The government has allayed fears that the December 31 digital TV signal switchover will leave the majority of Nairobi residents in the dark. Information Communications and Technology Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’I said statistics from the Coummunications Authority of Kenya (CAK) showed that close to 1.3 million set-top boxes, the gadgets needed to receive digital signals had been bought by city residents to date.
The number, he said is likely to go up as the deadline looms after the government took steps to increase the supply of the gadgets as well as lower their price. “Our weekly analysis of the industry data shows that we have enough set-top boxes in Nairobi. In the last month alone the CAK has licensed over 60 vendors leading to the shipping of more than 700,000 set-top boxes,” said the Cabinet Secretary.
“With the full liberalisation of the sector my expectation is that their cost will continue to come down. Currently the average price is Ksh3,000,” he said.
Consumers are already enjoying the benefits of the increase in vendors. Last week MultiChoice cut by half the price of their GoTV set-top boxes to Ksh1799. Azam, a Tanzanian company also announced its entrance into the local market around the same time.
But speaking today during a consumer forum, Consumer Federation of Kenya Secretary General said even though the price reductions were welcome, it was still possible for the average price to come down to Ksh1,000.
He said, “The Ksh3,000 average price shows that our advocacy in the last two years has bourne fruit. We however appeal to set top box dealers to consider a further price drop.”
