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Bamba TV faces crisis over ‘exploding’ decoders

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It entered the market during the digital migration controversy with free-for-life model of decoders. With the promise of receiving free to air plus some extra channels at a one-off price of about Ksh3,000, Bamba TV has been attracting takers of its decoder.

But things have turned against it. The digital TV provider, run by Radio Africa Group, is fighting to save its business amid widespread complains from agents and customers over malfunctioning of its decoders.

Leading agents have returned over 1,000 decoders, according to people familiar with its affairs. The problem has to do with the decoder’s power specification, which is set at 5V instead of the 12V used in Kenya.  So whenever an agent/trader tests using a 12-volt adaptor, the decoder blows.

Currently, Bamba TV is taking back decoders for software upgrades and promising consumers and agents that the process will take ‘two weeks’. The problem first became apparent a few weeks ago when Nakumatt Supermarket management ordered its branch managers to withdraw the decoders from its shelves after receiving numerous complaints from customers.

“There has been several and numerous customer complaints on Bamba…because their decoder has a voltage of 5 instead of 12,” Operations Coordinator Wilfred Kimani said in a circular to managers.  “I’m, therefore, urging all to withdraw these decoders from the shelves with immediate effect. Radio Africa will pick them up and replace with those that [sic] have Voltage of 12.”

Bamba Kenya admits as much on its website. “the Set-Top Box uses a 5 volt adaptor and NOT a 12 volt,” it says. “Majority of the issues around this box is that the attendants who are selling them are connecting higher (12V)  power adaptors to the box. They need to ensure that they use the power adaptor that is supplied with the box otherwise the box will burn.”

In a clear indication that dealers were not briefed well about the voltage specifications,  Bamba Kenya explains that the DC (direct current) input on the box indicates 5v input. “Attendants MUST follow these instructions as we will not be held liable for boxes blown at the outlets.”
Bamba TV is run by Lancia Digital, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Radio Africa Group.
It runs on a tier-two broadcast signal distribution license issued by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA). CA when queried said it was not aware of the problem with the Bamba TV decoders raising questions as about the approval process.

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