DStv Zimbabwe prices will increase slightly in starting 1 August 2024. The new prices were announced today with the company citing increased operating costs as reason.
Said Multichoice on its social handles:
Dear Valued Customer
Thank you for your support as we strive to bring you quality entertainment that enriches lives. We have tried our best to keep our expenses low but our operating cost continue to rise. We have thus reviewed our subscription fees with effect from 1 August 2024.
These are the new prices
| DStv Package | Old Price | New Price |
|---|---|---|
| Premium | 75 | 75 |
| Compact Plus | 45 | 45 |
| Compact | 29 | 30 |
| Family | 19 | 20 |
| Access | 13 | 15 |
| Lite | 8 | 9 |
| Indian Stand Alone (Premium) | 37 | 39 |
| Indian Add-on | 23 | 25 |
| Portuguese Stand Alone | 44 | 45 |
| Portuguese Add-on | 23 | 25 |
| HD PVR Service | 13 | 13 |
Stiff Competition
Multichoice faces stiff competition for subscribers from rivals on multiple fronts. Only subscribers looking for hassle free access to live sports remain the only ones that cannot get their treat elsewhere.
For all other consumers there are various options available now including:
- OpenView which, once installed, does not require any subscriptions
- Zimbabwe’s Zim Digital Transmedia Decoder. This one has been dubbed Zimbabwe’s OpenView because it also doesn’t require subscription once installed.
- Streaming services like Netflix and Showmax are now an option for those who can afford the internet data required. The monthly subscription is much lower averaging less than $10 a month.
- Illegal streams: There are also illegal streaming sites site as Goojara, which are extremely popular for people looking to watch latest movies they have heard about. These services have replaced the guys that sell DVDs in the cities.
All these alternative services have resulted in some subscribers not renewing subscriptions despite several efforts by Multichoice to lure them back with promotions.
DStv Subscriber Numbers
In its FY24 report published in last month, Multichoice reported that it has lost some 1.2 million subscribers outside South Africa in just 1 year. In total it now has 8.1 millions subscribers, down from 9.3m in 2023
This puts Multichoice in a tight spot where, they know they are losing subscribers to competition but their costs are also increasing and find they need to increase prices or go out of business.
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