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Watching TV. (Photo: Getty Images)
- The new DStv Explora Ultra, which will include access to Netflix, will be priced high.
- The decoder has additional functionalities, more memory space and integrated WiFi.
- MultiChoice is still testing the waters with this release and says it is aimed at early adopters.
When MultiChoice’s latest Explora Ultra DStv set-top box goes on sale this week, it will be sold at a suggested retail price of R2 499.
The DStv Explora Ultra which costs R3 699 when it includes installation, will be more expensive than the DStv Explora 3 which can be bought for R999 (or around R 1499 including installation).
The DStv Explora Ultra will be the first MultiChoice decoder to will give subscribers access to Netflix South Africa with other international video streaming services likely to follow.
But why such an expensive decoder?
Calvo Mawela, CEO of MultiChoice, on Friday during the call for investors of the company to know the financial results of the 6 months until the end of September 2020, gave four reasons for the high price of DStv Explora Ultra.
“If you look at it as a set-top box and you consider it has traditional linear TV, it catches up, does all the other items we used to have on the previous DStv Explora; we’ve increased the memory, we have built-in Wi-Fi and then we can add apps from streaming as we have agreements with other subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) players entering the market, that’s the basis on which that level is priced, “he said.
“The other thing we have decided to do with the DStv Explora Ultra decoder is not to introduce any subsidies yet, and that is why you see the price, if you compare it with others, it is a bit out of sync with what you have seen in the past.”
THE NEW DSTV EXPLORE ULTRA:
DStv Explore Ultra.
Tim Jacobs, MultiChoice Chief Financial Officer (CFO), said the DStv Explora Ultra set-top box is “really aimed at early adopters and we think the initial target market is guys who want to experiment a bit.”
“But like all of our products, we will start and then analyze the market demand and then make decisions on whether to introduce price differentials. [subsidies] then. It’s a good starting point just to bring the DStv Explora Ultra to market, “he said.
CELEB’S FULL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR DSTV EXPLORA ULTRA:
