MultiChoice Africa, the owner of DStv, has increased the monthly fees for its pay TV services, citing high satellite lease costs and inflation as the cause.
The new rates that will become effective from next month will see subscribers on the Premium bouquet,the most expensive tariff, pay Ksh8,200 per month translating to annual subscription of Ksh110,000.
This is a 10% increase from the initial Ksh7,392. Users of the Premium tariff on personal video recorder (PVR) will part with Kshs9,220 per month, equivalent to Ksh110,640 in a year. In a statement sent to its subscribers on Tuesday, MultiChoice said: “Please be advised that MultiChoice Africa’s annual subscription price increase will become effective April 1 2015.”
The revision came as the country struggles with digital migration, which has left blank screens after three main broadcasters switched their signals off to potest the regulators handling of the process.
DStv users on the Compact Plus platform will pay Ksh5,550 from the previous Ksh4752. Subscribers on the Compact tariff will cough Ksh3,250 up from Ksh2,940. Low-end tariffs Family and Access have also being increased with subscribers of the Family tariff paying Ksh1,890, up from the initial Ksh1,760. Those on access will now pay Ksh930 from Ksh880. “In determining a price increase MultiChoice takes into account many factors including the impact on the subscriber, current inflation, satellite lease costs, programming costs and efficiencies effected within the company,” the pay-tv channel added.
The past three years have seen entry of new companies offering pay-tv services in the country which has toppled DStv’s dominance in the Kenyan market running for almost 20 years. Competition from Zuku, Star Times and Bamba forced the South African operator to introduce new bouquets in the market for low income earners. DStv enjoys monopoly of exclusive content like the Barclays Premier League.
Bouquet Price (Ksh)
Premium 8,200
Compact Plus 5,550
Compact 3,250
Family 1,890
Access 930
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