DSTV/GOtv Subscribers Insist on Pay-as-you-go Tariff

Following the announcement on increase in the subscription by DSTV/GOtv,Subscribers have warned the company to reverse its decision, saying it is not a welcome decision.

The subscribers under the aegis Association of Telephone, Cable TV and Internet Subscribers of Nigeria (ATCIS), said the hike in Tariff should not be implemented.

Towncriernews.com.ng, had earlier reported that the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), South-west Zone, has given MultiChoice Nigeria a seven-day ultimatum to reverse its planned subscription hike on DSTV and GOTV, threatening to lock up all officers of the company if it refuses to hearken to their demand.

On Tuesday, the company announced an upward review of prices on its DStv and GOtv packages by 17 per cent.

This was confirmed in a text message sent to customers that the new rates would take effect on May 1, 2023. The pay-tv firm said the price adjustment was due to the rising costs of business operations. “Please note that from May 1, your monthly subscription (premium) will be N24,500. To retain your old price of N21,000 for up to 12 months ensure you are active by April 30,” the text message reads. With the hike, the price of the Compact+ bouquet would move to N16,600 from N14,250 monthly. Subscribers on the Compact bouquet will now pay N10,500 as against N9,000; while those on the Confam package are set to pay N6,200 compared to the previous N5,300. Also, viewers of DStv Yan- ga and Padi bouquets will pay N3,500 and N2,500 respectively, as against N2,950 and N2,150. Meanwhile, subscribers on the GOtv Supa package will now pay N6,400 as against N5,500; with those on GOtv Max expected to pay N4,850 as against N4,150.

More so, the GOtv Jolli package price will increase to N3,300 from N2,800; while that of the GOtv Jinja and GOtv Lite will rise from N1,900 to N2,250; and from N900 to N1,100, respectively. But despite the rate increases, MultiChoice Nigeria also made a price lock offer to subscribers who may renew their subscriptions before their due dates.

The offer, which is meant to cushion the effect of the price review, allows customers to pay the old rates for 12 months if they pay monthly before the expiration of their subscriptions.

But speaking to New Telegraph, the ATCIS National President, Prince Sina Bilesanmi said the pay-tv company should implement a pay-as-you-watch tariff in Nigeria instead of increasing its tariffs indiscriminately.He said the Association would not accept any new increment on DStv and GOtv subscriptions in the country. Bilesanmi said the company had continued to put more hardship on subscribers. According to him, the company is supposed to mitigate its customers’ suffering rather than exploit them considering the economic situation of the country.

He said: “Nigerians, generally, are being exploited by Multichoice and its other colleagues in the PayTV market. The fact that they have stuck to only a monthly prepaid subscription model against people’s will says it all. “Here is why: when you do your subscription today and you travel for the next 30 days such that you have not enjoyed your subscription, it will have expired before your return and when you come back, you’ll have to do another subscription to have access to their services.

“This is why ATCIS, as the only subscriber advocacy body in the country, has been advocating that this PayTV operator should introduce another model known as pay-as-you- watch or pay per view. We have spent years advocating this but the operators have refused to do it. Why would they be adamant if not because the pay per view model will liberate Nigerians from their extortion?

“The similar analysis of this is the way we buy recharge cards or buy data from telecos. If you do not use the airtime on your phone, you have no reason to buy another. This is justice. But in a situation whereby whether you use it or not, the airtime and data must disappear and you will have to buy another one, there is no justice there. This is why we are calling on Nigerian authorities to make these Pay TV people use the pay per view model.

“We cannot continue with this kind of extortion. We need a new system where subscribers pay for the service that use and nothing more. Ordinarily, subscribers should be the king in the PayTv market, but what we have in Nigeria is the opportunity.”

u- go Tariff Following the announcement on increase in the subscription by DSTV/GOtv,Subscribers have warned the company to reverse its decision, saying it is not a welcome decision.

The subscribers under the aegis Association of Telephone, Cable TV and Internet Subscribers of Nigeria (ATCIS), said the hike in Tariff should not be implemented.

Towncriernews.com.ng, had earlier reported that the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), South-west Zone, has given MultiChoice Nigeria a seven-day ultimatum to reverse its planned subscription hike on DSTV and GOTV, threatening to lock up all officers of the company if it refuses to hearken to their demand. 

On Tuesday, the company announced an upward review of prices on its DStv and GOtv packages by 17 per cent.

This was confirmed in a text message sent to customers that the new rates would take effect on May 1, 2023. The pay-tv firm said the price adjustment was due to the rising costs of business operations. “Please note that from May 1, your monthly subscription (premium) will be N24,500. To retain your old price of N21,000 for up to 12 months ensure you are active by April 30,” the text message reads. With the hike, the price of the Compact+ bouquet would move to N16,600 from N14,250 monthly. Subscribers on the Compact bouquet will now pay N10,500 as against N9,000; while those on the Confam package are set to pay N6,200 compared to the previous N5,300. Also, viewers of DStv Yan- ga and Padi bouquets will pay N3,500 and N2,500 respectively, as against N2,950 and N2,150. Meanwhile, subscribers on the GOtv Supa package will now pay N6,400 as against N5,500; with those on GOtv Max expected to pay N4,850 as against N4,150.

More so, the GOtv Jolli package price will increase to N3,300 from N2,800; while that of the GOtv Jinja and GOtv Lite will rise from N1,900 to N2,250; and from N900 to N1,100, respectively. But despite the rate increases, MultiChoice Nigeria also made a price lock offer to subscribers who may renew their subscriptions before their due dates.

The offer, which is meant to cushion the effect of the price review, allows customers to pay the old rates for 12 months if they pay monthly before the expiration of their subscriptions. 

But speaking to New Telegraph, the ATCIS National President, Prince Sina Bilesanmi said the pay-tv company should implement a pay-as-you-watch tariff in Nigeria instead of increasing its tariffs indiscriminately.He said the Association would not accept any new increment on DStv and GOtv subscriptions in the country. Bilesanmi said the company had continued to put more hardship on subscribers. According to him, the company is supposed to mitigate its customers’ suffering rather than exploit them considering the economic situation of the country.

He said: “Nigerians, generally, are being exploited by Multichoice and its other colleagues in the PayTV market. The fact that they have stuck to only a monthly prepaid subscription model against people’s will says it all. “Here is why: when you do your subscription today and you travel for the next 30 days such that you have not enjoyed your subscription, it will have expired before your return and when you come back, you’ll have to do another subscription to have access to their services.

“This is why ATCIS, as the only subscriber advocacy body in the country, has been advocating that this PayTV operator should introduce another model known as pay-as-you- watch or pay per view. We have spent years advocating this but the operators have refused to do it. Why would they be adamant if not because the pay per view model will liberate Nigerians from their extortion?

“The similar analysis of this is the way we buy recharge cards or buy data from telecos. If you do not use the airtime on your phone, you have no reason to buy another. This is justice. But in a situation whereby whether you use it or not, the airtime and data must disappear and you will have to buy another one, there is no justice there. This is why we are calling on Nigerian authorities to make these Pay TV people use the pay per view model.

“We cannot continue with this kind of extortion. We need a new system where subscribers pay for the service that use and nothing more. Ordinarily, subscribers should be the king in the PayTv market, but what we have in Nigeria is the opportunity.”