Here’s why DStv won’t decrease its South African prices

DStv announced this past Tuesday that a number of South Africa’s sub-Saharan neighbours would be receiving a price cut.

Kenyan, Zambian, Uganadan, Tanzanian, Ghanaian and Zimbabwean DStv viewers will receive a price cut of over 17% as well as 11 new channels on each new package.

However, South Africans will not see a similar price cut any time soon.

According to a report by Channel24, MultiChoice said it will lower monthly DStv subscription fees in several African countries from 1 November, but prices would not be reduced in South Africa.

MultiChoice said DStv Premium in South Africa “compares favourably with pricing in other African countries” and that subscription prices in SA are reviewed once a year.

“We review the DStv prices once a year when we do our business planning – our prices for next year will be announced before 1 April 2017.”

“In South Africa, we’ve implemented a number of cost-saving options for our customers – those who pay annually receive one month free, and our Price Lock packages enable customers to freeze their package price for two years,” said the company.

We reached out to DStv regarding the value-added benefits DStv were bringing to its lower-end subscribers, and the company responded with the news that this Halloween weekend it would be treating its DStv Compact and Extra customers to open-time Premium viewing.

From 18:00 on Friday, 28 October to 23:59 on Sunday, 30 October, M-Net 101, M-Net Edge 102, and Vuzu Amp 103 will be open to DStv Compact and Extra customers.