[ad_1]
MultiChoice plans to launch unlimited fiber bundled DStv subscriptions through South African ISPs in the near future.
This is according to MultiChoice CEO Calvo Mawela, who told MyBroadband that the company plans to launch this product through partner ISPs before the end of its financial year in March 2021.
It will comprise a separate DStv streaming service that will be bundled with a fiber product at a discounted rate, meaning that South Africans will no longer need a satellite connection to watch DStv.
Instead, they will use the new DStv Explora Ultra or the upcoming Streama set-top box, which can deliver the full DStv package over an internet connection.
“The goal is this financial year, but of course this year is one of those great years where we have a lot of things that we are bringing to light at the same stage, and I think we are trying to make sure that we scale them well and that we give people the opportunity to understand these products, ”Mawela said.
“Our view is that we will still be able to implement it during this financial year, we don’t see any setbacks there.”
He said MultiChoice is carefully considering their partnerships with ISPs, noting that they don’t want to bring something to market that they are not satisfied with.
“It is an area that is something new for us. We have never really delved into internet links, ”he said.
MultiChoice is currently testing its standalone streaming platform and has launched a number of over-the-top services, including Showmax Pro and a revised DStv streaming platform.
MultiChoice has stated that customers who sign up for a standalone DStv branch without satellite connection will pay the same price for their package, noting that streaming customers will not be able to record or play recorded content, but will have access to BoxOffice. .
“Showmax also remains included in the price of a DStv Premium package experience, and broadcast-only customers will be able to access that as well,” the company said.
The price of uncapped fiber with DStv Premium
MyBroadband I speak previously to local ISPs, who said they were willing to combine DStv’s streaming service with their fiber products.
Cool Ideas’s Paul Butschi told MyBroadband that the ISP believes there is potential for strong adoption of this product on the basis that there is a cost saving opportunity available compared to normal delivery methods.
This view was shared by several local service providers, including Cybersmart, who said they had proactively contacted DStv regarding this opportunity.
“Since most of our customers already use DStv Now, a bundled offer would be great for us. It certainly eliminates the nightmare of a DStv over fiber deployment in multi-story buildings, ”said Laurie Fialkov, CTO of Cybersmart.
Fialkov added that a bundled offer through ISP gives MultiChoice the opportunity to cut prices, which could result in a consumer price between R999 and R1,299 for a bundled DStv service on its Lightspeed network.
“Depending on DStv’s discount for us, we could offer a 500 Mbps packet service between the R999 and R1,299 brand,” said Fialkov.
DStv has indicated that its independent transmission service will be priced the same as its satellite packages, although there is the possibility that the discounts will be passed on to consumers through a fiber optic package from ISPs.
Now Read: DStv’s Big Netflix Business Is Here – What It Means For South Africans
[ad_2]
