TheNewsGuru

Tag: gotv

  • You can’t continue increasing tariffs on yearly basis, Reps warns MultiChoice

    You can’t continue increasing tariffs on yearly basis, Reps warns MultiChoice

    …sets up committee to investigate proposed hike in Dstv, Gotv subscriptions

    The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, resolved to investigate alleged exorbitant charges and refusal by Multi Choice Satellite Television company to adopt Pay-As-You-Go package option for customers.

    The house also mandated its Committee on Information and Culture, National Orientation, Ethics and Values to interface with the Nigeria Communications Commission and other relevant agencies to address the issue.

    This followed a motion by Rep. Tajudeen Abbas (Kaduna-APC).

    In the motion, Abbas said that the increasing subscription of the various bouquets offered by Multichoice and its refusal to offer pay-as-you-go option to customers caused financial anguish to subscribers.

    He said that it had been a practice for the company to increase subscription of its packages almost on a yearly basis.

    “In 2013, the monthly subscription increased by seven to 10 per cent; in 2014, by 10 to 15 per cent and in 2015, by 10 to 22 per cent and just recently, the company sent a notification of another price increase from May 1, 2017.

    “Dstv does not have a pay-as-you-go plan like similar communication companies around the world, thereby making its subscription plan to expire at the end of the monthly subscription period, whether or not the subscriber uses the services.”

    Abbas explained that the regular increase in the subscription of the various bouquets on offer and the refusal to adopt a pay-as-you-go option was against all known and fair business practices all over the world.

    He expressed concern over the seeming inability of NCC, the regulatory company, to exercise its authority in the industry.

    The motion was unanimously adopted by members when it was put to a voice vote by the Deputy Speaker, Mr Yussuff Lasun, who presided at plenary.

    The house, therefore, mandated the committees investigating the matter to report back to it in eight weeks.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that MultiChoice on Monday, April 3 announced that it would effect a price adjustment of five per cent on all its DStv and GOtv packages from May 1, 2017.

  • MultiChoice increases DStv, GOtv subscription rates by 5%

    MultiChoice increases DStv, GOtv subscription rates by 5%

    MultiChoice on yesterday announced that it would effect a price adjustment of five per cent on all its DStv and GOtv packages from May 1, 2017.

    As a result, subscribers on the DStv premium bouquet will pay N14,700 as against N13,980 currently being charged. While GOtv Plus subscribers will have to pay N1,900 instead of the current rate of N1,800.

    According to the company, the increment in subscription rates will also affect other bouquets, as Compact Plus DStv subscribers will pay N9,900 instead of the current N9,420, while Compact subscribers will no longer pay N6,000 but N6,300.

    It said that the new rate for the Family bouquet would be N3,800 against the running rate of N3,600, while that of the Access bouquet would be N1,900 and not N1,800.

    The current rate for the Commercial bouquet is N1,720, but with the adjustment in rates, subscribers will have to cough out N1,850 monthly.

    The pay TV platform, however said the access fee of N2,160 on the High-Definition decoders and extra view remained the same.

    A text message sent out by DStv to some of its Premium subscribers read, “Dear DStv customer, due to a price adjustment, your Premium package fee changed from N13,980 to N14,700, effective May 1, 2017.”

    For, GOtv Value and GOtv Lite bouquets, the new rates are N1,300 and N450, against the current rates of N1,200 and N400, respectively.

    When reached, the Managing Director, MultiChoice, John Ugbe, said the decision was taken after careful consideration of the market and review of its business operations.

    Ugbe said, “We announced last year that we would do everything possible to hold the price barring any extreme factors. However, all our content is purchased in dollars and although we have done everything possible to hold the prices even with the prices of everything else going up, we are now left with no choice but to adjust our subscription prices from May 1.

    “Our key priority is to put subscribers’ needs at the heart of everything we do and, therefore, in determining the price adjustment, we took into account many factors, including the impact on the customer; current inflation, which stands at 19 per cent; programming costs; and efficiencies within the company.”

    Ugbe said that MultiChoice had worked hard to keep the fees manageable.

    “The DStv Premium, DStv Compact+, DStv Compact, DStv Family and DStv Access packages will continue to be available at varying pricing points to allow subscribers flexibility in price and choice without compromising quality or variety. We thank our customers for their support during the past year,” he added.