BREAKING. TopTV subscribers now being ripped off by unscrupulous installers demanding money.

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I can exclusively reveal that several new TopTV subscribers are getting ripped off by unscrupulous satellite TV installers demanding money! - often exorbitant amounts - to install new subscribers' TopTV decoders and satellite dishes - even going so far as not just asking for an installers' fee, but also wanting to charge for a satellite dish and even cabling!

TopTV has confirmed to me that they have received complaints from new TopTV subscribers who were asked to pay for the installation. The fact is that a subscriber only need to buy a TopTV set top box (STB) for R499 after which an installation is done free of charge by a TopTV accredited installer who also supply a satellite dish and cabling.

''Obviously it's now happening because some people are getting so anxious and just want to get to an installer,'' Melinda Connor TopTV spokesperson says to me. ''Definitely DO NOT PAY A CALL OUT FEE OR ANY FEE for a TopTV installation or any fees for satellite dishes or cables,'' she says. ''Accredited TopTV installers will never ask for money and TopTV subscribers, after they have purchased a TopTV decoder, shouldn't be paying a single cent to get their pay TV service up and running. When a proper TopTV installation happens, there is no money that will be passing hands between a TopTV subscriber and an accredited installer. Some unscrupulous people are now taking advantage of this situation. If TopTV connects you, there is no cost at all,'' says Melinda Connor.

''We are now asking people to please make appointments with installers who have also been, obviously, inundated. Don't call installers and expect them to come out straight away. Make sure they're a TopTV accredited installer and arrange for a date and time,'' she says.

BREAKING. TopTV dramatically increases call centre capacity after customer care crisis; doubles call centre operators on Monday.

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I broke the news first RIGHT HERE yesterday about TopTV's call centre crashing after it got flooded with thousands of calls and now I can exclusively reveal that TopTV has dramatically increased their call centre capacity and customer care response.

I can reveal that TopTV has doubled the number of customer care operators in their call centre from 30 to 60 just today, after the call centre buckled on Saturday and Sunday under the strain of thousands of calls pouring in from interested people, as well as people who have brought TopTV decoders and wanted to get them activated. I can tell you that 13 000 calls were handled by TopTV just yesterday, with many thousands more dropped, while others went to voicemail and other callers simply gave up after they were put on hold for too long.

''We are dealing with a huge amount of traffic,'' Melinda Connor, TopTV spokesperson tells me. ''A big thank you to everyone who decided to support us, but we just need a little bit of patience - we got overwhelmed,'' she says. ''People are so excited - as are we - and were working super fast to help everyone. ''Obviously we've increased our call centre people today. I can tell you that the TopTV customer care line of 08600 86788 is definitely working but if people are battling to get through, I want to ask that they please go through and leave a voicemail message. I promise that someone will get back to them within 72 hours.''

BREAKING. More TopTV decoders in stores from Thursday promises TopTV, after mad sell out saw 50 000 sold in one day. Price will remain R499.

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I can break the news that the earliest that anyone other than the original 50 000 TopTV decoder buyers will be able to get their hands on one, will be Thursday, May 6. I can also reveal that the price will remain R499 per decoder, including installation and satellite dish.

I was first with the news RIGHT HERE on Saturday already that all 50 000 TopTV decoders were sold out hours after it went on sale on Saturday - a shipment to stores that was supposed to last the whole month. Now TopTV is working on getting decoders into shops as soon as possible - from Pep and Makro, to Pick n Pay, House & Home and many more who ran out within hours on Saturday. Although TopTV said the price will be R499 while stocks last, I can tell you that TopTV will keep the new decoder price unchanged, which still includes free installation and a free satellite dish.

''We will have more TopTV set top boxes in stores from Thursday and roll out more between Thursday and the weekend,'' Melinda Connor, TopTV spokesperson tells me. ''Anyone looking for a TopTV decoder over this coming weekend should be able to find one. Pick n Pay has also come on board in a big way in terms of supplying decoders.''

''I know it must be incredibly frustrating for people who want a TopTV decoder to get to a store and hear that they have sold out,'' she says. ''I please, please want to ask people - if they get to a store - to not go mad and get upset at the store, its not their fault. People can contact TopTV on 08600 86788 and we will make sure to dispatch TopTV decoders to the shop. Please don't complain to the shop, it's TopTV who has to send set top boxes to them,'' she says. ''Also, the advertised special price of R499 will stand, the price won't be going up.''

BREAKING. Top movies? TopTV's Top Movies channel makes the grade.

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TopTV, South Africa's new satellite TV pay operator started its commercial service on Saturday, May 1, with several TV channels including some of its own packaged and compiled TV channels like Top Movies (TopTV 100).

So, how does Top Movies (TopTV 100), one of TopTV's premium TV channels, compare to the movie channels South African viewers have had access to before TopTV came along? My verdict: Very well. Top Movies (TopTV 100) has some excellent movies and is as a TV channel on par, and better than several other available DStv movie channels that's available to South African viewers.

TopTV has also introduced another South African first: time-shifted movies by way of TV channels. Besides the Top Movies TV channel, TopTV also have Top Movies 2 (TopTV 101). Top Movies 2 is the Top Movies channel, but time-shifted by two hours. For instance, if you have missed a movie, you can catch it two hours after it has started on Top Movies 2.
Then there is also Top Movies 24 (TopTV 102) employing the same concept but stretching it a day. Top Movies 24 has every movie that was on Top Movies, but starting exactly a day later.

I have the schedule for Top Movies and it compares very well as a single movie channel regarding the films on offer. From comedy like Are We Done Yet? and action adventure like Spider-Man III, to sci-fi flicks like Ghostrider and romance like The Notebook, Top Movies has a selection from every movie genre. In May Top Movies debut - to name just a few, movies running the gamut from Murder on the Orient Express (2001), Reign over Me, Die Hard IV, The Seeker: The Dark is Rising, Fantastic Four: The Rise of the Silver Surfer, Epic Movie, Wind Chill, Love and other Disasters, Plain Truth, Dragon Hunter, The List, First Comes Love and a lot more.

BREAKING. The Top One TV schedule is tops! Is TopTV's new Top One maybe the new M-Net?

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Is TopTV's new premium entertainment TV channel, Top One (TopTV 150) maybe the new M-Net? Could be. I've gotten my hands on the Top One schedule and it looks great in terms of what subscribers to the new TopTV pay operator will get in return for what they're paying.

I made a clip of the new Top One channel's ident which you can see RIGHT HERE - and it looks awesome. On the massively impressive Top One schedule? Well, Top One (TopTV 150) has a daily transmission time of 15:30 to 01:30 to start with, which will be extended from 17 May from 09:30 to 01:30. On the schedule is a mix of TV shows and movies. Great TV shows like Kyle XY (first season), One Tree Hill (first season), Dirt (first season), The Closer (first season), CSI Miami (first season), Brothers & Sisters (first season), Lost (first season and second season simultaneously), and the reality show The Bachelor (sixth season).

Movies are shown daily on TopTV's Top One as well like The Simpsons Movie, Beowulf, Flight 93, Madeline, Lake Placid, and Dreamland to name just a few and shows like Judge Penny Smythe Family Court, Platinum Weddings and the daily New Morning with Timberley Whitfield.

BREAKING. SABC1 brings back So You Think You Can Dance? for a second season.

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I told you in January that SABC1 will bring So You Think You Can Dance? back for a second season this year and the broadcaster just made it official. The reality show in which dancers square off against each other will return to SABC1 in July for 13 episodes. Will Survivor SA Santa Carolina celebitant Sade Giliberti again be the presenter? Insider sources tell me ''the issue is still under discussion''.

Click on READ MORE below for the second season So You Think You Can Dance? audition dates and places.

BREAKING. TopTV call centre crisis: TopTV in shell shock after customer care line completely crashes under thousands of calls: ''We didn't think that this would happen.''

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I can exclusively reveal that TopTV's instant success has immediately translated into a massive crisis for South Africa's new satellite pay TV operator: TopTV's totally understaffed call centre is completely buckling under thousands of calls, a massive number of missed calls and growing fears that TopTV will no longer be able to keep to its promise of 48 hours turn-around time on new satellite TV installations.

I can tell you that TopTV's call centre number at 08600 86788 completely crashed under an avalanche of phone calls in the region of more than 1 000 per hour, with a massive amount of dropped calls, unanswered calls, a myriad of callers left ringing for minutes at end and email that TopTV simply can't attend to right now. Callers who refuse to give up, eventually leave voicemail messages piling up.

Yesterday I was first RIGHT HERE with the news that all 50 000 TopTV decoders have been sold out in one day. Now I can tell you that TopTV is experiencing severe shell shock and stress and is moving into total crisis mode. TopTV is getting ready to move into what it calls ''Phase 3'': implementing a massively beefed up call centre and getting in more call centre operators as swiftly as possible.  ''TopTV is doing their absolute best,'' a spokesperson tells me. ''We didn't think that this would happen.''

I HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION ON THIS DEVELOPING STORY - click on READ MORE below for exactly what TopTV insider sources tell me, TopTV's official response, and exactly what is happening and that you need to know if you're a TopTV subscriber or considering this pay TV option.

FIRST LOOK! Idols audition day in Port Elizabeth pulls in more than 530 contestants under grey skies.

Cobus Bodenstein/M-Net

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Slade Lottering (18) was determined to be the first contestant to audition for Idols that held its audition day today in Port Elizabeth, so he started queuing at 21:00 on Saturday night already and was the first one in the line this morning.

The sixth season of the reality show starting in July on M-Net held its Port Elizabeth audition day today in the city at the bay. Grey skies overhead couldn't dampen the spirits of the more than 530 contestants who showed up at the Boardwalk complex. ''I don't know whether the shiver inside me is from the nerves or from the cold,'' said Cindy Pierce (19).

This is the first time in a few Idols seasons that Port Elizabeth is a part of the Idols audition trail across South Africa, and this coming Saturday Bloemfontein will be included for the first time in the final pitstop on the nationwide audition process. Cape Town has already sent through 27 singers to the next theatre round for Idols, Durban 20 singers and Johannesburg 25 hopefuls.

ALSO READ: Idols audition day in Cape Town.
ALSO READ: Idols audition day in Durban.
ALSO READ: Idols audition day in Johannesburg.

FIRST LOOK! M-Net's Idols hit Port Elizabeth with gusto.

Cobus Bodenstein/M-Net

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I can be first to give you a glimpse of today's Idols audition day in Port Elizabeth that kicked off a few hours ago where throngs of fame-seekers and wannabee-singers showed up with Idols co-host Liezel van der Westhuizen pretty in pink. (Her co-host this year ProVerb will join later this afternoon.)

Port Elizabeth is back on the map for the first time in several seasons, with the M-Net reality show spending today in the city to look for local talent in Algoa Bay on the second last nationwide stop before Bloemfontein gets their (first ever!) chance this coming Saturday, May 8.