for movies. DStv BoxOffice Online also says users need uncapped ADSL internet of at least 1024kpbs.

Registered users download the movies ranging in size between 850MB to 900 MB to their computers and can watch it for a period of 48 hours after payment has been made with a credit card and approved.