Multichoice, according to a report by MyBroadband, is in talks with South African Internet Service Providers (ISPs) over uncapped internet for DStv’s streaming packages.
“The first step was to create the streaming product and the second step is discussions with service providers, which are ongoing”
Simon Camerer, MultiChoice Chief Operating Officer
This move makes sense because it would be cumbersome for DStv subscribers to manage both the subscription fees and a separate internet bill. The big change DStv and internet bundled package will bring is that you may no longer need the traditional satellite connection to watch DStv.
DStv’s new Explora Ultra and the Streama box will deliver the DStv Bouquet over an internet connection. This is a massive shift by Multichoice/DStv and could mean that the company’s services in the distant future will be purely internet-based.
Price and internet speed
According to the same report by MyBroadband, the Chief Technical Officer for Cybersmart said that they could offer up to 500Mbps service for between R999 (US$68.66) and R1200 (US$89.29). This depends on the discount that the company gets from DStv.
Ok that’s South Africa, what about Zimbabwe?
The one thing that we all have to think about are the prices of packages across the border. The prices that Cybersmart ballparked above are comparable to prepaid packages on ZOL and TelOne.
Fibroniks uncapped packages, for example, range from US$149 all the way to US$399 and the TelOne equivalent starts at US$140 up to US$180.
If this service is to ever hit this side of the Limpopo, we are going to be looking at much steeper prices and to be honest poorer internet quality. There is no day that goes by without a gaggle of people complaining about one of Zim’s “big two” ISPs.
16 comments
If DStv goes full internet it will be a disadvantage to Zimbabweans. Our internet service is very poor, not to mention expensive.
Its very true,even here in Zambia is the same,it will better if the multichoice will provide the own network like the way mtn,airtel & zamtel they did.rather than using the same ones we are using.
No electricity no service my poor Zimbabwe 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
Techzim.com: “You may soon no longer need a satellite connection to enjoy DStv”…
Me: I will just switch to other Cable TV competitors.
Nigeria please
DSTV might as well come to Zambia and collect all their equipment as we won’t manage that internet speed. Satellite dishes are working just fine.
Most of Zambia is unable to experience even 3.5 internet connection speeds so there is absolutely no advantage to ditching the satellite dish in favor of a new decoder device that promises superior service but is in reality still years away. For good or bad the dish is here to stay.
This will only work if DSTV itself becomes an ISP so that their packages come bundled with an internet connection.
For Zim the motto is – if it aint broke don’t fix it.
Cable/Dish combo working perfectly.
Looking at the proposed cost in Nigerian naira, that will be the end of the journey me and dstv. I might just start looking at other options.
Dish it’s just fine subscriptions are already expensive.
I hope they have not left the drawing board yet because if they have, multichoice will be confined to RSA. Their customers elsewhere will migrate en-mass.
I am an addict to multichoice/Dstv since 2017.I can’t wait to buy a new explora ultra with a streama box to connect to the internet.
An how will this stuff affect we the naija people, because am seen END of road here many Nigerians can’t meet up with what DStv will change then, please Nigerian business men and women should start looking for other international pay tv network, already DStv monopoly too unbearable to Nigerians.
This is strange and weird if you ask me as a Cisco network associate, shouldn’t the progressive idea be to provide internet packages via the satellite network that they already have existing like how if Star-link would also start a streaming service as adoption to the data packages.
Our thinking in this space is …eish
Looking at the number of subscribers in zim using southafrican accounts.. It will be their loss too