So let me get this right :
DStv has provided a HD service to south african's for "FREE" on subsidised equipment for at least a period of 15 months earlier than some very high-tech international counter-parts. They provide a premium service of content i wouldn't even begin listing for the price of a single super14 ticket or the price of taking a family of 4 to the movies once a week and there is complaints about bending over....
So here is some facts :
1. DStv (Multichoice) has never made a cent on any hardware sold, actually, quite the opposite, all hardware including the HD PVR is subsidised...giving away for free is great but do you really believe in the capitalistic world today anything is given away for free? They recoup their money via subscriptions...
2. The HD channels and services are still free...not only free, free since the addition of 2 extra HD channels.
3. In practice it is a great idea to offer sub-packages, but 90% of subscribers would choose a kids, sports, movie and general entertainment sub-packages which would cost more than a premium (full) package.
4. We don't respect the socio-economic environment that many service providers in South africa operate in, if we look at Pay-TV, the population that can afford it is very small in global terms. Our entire population is only about a ninth of that of the US...and then only 1 in 15 of those are in hte higher LSM groups...
5. If it is a case of "getting scr3w3d", is it not easy for a private group to start a company that is profitable yet 'fair' to consumers ? Should have been very very tempting for competitors when they got their licences until they actually did the numbers ...no wonder that some didn't even get off the starting blocks...
There are some great international services...and definitely area's Multichoice can improve and strive to, but to be as arrogant as to say you are being 'screwed', i'm sorry, you just have no clue !