MultiChoice, one of South Africa’s leading entertainment companies in Africa, has increased DStv prices in Kenya, marking the fourth time that the company has done so in less than two years. According to a statement by MultiChoice, the decision “follows a review of the economic outlook,” signaling an inflationary environment where rising prices could inevitably reduce the purchasing power of some streamers, as some customers had already complained about high DStv subscription costs.
Effective April 1, 2023, DStv Premium customers will pay KES 10,500, up from KES 9,900 monthly. Subscribers on Compact Plus will pay KES 6,500, up from KES 6,300, while Compact plans will now attract a KES 3,700 monthly fee, up from KES 3,500.
Family and Access will cost KES 2000 and KES 1300, respectively.
The exact charges will be applied to DStv Stream users, who access content over an internet connection rather than a satellite signal, as a DStv satellite subscription entitles them to a Stream account (previously DStv Now).
Amidst the price jumps, DStv satellite supports just one screen, but there’s an option to pay for more screens, known as XtraView, with customers paying for each additional screen separately.
For DStv Stream, there are limitations similar to Showmax – a video-on-demand platform owned by MultiChoice – where customers are limited in the number of devices they can log in to over six months, currently set at five. If customers have reached their device limit, they can only remove and add a new device once every six months or twice every 12 months.
In the past, customers circumvented high DStv prices by subscribing to Showmax Pro, which aired live games, including the Premier League. However, Showmax Pro has since been discontinued, and live games are now limited to mobile streaming under a product called Showmax Premier League.
According to some social media users, as some households struggle to pay bills due to increased expenses, they prioritize essentials such as rent or utilities while sacrificing non-essential expenses such as TV subscriptions to make ends meet.