DStv subscribers irritated over problems with on demand service after software issues; MultiChoice apologises for DStv Catch Up problems.

MultiChoice is apologising to DStv subscribers over problems with its on demand DStv Catch Up service, saying new software is to blame for viewers not getting all their programming and that it is working on the problem.

DStv subscribers are angry over certain titles and episodes that have not been available as promised on DStv Now and on the DStv Catch Up service on their DStv PVR's over the past few weeks.

"We started experiencing challenges with delayed titles a few weeks ago when we installed a new automated workflow system," MultiChoice told TVwithThinus in response to a media enquiry.

"As with many software deployments - even though it was tested beforehand, we encountered some unforeseen issues."

"We apologise to our customers for not having all titles regularly on the DStv Catch Up service at the moment. We know how popular this service is amongst our customers."

"Our technical teams are working non-stop to ensure all delayed titles are delivered. We're confident the service will be back to normal very soon," said MultiChoice.

Last week Elemental Technologies announced that its signed a deal with MultiChoice to help the satellite pay-TV platform with the launch of a time-shifted subscription video-on-demand (SVoD) service.

It's not clear whether its the integration of this software and technology that's to blame for MultiChoice's problems with the DStv Catch Up service.

Elemental, an Amazon Web Services company, said that its helping MultiChoice with its "forthcoming SVoD service" and that it will help MultiChoice to drive its video-on-demand workflows, optimise the delivery of live streamed content and support MultiChoice's future time-shift SVoD offer.

"This new offer will support MultiChoice DStv Box Office and MultiChoice DStv Catch-up such that premium subscribers can watch the latest movies, sports and television shows up to seven days after they air," said Elemental Technologies.

"MultiChoice does not have a time-shifted SVoD service, not are we planning to launch something like this anytime soon," MultiChoice told TV with Thinus in response to Elemental's press release.

Elemental Technologies says its helping MultiChoice with the launch of a time-shifted SVoD service; MultiChoice says it's not planning to launch such a service soon.

MultiChoice which doesn't have a time-shifted subscription video-on-demand (SVoD) service says the satellite pay-TV operator is not planning to launch such a service anytime soon - although Elemental Technologies says it is helping MultiChoice with the launch of a forthcoming SVoD service for DStv.

MultiChoice saying it isn't planning to launch a time-shifted SVoD service follows after a press release in which Elemental Technologies, a supplier of software-defined video solutions, says MultiChoice is now making use of Elemental to power the launch of its time-shifted satellite VOD and SVoD service.

"This new offer will support MultiChoice DStv Box Office and MultiChoice DStv Catch-up such that premium subscribers can watch the latest movies, sports and television shows up to seven days after they air," says Elemental Technologies.

Elemental Technologies says its solution will help MultiChoice to drive its video-on-demand workflows, optimise the delivery of live streamed content and support MultiChoice's future time-shift SVoD offer.

"MultiChoice does not have a time-shifted SVoD service, not are we planning to launch something like this anytime soon," MultiChoice told TV with Thinus.

Elemental, an Amazon Web Services company, says in its statement that Elemental is helping MultiChoice with its "forthcoming SVoD service".

Elemental Technologies says that it is "pleased to bring the high-resolution, high-performance power of the Elemental software-defined video ecosystem to bear to help MultiChoice deliver quality experiences to its viewers and to support the company's expansion."

In the Elemental Technologies statement, Jean-Pierre Rossouw, the head of MultiChoice's video-on-demand operations is quoted as saying "our biggest challenges with this expansion were managing scalability and our ability to react to market conditions as we launched new services."

"With Elemental, we were able to adapt to a rapidly increasing volume of content and growing subscriber base while meeting customer expectations around the clock."