Vodacom to launch a new video-on-demand entertainment service, including Netflix and Showmax.

The cellular operator Vodacom will launch a new video-on-demand video entertainment service within weeks that will include streaming services like Naspers' Showmax currently run by MultiChoice, as well as Netflix.

"Vodacom will launch a new content service in the coming weeks that will offer a variety of content, a Vodacom video service and access to certain third-party content," Vodacom spokesperson Byron Kennedy told TVwithThinus.

"The new service will be competitively priced and will be supported through discounted data use options such as the recently launched Vodacom Ticket multimedia bundles."

In preparation of its VOD service, Vodacom launched its Social Media Ticket products earlier this month - essentially data bundles that Vodacom users can use to get certain data discounts when they use the data for social media, video viewing, music and gaming when making use of YouTube, DStv, Netflix or Facebook and Apple Music.

Vodacom's as yet unnamed VOD platform has been months in the making and follows the launch of Cell C's black VOD service that launched in November 2017 and that has seen impressive growth.

The third rival, MTN is limping along, after having tried twice with its now shuttered MTN FrontRow that was started in December 2014, relaunched as MTN VU and got terminated in May 2017.

Telecoms and cellular operators are fast ramping up and expanding their video entertainment streaming offering, as over-the-top (OTT) subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) services like Netflix South Africa, Amazon Prime Video, Showmax and others are trying to cash in and make market share inroads as broadband penetration, data costs and speed improve.

Legacy pay-TV operators feeling the heat from the rapidly-expanding SVOD consumer sector are not about to give up their lunch. MultiChoice this week announced that it will launch a dishless streaming-only DStv option sometime in 2019, with increasing budget spending by M-Net on local productions to keep viewers hooked.

Discover Digital to launch a new South African video-on-demand (VOD) streaming service, says 'viewers today want freedom of choice'.

Yet another video-on-demand (VOD) service is set to launch in South Africa next month with Discover Digital that will be making another service available in the country's overheated streamer services arena.

It's not yet clear what exactly Discover Digital's a new video-on-demand content hub will be called, but its Digital Entertainment on Demand (DEOD) service will very likely be offered as a straight-to-consumer service, and also as a flow-through service to other interested operators.

Discover Digital's to be launched service is the latest rival that will compete with video fighters like Naspers' Showmax, the global streaming service Netflix, MTN's limp-along VU, PCCW Global's ONTAPtv.com, and PrideTV all battling for users.

South Africa's cash-guzzling SVOD sector that has seen breathless millions spent since 2016 on content acquisition rights and marketing as streaming services all try to secure a bigger foothold in the door, has already seen spectacular failures like Times Media's VIDI and Altech's Node that both imploded.

While VOD and subscription VOD services are only being used by an extremely small part of the South Africa viewing audience - the latest Television Audience Measurement Survey (TAMS) update used from April 2017 pegs it at only 1% of the total South African TV viewer universe - it is growing fast.

Discover Digital's new on-demand content hub that will have its media launch on 4 May, will be offering a broad bouquet of premium local and international entertainment and educational content and linear channels.

Discover Digital says it is taking its new VOD service to market in partnership with existing mobile operators as well as big consumer brands that may opt to offer its new service as a value-add, or add their own branding to the service.

Now Discover Digital's managing director Stephen Watson says the specialist on-demand company is aggressively entering the African market with a plan to bring fully converged linear on-demand news and entertainment streaming services to viewers across the African continent.

"South Africans will begin to take up paid for on-demand services in greater quantities and I believe this will then start to significantly shift broadcast ad budgets and spend," says Stephen Watson.

"Audiences no longer want to be prescribed extensive, expensive bouquets of channels that they may only watch a small percentage of, or that overwhelmingly do not speak to their interest; they want to be able to choose and so smaller packs of niche focused content or channels is becoming more readily available."

"Viewers today want freedom of choice. They want customisable, affordable access to movies, news, sports, music and TV series wherever they are," says Stephen Watson.

"Disruptive new models are breaking the traditional broadcast and pay-TV moulds by letting viewers choose what packages and genres they want, what subscription models they prefer, and even how they'd like to pay. VOD delivers."

Naspers is reported to be seeking partnerships with mobile operators across sub-Saharan Africa to boost ShowMax and has already concluded a partnership with Safaricom in Kenya with talks underway with other telecommunication operators.

Meanwhile MTN Nigeria recently announced its over-the-top (OTT) VOD service for subscribers, while Ericsson is securing content deals for its NUVU VOD service.

Study: Viewers now feeling completely overwhelmed by too many TV shows; so much TV to choose from 'that it's hard to know where to start'.

According to a new study viewers are feeling completely overwhelmed by too many TV shows, saying there's so much TV to choose from "that it's hard to know where to start".

While South African viewers complain bitterly about the SABC as well as about repeats and rebroadcasts on MultiChoice's DStv and StarTimes Media SA's StarSat, the latest American study about TV viewing habits indicate that viewers are drowning in a glut of TV programming and choices.

In South Africa the new TV offering has steadily been increasing, with more and more local productions, more local and international channels being added, and several video-on-demand (VoD) services starting all offering overlapping but also exclusive content ranging from MTN FrontRow now rebranded as VU, Naspers' ShowMax, Times Media Group's VIDI, PCCW Global's ONTAPtv.com, and Netflix set to launch in South Africa sometime in 2016.

According to the study from Hub Entertainment Research entitled "Conquering Content", although viewers are complaining about there not being enough to watch, they're actually overwhelmed by too much television. The study found that viewers say there are so many shows to choose from that they've never seen and that's showing new episodes at any given moment that it's hard to know where to start.

The Hub Entertainment Research was done in America doing a survey under 1 200 American TV viewers between the ages of 16 and 74 during the month of October.

Viewers are saying online platforms help them in finding new TV shows and almost 60% of viewers in the study said that they are more likely to choose TV sources that make it easy to find and discover new shows.

The study is good news for South Africa's SABC and e.tv which both started adding and rolling out their linear content to YouTube and online platforms, as well as new SVoD services like ShowMax and ONTAPtv.com.

According to the study, online TV episodes and placing and having content there, creates live TV viewers who would otherwise never have existed.

More than half (52%) of TV viewers say they've first discovered a TV show from an online source, and then went on to watch the same show from traditional non-online sources.

ShowMax app now one of most popular apps on Samsung Smart TVs; 3-month free ShowMax subscription with all Samsung Smart TVs bought in 2016.

ShowMax has partnered with Samsung, with all Samsung Smart TV's bought in 2016 that will come with a free 3-month subscription to the new subscription video-on-demand (SVoD) service from Naspers.

Samsung Smart TV users will be able to connect to ShowMax through its app and the service, normally costing R99 per month, will be free for three months.

Buyers of a Samsung Smart TV before 30 April 2016 will be able to redeem a unique voucher code for the 3-month free subscription of R297 and will need to complete a once-off sign-up process at showmax.com.

Once signed up, ShowMax can be accessed through the Samsung Smart TV app, through an internet browser, or on smartphones and tablets using the ShowMax apps for Android and iOS.

The growing ShowMax video catalogue has more than 20 000 TV show episodes and movies including Hollywood favourites, the best of British and popular local programming from MultiChoice and M-Net's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) and kykNET (DStv 144) TV channels.

According to Samsung South Africa the new partnership between Samsung and ShowMax is expected to accelerate the adoption of video-on-demand in South Africa.

"Subscription video-on-demand services and Smart TVs are changing the way people experience video entertainment," says John Kotsaftis, ShowMax South Africa general manager.

"Our viewing statistics show that Smart TVs are one of the most popular ways people choose to watch ShowMax as the convenience and ease of use are compelling. It's one of the reasons why we're excited to be working with Samsung - we think that this partnership has the potential to drive a change in viewing habits in South Africa," says John Kotsaftis.

"The ShowMax app has become one of the most popular among our Smart TV viewers," says Matthew Thackrah, Samsung Electronics SA deputy managing director and head of consumer electronics.

Vodacom and Naspers talking about sharing DStv video content; looking at customers paying a fixed amount for video data instead of per megabyte.

Vodacom and Naspers are having discussions about the possibility of letting their South African customers download movies and episodes of TV shows but paying a fixed amount instead of the exorbitant data costs per megabyte which has held back the uptake and growth of video-on-demand (VOD) and other over-the-top (OTT) services.

Bloomberg reports that Vodacom is having talks with media and TV company Naspers to bring DStv video content through its pay-TV platform MultiChoice to mobile devices like smartphones and tablets.

A deal between the big companies could bring new impetus to South Africa's severely constrained and lagging broadband infrastructure and investment.

The roll-out of new services and video-on-demand growth in South Africa have been slow, hampered by years of government inaction and incompetence, as well as bureaucracy at the country's slow-moving broadcasting regulator.

The consumer uptake of video-on-demand (VOD) and OTT services in South Africa, as well as things like digital video mobile broadcasting or DVB-H, have been severely held back the past decade due to a slow-moving and constricted regulatory environment.

On a practical level, limited broadband availability and roll-out for instance has resulted in extremely high data costs involved for ordinary South African consumers who are scared to make use of it and also don't have the money to pay for it.

With expensive uncapped internet connections in the minority in South Africa, consumers with restrictive capped connections and slow connection speeds who want to use even a little bit of data to make video calls or watch video like a movie or TV shows, quickly run into debilitating price points where making use of these services become too expensive.

Besides paying a rental fee per movie release or making use of VOD services, South African customers are burdened with the additional high cost of the actual data used which is quickly gobbled up when accessing video downloading and streaming services like Times Media's VIDI, MTN's FrontRow or MultiChoice's DStv Catch Up.

Last week for instance, Altron TMT admitted that it's Altech Node which it launched in September 2014 was an flop, with sales for the expensive video-on-demand (VOD) set-top box (STB) and service "below expectations with regard to retail customer take-up".

MultiChoice for instance warns DStv subscribers watching video on tablets and smartphones that it recommends uncapped data accounts because "downloading video consumes large amounts of data so please be aware of your data package limits and costs".

It comes as the global VOD streaming service Netflix plans to enter South Africa soon as a new competitor and market disruptor. Netflix told TV with Thinus in January that it plans to be operational and definitely available to South African customers before the end of next year.

According to Bloomberg, Vodacom and Naspers are now considering allowing customers to download a movie or show to a smartphone or tablet for a fixed fee instead of "billing per megabyte".

A deal would mean that customers would be able to download DStv on Demand movies and shows through Vodacom for a cheaper fixed price, without the insanely high cost that comes with the data use of a 500MB or more movie download or streaming, in addition to the rental fee.

Shameel Joosub, Vodacom's chief executive officer (CEO) told Bloomberg that Vodacom - which recently shocked and angered consumers with a unilateral tariff hike from May - plans to sell its own video content to customers. "That's where we'll evolve," said Shameel Joosub.

A deal between Vodacom and Naspers would be the first new big partnership between the two since Vodacom started selling the two DStv Select bouquet offerings from MultiChoice in June 2007, a packaged product agreement which was terminated in late 2011, with legacy DStv Select subscribers being phased out.

MobileTV to launch its new TV4U video-on-demand (VOD) service in South Africa on 1 February 2015, cheaper than Altech Node and VIDI.

MobileTV wants to launch its new TV4U video-on-demand (VOD) in South Africa on 1 February 2015, offering viewers a selection of content from Hollywood, Nollywood, Joziwood, Lollywood, as well as other entertainment and sports programming.

The TV4U decoder will cost around R1 700 - half of that of Altech Node - and a subscription less than VIDI's R149 per month.

Besides MultiChoice's existing DStv BoxOffice and DStv Catch Up VOD services, Times Media Group last month launched its VIDI VOD service that costs R149 per month, followed a week later by Altech which launched its Altech Node set-top box (STB) costing R3 500 with a R299 monthly subscription fee.

MultiChoice then extended its DStv BoxOffice service at the end of last month to lower-tiered DStv subscribers on the DStv Compact package.

MobileTV's TV4U will also make use of Intelsat's IS-20 satellite, similar to MultiChoice and Platco Digital's OpenView HD (OVHD), meaning that those satellite TV viewers would be able to use TV4U without having to install a new satellite dish.

"TV4U has assembled an international arsenal of aggregators, content providers, and billing management partners in Los Angeles, London, New York, Toronto, Canada, Paris, Seoul and Korea to provide a Hollywood, Bollywood, Nollywood, Lollywood and Joziwood4U eclectic mix of premium entertainment and sports programming," says Mothobi Mutloatse, the chairman and founder of MobileTV.

MobileTV has chosen a local decoder manufacturer for its dynamic VOD decoder and says it will cost consumers less than half of Altech's Node, and also less than VIDI's monthly subscription charges when TV4U plans to launch in February next year.

Unlike VIDI, users will also not have data charges, says Mothobi Mutloase.

"This is a robust service we have developed with some of the best push VOD experts in the field in Europe, through software we shall reveal when we launch on 1 February," says Mothobi Mutloase.

BREAKING. Altech Node launches in South Africa as brand-new video-on-demand (VOD) consumer console to compete with DStv, VIDI.

Altech is launching the Altech Node in the suddenly white hot video-on-demand (VOD) market with South African consumers and TV viewers who will be able to buy the VOD console, using MultiChoice's DStv dish, from Friday at R3 499, and giving access to 700 hours of entertainment.

The launch of Altech's Node comes a week after the launch of Times Media Group's VIDI with Node viewers who won't suffer buffering issues like VIDI and who will also be able to watch the latest movie releases as well as library TV shows.

Altech didn't release a list of the TV programming and movies available at launch and didn't respond with a list to a media enquiry seeking a list on Thursday.

(Altech didn't make the Node device available for testing ahead of the launch to national TV critics who were not invited to, nor told of, the launch event on Thursday evening).

With MultiChoice's DStvBoxOffice on the one side of the spectrum, Times Media Group's VIDI on the other side and Altech's Node in the middle of the existing - and suddenly exploding - VOD market, South African consumers and viewers suddenly have a lot more choices and options.

Like DStv BoxOffice on the DStv Explora and HD PVR the content on the Node console is updated through satellite and stored on the 1TB internal hard drive and viewable in 1080p high definition (HD).

Unlike VIDI, Node users won't have to pay for massive internet downloads to watch the actual video content.

Like DStv Catch Up and unlike VIDI, the Node includes video-on-demand sports content (80 episodes at launch). It's not live sports content but packaged content.

Node will have 200 hours of TV series at launch, 140 movies at launch, 150 hours of kids programming, 150 hours of documentaries, and 30 hours of current affairs programming that can be watched instantly.

Altech's Node will carry 7 to 10 new movie titles per month at any given time available for rent, as well as 100 titles per year.

In the subscription library there will be 140 movie titles which are available to watch at any time and which doesn't require an additional payment. These will be refreshed at a rate of 10% to 15% per month, says Altech in a press release.

Altech's Node will work with any TV set that has HDMI ports, and the Node console itself has 3 HDMI ports.

Besides the R3 499 cost of the console which includes free installation and which people will be able to buy from Friday at Altech Autopage Cellular, Cell C, Dion Wired, Game, Hifi Corporation, Hirsch's, Incredible Connection, JetMart, Makro and Pick n Pay Hyper, there is a monthly subscription fee of R299.

This R299 monthly subscription fee gives the user access to the majority of the library content on the Node which regularly is cycled through and replaced just like on DStv BoxOffice on DStv PVR decoders.

Similar to the licensing rights agreements of DStv and DStv BoxOffice and VIDI, Altech has licencing rights agreements with Hollywood studios which include Sony, Disney, MGM and Universal.

On the Node the latest blockbuster movies cost R25, compared to the R27 for DStv BoxOffice and R27 for VIDI. This R25 will be in addition to the R299 monthly subscription fee.

Like DStv BoxOffice and VIDI, a movie on Node remains available for a 48 hour period to watch.

Older movie titles on Altech's Node will cost R15.

Subscription and rentals of and through the Altech Node can be paid by using debit and credit cards or Altech's Eyenza wallet.

Older non high definition (HD) content will have a higher bit rate on Altech's Node says the company "to ensure the content still looks great in an HD screen".

"Sound is delivered through 5.1 Dolby. YouTube videos will stream at a minimum of 720p resolution".

"Node is much more than video-on-demand," says Craig Venter, Altech CEO, saying that Altech's Node is "like a DVD store in your home".

"It is an entertainment hub, a streaming server, a Wi-Fi hotspot, an e-commerce platform".

"It is the most sophisticated home gateway in the world and is a true reflection of Altech's mission to provide its customers with value-added products, services and solutions through the convergence of telecommunications, multimedia and information technology".

Movies and library TV series will be updated monthly as older content is replaced with new releases and other TV shows.

The Altech Node come with a built-in 3G modem which enables users to buy data, airtime and pre-paid electricity and pay for municipal services like Eskom and Telkom through using the device.

The Node also allows for consumers to download Android apps, access the internet, access their email and to control certain home appliances through what Altech calls "Node branded Smart Plugs".

Altech's Node comes with a built-in media player, MyMedia, which allows content to be played off other devices, such as the Altech Node branded USB flash drive.

The Node's Wi-Fi- functionality also enables an environment to be turned into a Wi-Fi hotspot where up to 5 devices like the TV set, computer, smartphone and tablet can be connected to stream content to these devices.

Node users who have DStv or had DStv won't need to install a new satellite dish since Altech's Node makes use of the same Intelsat-20 satellite, which means that a existing DStv dish is already aligned.

Although installation cost is included in the R3 499 price, Altech says the Node is easy to install. "Users can do it themselves, even with the most rudimentary technical skills, and install their own automation and security equipment".

Users will have to pay for the data used of the internet return path which enables the rental of titles and on demand content.

"Node has been designed to connect to both Wi-Fi and ethernet networks," says Altech. "Node can also function as a wireless internet access point or hotspot, providing connectivity through its 3G modem. Node does not consume data for movie and series downloads but will consume data for internet access activity and any purchases made".

Node can access the internet through its 3G modem which Altech says is powered by Autopage Cellular. "However you will need a SIM card and your data cost will be in addition to the Node subscription".

"While there are other products currently on the market that offer aspects of Smart TV and video-on-demand content, Node is the first comercially available product that offers a complete, integrated package, incorporating elements of Smart TV and smart entertainment together with a smart home solution," says Altech.

As to why Altech chose satellite downloading like MultiChoice does with DStv BoxOffice to the DStv Explora and HD PVR, Altech says "even though fibre internet is fast and exciting, it is also a new arrival to the South African market".

The Altech Node is however fbire ready with an ethernet and USB modem port.

"Fibre internet is still expensive and can consume a lot of data, which may lead to excessive data costs depending on the customer's internet service provider package. By employing cost-effective and reliable satellite systems, Node can ensure content that is always available for instant play without any time-delays and costly surprises".

M-Net exploring the start of a possible new subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service, looking for executive to head up the new venture.

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M-Net is looking to possibly start its own, new subscription video-on-demand service.

MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform has been running its DStv Catch Up video-on-demand (VOD) service as a free bolt-on service for DStv Premium subscribers as part of DStv on Demand, as well as the commercial, and highly successful, film rental DStv BoxOffice service which was launched in July 2011.

Now M-Net wants to explore the possible start a subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service and is looking to appoint someone to run the setting up and roll-out of this new business unit.

The head of SVOD will report directly to M-net's director of general entertainment in Randburg and will be tasked with creating and implementing M-Net's SVOD business strategy, and running and building it into a successful commercial unit.

With the absence of international players like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime in the South African television market and who are internet and broadband based, on demand TV content distributors, it now appears that M-Net is moving to try and fill the gap.

Unlike DStv Catch Up which is "free" as an additional service to DStv Premium subscribers, M-Net's video-on-demand service comes with the "subscription" moniker, meaning that it will be a paying service.

It's not yet clear if M-Net's possible SVOD will be PVR decoder based, internet based, or both - or whether M-Net's SVOD plans are a precursor for a service that the pay-TV broadcaster perhaps wants to launch and roll-out in conjunction with the launch of M-Net's digital terrestrial television (DTT) offering, whenever that happens.

M-Net will bring a collection of new M-Net TV channels to market when DTT finally launches commercially in South Africa and that will include a new set-top box (STB) for the possibly 5 to 8 new M-Net packaged TV channels.

The new M-Net STB which will replace the existing, old and completely outdated M-Net analogue decoder might very likely be a PVR-type decoder which could enable and make M-Net's SVOD service possible to M-Net's existing analogue (then digital terrestrial) subscribers.