Some pay television companies in the country have adjusted tariffs, with others expected to do the same as they battle rising operational costs. StarTimes, the Chinese-operated television company, was the first to announce new tariffs when, earlier in the month, it rolled out new prices for its packages.
The new prices, which took effect on 14 April, will see StarTimes Basic bouquet customers on DTT (antenna) pay N2, 100 monthly, as against the previous sum of N1,850, while customers on its Classic bouquet will pay N3,100 monthly as against the previous N2,750 tariff. The price of the Nova bouquet also went up from N900 to N1,200.
The company’s subscribers using DTH (Dish) are similarly affected, with the tariff on the Smart bouquet rising to N2, 800 per month from N2,600, while the Super bouquet will now attract a monthly tariff of N5,300 as opposed to N4,900. The Nova bouquet has its tariff raised to N1,200 from N900.
StarTimes explained that the price review had to be made because of suffocating economic conditions, to which it had to respond to ensure it is able to continue providing the level of service to which its subscribers are accustomed.
“We are not immune to the economic realities affecting businesses in the country. While businesses have been adjusting prices upwards to remain afloat, we have been absorbing the recurring increases in costs. However, it isn’t easy to maintain the same price if we must keep serving our customers,” StartTimes stated.
Also on Tuesday, MultiChoice Nigeria announced adjustment of prices on its DStv and GOtv packages via a text message to its subscribers.
A sample of the message sent to DStv Premium subscribers’ decoders: “Dear Customer, due to 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 new regime will also see the price on the Compact+ bouquet move to N16,600 from N14, 250 monthly. Subscribers on the Compact bouquet will, under the new price regime, pay N10,500 as against N9,000, with those on Confam set to pay N6,200 as against N5,300. Those on DStv Yanga and Padi will pay N3,500 and N2,500 respectively as against N2,950 and N2,150.
On the GOtv service, subscribers on GOtv Supa package will pay N6,400 as against N5,500, with those on GOtv Max paying N4,850 as against N4,150. GOtv Jolli subscribers are due to start paying N3,300 as against N2,800, with the tariffs on GOtv Jinja and GOtv Lite also rising from N1,900 to N2,250 and N900 to N1,100 respectively.
To cushion the effect of the price review, MultiChoice Nigeria, as usual, has made a price lock offer to subscribers, who renew their subscriptions before their due dates. The offer allows customers to pay the old rates for 12 months if they pay monthly before the expiration of their subscriptions. Similarly, it grants subscribers, who pay for one year at a go, before the new prices kick in, the opportunity to pay the old tariffs.
A country-by-country price comparison, according to checks, shows that Nigerian DStv Premium subscribers will pay the equivalent of $33.11 (N740 to a dollar), with those in South Africa paying 879 Rands ($48.48 at 18.1 Rands to the dollar). The tariff of N16,600 to be paid by Nigerian Compact + subscribers, the equivalent of $22.43, while those in South Africa will pay 579 Rands ($31,94). Compact customers in Nigeria, it was also discovered, will pay the equivalent of $14.19 (N10,500).
Kenyan subscribers on the three bouquets will pay KES 9,500 ($70.06), KES 5,900 ($43.51) and KES 3,300 ($24.34) respectively
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