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Tag: DSTV

  • MTN, DSTV, others emerge winners at Brand Africa award

    Mobile Telephone Network (MTN) and  Digital Satellite Television (DSTV) were among the 100 companies that bagged outstanding awards at the 2022 edition of the Brand Africa Award ceremony on Wednesday.

    Brand Africa is a non-profit intergenerational organisation that inspires a brand-led African renaissance to transform the continent’s image, by driving Africa’s competitiveness, connecting Africa, and creating a positive image of the continent.

    The ceremony which had the theme, “Building Powerful and Resilient Brands in Africa”, was held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    Newsmen reports that MTN won in the most admired African brand category, while DSTV won in the most admired media brand category.

    BBC and CNN got second and third positions respectively in the most admired media brand category.

    Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB) won the first position for the most admired finance brand in Africa generally, while Eco Bank and Equity Bank bagged the second and third positions respectively.

    In the most admired brand that symbolises the African pride category, Dangote emerged first, Ethiopia won the second position, while MTN placed third.

    For the Leading brands in West Africa, Samsung, Nikki and Cocacola won first, second and third positions respectively.

    Still, for West Africa, GTB placed first as the most admired brand in finance, while United Bank of Africa (UBA) and Eco Bank came second and third respectively.

    Dangote took first as the most admired brand in West Africa that symbolises African pride, MTN came second while DSTV got the third position.

    Of the leading brands in Nigeria, the top three brands were Coca-Cola, MTN and Apple; the most admired African brands in Nigeria were Dangote, MTN and Innoson.

    DSTV got the first position as the most admired media brand in Nigeria, CNN came second while Channels Television emerged third.

    The most admired finance brand in Nigeria went to GTB, First Bank and Access bank, while for the most admired brand in Nigeria that symbolises African pride, Dangote came first, MTN second position and DSTV third.

    Mr Thebe Ikalafeng, Founder, of Brand Africa, during the award presentation, said that the essence of the awards was to encourage Africans to use local products as it would encourage and boost Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    “Africa consumes 83 per cent of western products and 17 per cent of African products, which is not encouraging enough.

    “We continue to reject things made by Africans, this is not good, we must work together to grow African products through the world,” he said.

  • Suit to stop MultiChoice from hiking DStv, GOtv subscriptions suffers setback

    Suit to stop MultiChoice from hiking DStv, GOtv subscriptions suffers setback

    Hearing in a suit filed by a lawyer, Festus Onifade and Coalition of Nigeria Consumers (CNC) to stop MultiChoice Nigeria Limited from hiking DStv and GOtv subscriptions on Thursday suffered a setback.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the development occurred following an application for an adjournment moved by Onifade, who is the 1st claimant in the suit.

    He prayed for an adjournment shortly after the three-member tribunal headed by Thomas Okosun began sitting, hinging his application on ill-health.

    Recall that the tribunal had on March 30 in an ex-parte motion marked CCPT/OP/1/2022 moved by Onifade on behalf of himself and the CNC restrained MultiChoice from increasing its prices on DStv and Gotv pending the hearing and determination of the matter.

    Onifade and CNC (2nd claimant) had dragged the company and Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) before the tribunal on March 30 as first and second defendants respectively.

    MultiChoice had on March 21, announced its intention to increase the subscription fees for its packages beginning from April 1, blaming inflation and business operations for the increment.

    Against the order of the tribunal, the firm was alleged to have gone ahead with the increment.

    But when the matter came up on April 11, the tribunal ordered MultiChoice to revert to old prices of its packages, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive matter and adjourned till today.

    At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, Onifade informed that though the case was scheduled for hearing of the applications bordering on jurisdiction of the tribunal to hear the suit, he was indisposed.

    The lawyer, therefore, sought for an adjournment.

    “I have to take permission from my doctor to be here my lord. I will be asking for a short day,” he said.

    Counsel to MultiChoice, Jamiu.Agoro, and lawyer to FCCPC, Tam Tamunokobia, did not oppose the application.

    The tribunal, headed by Okosun, reminded that the panel was not a regular court where adjournment could be sought frivolously.

    “So how long will you be asking for,?” Okosun asked.

    “June, my lord,” Onifade said.

    Okosun, who expressed surprise at Onifade’s request for a date in June, asked if the lawyer had intention to withdraw the suit.

    The tribunal then adjourned the matter until June 15 for hearing of the application challenging its jurisdiction.

    MultiChoice had in a motion on notice dated April 13 and filed April 14 by Toyin Pinheiro, SAN, prayed the tribunal for an order staying execution of the order it made on April 11 pending the determination of the instant application.

    It also sought an order setting aside and discharging the order the tribunal made on April 11 having been made without jurisdiction.

    But the claimants disagreed with the firm’s prayers, urging the tribunal to dismiss them.

    In a counter affidavit dated and filed April 26 by Onifade and CNC, the claimants argued that the prayers in the application filed by the firm were similar to the one it earlier filed on March 31, “and know that both prayers are incongruous”.

  • DStv, Gotv subscription: Tribunal orders MultiChoice to revert to old prices

    DStv, Gotv subscription: Tribunal orders MultiChoice to revert to old prices

    A Federal Competition and Consumer Protection (FCCPC) Tribunal sitting in Abuja, on Monday, directed MultiChoice Nigeria Limited, the operators of DStv and Gotv, to maintain status quo of its March 30 order pending the hearing and determination of the substantive matter.

    The three-member tribunal headed by Thomas Okosun gave the order following an oral application for adjournment moved by counsel for the firm, Jamiu Agoro, to enable him respond to counter affidavit and written address, including the contempt charge, filed against his client.

    The claimants; Festus Onifade, a legal practitioner, and Coalition of Nigeria Consumers, on behalf of himself and others, had sued the company and Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) as 1st and 2nd respondents respectively.

    They had prayed the tribunal for an order, restraining the firm from increasing its services and other products on April 1, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice dated and filed on March 30, and the tribunal granted the ex-parte motion, directing parties to maintain status quo ante bellum.

    When the matter was called, Onfifade informed that the matter was slated for the hearing of the motion on notice, seeking a perpetual restraining order against the firm pending the determination of the suit.

    He said he filed a counter affidavit against a motion filed by the company challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal to hear their application.

    Besides, the lawyer said they filed a written address and contempt proceedings against the Managing Director of MultiChoice, John Ugbe, and its directors for them to show cause why they should not be committed to prison for alleged disregard of panel’s order made on March 30.

    Counsel for MultiChoice, Jamiu Agoro, acknowledged the receipt of all the processes filed by the claimants.

    “On behalf of the 1st defendant/respondent, we filed an application praying this honourable court for an order staying execution of that order made by this honourable tribunal on March 30,” he said.

    The panel head, Okosun, told Agoro that since the tribunal was not a regular court, he would not entertain issues that could determine the subject matter.

    “It is necessary we do this so that we can dispense with this case as mush as possible,” he said.

    The tribunal, who said since the lawyer acknowledged receipt of claimants’ applications, it said: “Have you obeyed? If you have not, why?”

    But Agoro said: “As a tribunal, I just want to read out a prayer which will lead us to other issues.”

    He said counter affidavit and written address by the claimants in response to their counter were just served on them today.

    He had made some denials and allegations which we would have to respond to.

    He said the contempt proceeding was also served on him this morning and he also intended to respond.

    Agoro said he had filed an application challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal to hear the matter.

    Okosun further asked the lawyer if the firm disobeyed the order made.

    Responding, Agoro said: ” as much as the questions which the tribunal has posed, the issue has been where there is an order of court and an aggrieved party who had either applied to set aside that order or had exercise its rights of appeal against that order, such party cannot be held to be in contempt of that order.”

    He cited previous cases to back his arguments.

    “So on that basis, as contained in this authorities and avalanche of others, we submit that we are not in contempt of order of this honourable tribunal,” he said.

    He said in view of his application challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal, “this court is to first inquire whether it has the jurisdiction to determine the application.”

    He argued that the only jurisdiction the tribunal had was to hear and determine his application challenging the jurisdiction, ciiting previous cases.

    He restated that where there were several applications pending before the court, the application on jurisdiction should be taken first.

    “On this basis, I humbly urge my lord to afford us time to react to their counter affidavit and written address so that we can react appropriate.

    “My application before this honourable tribunal is premised on the decision of the court of appeal, that in view of the counter affidavit and written address that I have just been served on behalf of the claimants and considering the assertions and defences contained in same process, we will be forced to ask for an adjournment, particularly to enable us file a reply against these processes,” he said.

    Lawyer to the 2nd respondent (FCCPC), Tam Tamuno, also indicated his intention to file a counter affidavit in response to the claimants’ motions.

    Tanumo said though his client was sued as a nominal defendant, “as a result, there is no prayer against the 2nd defendant in the originating process.

    “We are therefore concerned that justice is done in this matter. That is what we own our teaming consumers by this honourable tribunal,” he said.

    He said he had received all the processes filed, including the application by the firm challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal.

    “Today, as cousel for the claimants has said, we received the motion to show cause and the counter affidavit.

    “In view of the fact that we have plethora of motions, we will like to express our intention to file a counter affidavit,” he said.

    “Finally, I spoke about housekeeping when I started and I think it is important for this tribunal to decide this motion challenging jurisdiction first,” he said.

    Tanumo, who urged the tribunal to take jurisdiction motion first, submitted “that in taking that decision, the 1st defendant should also be cautioned pending the hearing of the motion on jurisdiction and my learner’s friend motion to show cause that nothing should be done to distort the status quo. I so submit.

    ”As it is, the status quo is as it is today. Until this court finds why they are in contempt and that they have not shown cause,” he said.

    Okosun then asked Tanumo: “If an order is giving that they should not do anything, assuming they have gone ahead to do that, are we going to maintain a status quo in defiance of order of the court?”

    The lawyer responded this: “I mean the status quo as at March 30 and that this court should look into it first whether contempt has been established.”

    However, Onifade said Tanumo was double speaking.

    He noted that the agency (2nd defendant) had filed a memorandum of appearance.

    He asked if Tanumo would withdraw this to file a counter affidavit.

    “There very last submission shows they are double speaking which shows double standard.

    “What is the status quo as at today? They have not furnish the court with the position. And I don’t think it is the 2nd defendant that is in position to furnish the court with this; it is the 1st respondent,” he said.

    According to him, the counsel doubles speak when he says the status quo be maintained as at today,

    “Clearly speaking if it is maintained, this honourable panel will be in no need to continue sitting because they have completely overreached the panel,” he said.

    Onifade described the move as an act to set aside the order of tribunal through the back door.

    The lawyer also described the action of MultiChoice “as reprehensible, dangerous and tending towards anarchy because any society where there is no obedience to the law and order will not progress.”

    “In response to 1st respondent, we submit that they are invariably arguing their motion which they said they want to file,” he said.

    However, Agoro disagreed with him.

    “What is the status quo as at today?,” the tribunal asked again.

    Responding, Onifade said: “The position is clear and we are demonstrating that the 1st respondent has completely disregard and dare the honourable tribunal.

    “The status quo to be maintained is status quo ante bellum. But the position has changed.

    “The 1st defendant has gone ahead in defiance of this honourable court’s order to increase its tariffs,” he said.

    In a short ruling, Okosun ordered that the status quo be maintained ante bellum, pending the hearing and determination of the matter.

    “Having listened to arguments of counsel to parties and upon argument of counsel to 1st defendant and 2nd defendant for adjournment to enable them file their processes, this matter shall be adjourned.

    “Therefore, an order of March 30 still subsists and parties shall maintain status quo anta bellum,” he ruled.

    He adjourned the matter until May 5 for hearing.

  • DStv, Gotv subscription prices: Why we dragged MultiChoice to tribunal – Lawyer

    DStv, Gotv subscription prices: Why we dragged MultiChoice to tribunal – Lawyer

    A legal practitioner, Fesrus Onifade, has revealed real reason MultiChoice Nigeria Ltd. was dragged before Federal Competition and Consumer Protection (FCCPC) Tribunal sitting in Abuja to stop it from increasing its tariffs and cost of products from April 1.

    The three-member tribunal, presided over by Thomas Okosun had on Wednesday, ordered MultiChoice to restrain from increasing the DStv and Gotv subscription prices pending the hearing and the determination of the motion on notice before it.

    The tribunal then fixed April 11, for hearing the motion on notice.

    The development followed an ex-parte motion marked: CCPT/OP/1/2022 moved by Onifade on behalf of himself and the Coalition of Nigeria Consumers (claimants).

    Onifade had sued the company and Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) as 1st and 2nd respondents respectively.

    The motion ex-parte filed by the claimants on March 29 was brought pursuant to Section 39 (1) & (2) of FCCPC Act 2018; Order 26, Rule 5 (2), (3) & 26 Rule 6 (1) & (2) Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019 and

    Section 47(a), (b), (c),(d), of Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018.

    MultiChoice Nigeria Ltd., the operators of DStv and Gotv, had on March 21, announced its intention to increase the subscription fees for packages on both platforms.

    The firm, which blamed inflation and business operations for the increment, said the new fees would become effective on April 1.

    Onifade, in the affidavit of urgency attached to the ex-parte motion dated and filed March 29, deposed that prior to May 2020, when the company increased its tariffs, they petitioned FCCPC but the agency did not act on their letters.

    “The claimants had petitioned the 2nd respondent, FCCPC in the letters dated May 19, 2020, and July 2, 2020, in respect of increment which took effect sometimes in May 2020, which did not received due attention from the 2nd respondents till date.

    “That while the claimants’ petition was still pending before the 2nd respondent, the 1st respondent (MultiChoice Ltd.) went ahead to announce another price and product hike scheduled to take effect from April 1, 2022,” he said.

    He said FCCPC was yet to resolve the claimants’ complaint in respect of the May 2020 increment in tariffs which was still pending before it.

    “The 2nd respondent, FCCPC, neglect and deliberately refused to intervene in the said increment complained of in the claimants’ petition till date,” he said.

    The lawyer said he was a loyal and long time customer of MultiChoice with DStv account number: 41353565835.

    He said the application was because of the extreme urgency and time constraint before the date the increment would take effect.

    He told the tribunal that if the application was not granted, irreparable damage would have been done to the claimants’ interest.

    Onifade, who averred that the grant of the application would do substantial justice in the matter, said it would also be in the interest of justice to grant the prayers.

    According to him, the respondents will not be prejudiced by the grant of this application.

    The tribunal, which granted the reliefs sought in the ex-parte motion, fixed April 11, for hearing of the motion on notice.

    The National Assembly had also asked MultiChoice to reduce the prices of its packages owing to the prevailing economic circumstances of the country, calling on the firm to adopt the pay-as-you-go payment package option.

    NAN

  • Senate directs pay television service providers in Nigeria to revert to pay per view module

    Senate directs pay television service providers in Nigeria to revert to pay per view module

    All pay television service providers in Nigeria are to revert to pay per view module as against the mandatory monthly subscription, following a motion adopted by the Senate on Wednesday.

    In a sponsored motion by Senator representing Benue South Senatorial district, Abba Moro, he lamented the incessant hike in price of various bouquets by the service providers which he described as exploitative.

    While giving the high price, the lawmaker said: “Notes that the leading pay-tv service provider in Nigeria, (MultiChoice Nigeria) informed all DStv compact subscribers on August 22, 2020, to expect a 13.3% price increase to N7,900 commencing from September 1, 2020 while the subscription fee for DStv compact plus was increased by 9.5% from N10,925 to N12,000, and Premium was increased from N16,200 to N18,400 indicating a 13.6% hike.”

    Senator Moro further decried that price for various bouquets have been raised again without considering the economic hardships subscribers are passing through.

    He reminded the upper legislative chamber that Nigerians have angrily reacted to the price hike, hence there was need for legislative intervention.

    He maintained that there was no justification for the price hike, given that the pay-tv services are subscription based television services, usually provided by both analogue and digital cable and satellite televisions.

  • Nigerians lament as MultiChoice hikes prices of GOtv, DStv packages

    Nigerians lament as MultiChoice hikes prices of GOtv, DStv packages

    Nigerians have flayed MultiChoice for increasing the prices of its DStv and GOtv packages after the South African company revealed that beginning from April 1, subscribers will start paying more for all its bouquets.

    The company made this known in a statement on Tuesday to the chagrin of Nigerians saying: “In light of the rising costs of inflation and business operations, we have had to review the price of our packages to keep delighting our customers with great entertainment, anytime and anywhere. Therefore, from April 1, 2022, a new pricing regime for both our DStv and GOtv packages will be in effect”.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports MultiChoice Nigeria is the Nigerian subsidiary of MultiChoice Africa, owner of DStv and GOtv.

    Multichoice said its DStv package would now cost: Premium (N21,000); Compact + (N14,250); Compact (N9,000); Confam (N5,300); Yanga (N2,950); Padi (N2,150); Business (N2,669) and Xtraview + PVR access fee (N2,900).

    It said that the new prices for GOtv package were: Gotv Max for N4,150; GOtv Jolli for N2,800; GOtv Jinja for N1,900 and GOtv Lite for N900.

    To cushion the price adjustments, Multichoice said customers who pay on or before their due date (before April 1), would be eligible to pay the old price.

    Also, customers who pay consistently on time (before their due dates) for a period of 12 months, would also be eligible to pay the old price.

    “Customers who pay for 10 months upfront on the new price will get the 11th and 12th month free,” the company said.

    The company said the price adjustments would enable it to serve customers better.

    However, Nigerians did not find the development funny at all, coming at a time when they are battling with lack of electricity supply, fuel scarcity, rising inflation and dwindling income.

    Read reactions from Nigerians below:

  • Tax backlog: DSTV suffers huge blow as court orders company to pay FG N900bn

    Tax backlog: DSTV suffers huge blow as court orders company to pay FG N900bn

    A Tax Appeal Tribunal (TAT) sitting in Lagos has ordered Multichoice Nigeria Limited, owners of cable television services, DSTV, to pay 50 per cent of N1.8 trillion tax backlog to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

    Mr Abdullahi Ahmad, the Director, Communications and Liaison Department of the FIRS, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday.

    Ahmad explained that FIRS discovered the backlog through a forensic audit as it showed that Multichoice Nigeria Limited had failed to pay to the Government of Nigeria in past assessment years.

    He said the five-member TAT led by its Chairman, Prof. A.B. Ahmed, issued the order following an application to it by the Counsel to FIRS.

    He stated that the Counsel made the application under Order XI of the TAT Procedure Rules 2010, which requires Multichoice or any other taxpayer who disputes their tax assessments, to make the statutory deposit required under Paragraph 15(7) of the Fifth Schedule to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act 2007 (FIRS Act).

    According to him, these relevant laws are conditions that must be fulfilled before the prosecution of the appeal brought before TAT.

    “In certain defined circumstances to which the Multichoice appeal fits, paragraph 15(7) of the fifth schedule to the FIRS (Establishment) Act 2007 requires persons or companies seeking to contest a tax assessment to pay all or a stipulated percentage of the tax assessed before they can be allowed to argue their appeal contesting the assessment at TAT.

    “Multichoice Nigeria Limited filed the matter at the Lagos TAT following its dispute over FIRS’ issuance of Notices of Assessment and Demand Note in the sum of N1,822,923,909,313.94k on 7 April 2021.

    “The amount constitutes what the FIRS calculated as due in taxation to the Federal Government of Nigeria from Multichoice after an investigation over several months to determine the extent to which Multichoice has been evading taxes in Nigeria,” he explained.

    Ahmad noted that at Tuesday’s hearing of the matter in Appeal, Multichoice Nigeria Limited amended its Notice of Appeal and thereafter sought through its Counsel, Bidemi Olumide of AO2 Law Firm, for an adjournment of the proceedings to enable it to respond to the FIRS’ formal application for accelerated hearing of the appeal.

    “In response, the FIRS Counsel asked TAT to issue an order requiring that Multichoice makes the statutory deposit of 50 per cent of the disputed sum.

    “The counsel also prayed TAT to direct Multichoice to produce before the Tribunal the integrated Annual Report and Management Account Statements of Multichoice Group Ltd for Tax Years 2012 to 2020, among other prayers.

    “After hearing arguments from both sides, TAT upheld the FIRS Act and directed Multichoice Nigeria Limited to deposit with the FIRS the amount prescribed by the law, which is an amount equal to the tax charged upon Multichoice in the preceding year of assessment.

    “Or one half of the tax charged by the assessment under appeal (whichever is lesser), plus a sum equal to 10 per cent of the said deposit as a condition precedent for further hearing of the Appeal.

    “Thereafter, TAT adjourned the Appeal to September 23, 2021 for the continuation of the hearing, subject to compliance with the Tribunal’s order,” he said.

    Recalls that FIRS had in July announced its plan to engage some commercial banks as agents to freeze and recover N1.8 trillion from accounts of Messrs MultiChoice Nigeria Limited (MCN) And MultiChoice Africa (MCA).

    The Service explained that the decision to appoint the banks as agents and to freeze the accounts was as a result of the groups’ continued refusal to grant FIRS access to their servers for audit and it discovered that the companies persistently breached all agreements and undertakings with FIRS.

  • Reps mull pay-per-view, price reduction for DSTV, others

    Reps mull pay-per-view, price reduction for DSTV, others

    The House of Representatives has considered the pay-per-view, pay-as-you-go and price reduction for DSTV and other cable satellite operators in the country.

    This followed the adoption of the reports and recommendation of the Ad–hoc Committee on Non–Implementation of Pay–As–You–Go and sudden Increment of Tariffs plan by Broadcast Digital Satellite Service Providers.

    Rep Unyime Idem, the chairman of the Committee had earlier laid the report before the House and was considered by the House on Wednesday in Abuja.

    The House called on the Federal Government as a matter of urgency to expedites action on implementing the content of the National Broadcasting Code and the Nigeria information Policy of 2014.

    The House noted that this would trigger healthy competition in the industry, adding that the entertainment industry had a wider spectrum with limitless opportunities for the teeming youths.

    The House stated that the visible absence of competitors in the industry was a tacit approval of monopoly of the industry by the present operators.

    The House suggested that timely application of government regulatory intervention measures already articulated would revolutionise the industry and meet the people’s yearnings for Pay-as-you-go, Pay-Per-View and price reduction.

    According to the recommendation, our extant laws that moderate operations in the industry is to be fine-tuned to meet the 21st- century regulatory laws of the industry that is dynamic as the entertainment industry.

    The House noted that the commission that had the power to license and regulate the activities of service providers must also has the power to moderate in the protection of consumers.

    The House stated that there was little or nothing a regulator could do if he was handicapped by laws that were not properly tailored to the needs of the society.

    According to the reports, price increase and reduction have always been contentious issues for producers and consumers in the business world.

    The House also listed the factors responsible for hike in subscription fee as recent increment of VAT by 2.5 per cent by Financial Amendment Act of Jan. 13 2020, the fluctuating foreign exchange rate in the country that affects the cost of content.

    Others are: broadcast equipment, experienced hire and technical infrastructure, increase in bouquets for a wider choice, inflation on the cost of production and need to maintain workforce.

    They identified the need of not throwing many young Nigerians, who are gainfully employed by pay-tv into the labour market were some necessary indices for price hike.

    The report noted that the use of Nigerian NigComSat or Nigerian Satellite that is still under-utilised was advocated by the committee.

    The House urged the Management of NigComSat to embark on the creation of awareness to companies and Organisations that made use of satellite facility.

    The House advised satellite infrastructure users to look inwards and patronise the country’s satellite, reduce the cost of production and services and generate income for the Government.

    The House stated that all obstacles that make use of NigComSat less attractive to the end-users must be looked into as utilisation of the Satellite was key to resolving the issue.

  • DStv, GOtv undergoing upgrade, not hacked – Official

    DStv, GOtv undergoing upgrade, not hacked – Official

    Contrary to the viral tweet that the Pay-TV platforms DStv and GOtv have been hacked, a representative of the company who pleaded anonymity said that the platforms were not hacked but undergoing a system maintenance.

    MultiChoice Nigeria had earlier in the week sent messages to subscribers that there will be a system upgrade.

    The message read: “We will be upgrading our systems from 11 pm, 17 October until 4pm, 19 October. This is to ensure improved system reliability. Access to your favourite channels will not be affected, however payment, self-service will not be available.”

    On Twitter, where the news has gone viral, users say that all channels available on the platforms are now free to watch irrespective of the subscription bouquet.

    The news is attributed to the Hackers Collective Anonymous who have in the past few days hacked websites of multiple government agencies as support to the #EndSARS movement.

    MultiChoice Nigeria is expected to put an official statement on their social media channels soon.

  • DSTV price increase: House of Reps insists on alternative pricing model

    DSTV price increase: House of Reps insists on alternative pricing model

    The House of Representatives says the increase in subscription by Multichoice/DSTV, is unacceptable, insists on Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO).

    Rep. Unyime Idem, Chairman, House of Representatives Ad Hoc committee investigating the non implementation of PAYGO Tariff said this on Monday in Abuja.

    He said that given the current situation as occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic, Multichoice/DSTV should suspend the increase in the monthly subscription.

    Idem said that the house was of the opinion that MultiChoice, the owners of DSTV was not sensitive to the plight of Nigerians for increasing tariff of their various bouquets and anchoring that on VAT increment from five per cent to 7.5 per cent.

    He added that most DSTV bouquet price tariff was more than 2.5 per cent increment, unlike many other companies, local and international that were providing palliative to cushion the effects of COVID-19 pandemic.

    He said the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and the Acting Director-General of Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC), confirmed to the committee that PAYGO model was possible.

    He added that it had started in Nigeria with other providers, adding that there was a new approved NBC agreed to by all stakeholders.

    The chairman said the committee was committed to the full implementation of the PAYGO, Pa- Per View-and-Pay-Per-Watch model in Nigeria.

    The Deputy Chairman of the committee, Rep. John Dyegh, said the House was in possession of document from the Minister of Information showing that the PAYG was possible.

    According to him, we also have document from engineers showing that the PAYGO is possible.

    He said that anything contrary to that would be unacceptable by the committee, adding that the committee should not be pushed to a situation where it would impose the constitution.

    He, however, moved a motion that the committee should invite the minister of information and other stakeholders with full knowledge of how PAYGO could be achieved.

    Rep. Adedeji Babjide, a member of the committee called for sincerity on the part of multi choice, adding that Nigerians were currently going through a lot as a result of COVID-19

    “Look at the hardship Nigerians are going through and you have done two increment within few months, this is not the right time for you to increase subscription,” he said.

    He queried why Multi choice/DSTV was not patronising NICOMSAT, adding that Multi choice had not also obey the Nigeria Broadcasting Code (NBC) holistically.

    Mr John Ugbe, Managing Director, Multi choice/DSTV, said it would not be able to implement the policy of PAYG.

    According to him, Pay Per View (PPV), is most times confused for PAYGO model deployed by mobile telecommunication companies.

    “The PAYGO model as offered in the telecommunication business is a metered service where consumers are billed only for the service they consume and not for a fixed period.

    “Telecommunications companies are able to offer PAYGO services because they operate a two-way communication system in which they are able to determine when a consumer is connected.

    “The service consumed and duration of time the consumer is connected,” he said.

    He, however, said that satellite broadcasters could not offer pay-tv services in the manner offered by mobile telecommunication operators.

    According to him, satellite broadcasting is linear, not a two-way system, as satellite broadcasters are unable to determine when a subscriber is connected and/or watching which channel is being viewed.