DStv package prices to rise by up to Sh500 from November
Pay television channel MultiChoice Kenya will from next month increase the cost of its television packages by up to Sh500, dealing a blow to the entertainment budgets of households and business outlets.
Consumers on the DStv Premium package will face the sharpest increase and will pay Sh11,000, marking a 4.7 percent rise from the current Sh10,500 while those on the Compact Plus will fork out Sh6,800 from the current Sh6,500, representing a 4.6 percent jump.
The new rates will mark the fourth time in under two years that the pay television has raised the prices of its packages as it battles the increased cost of business which is now being loaded onto customers.
“We would like to inform you that MultiChoice will be making adjustments to some of its DStv subscription prices effective November 1, 2024,” the company said in a notice yesterday.
The company did not give reasons behind the fresh upward review of the prices. The hike however comes at a time MultiChoice disclosed losses of ZAR 4.148 billion (Sh 34.8 billion) in the year that ended in March.
The losses were attributed to the sharp depreciation of local currencies in Kenya, Nigeria, Zambia, and Angola, increased taxation in some markets, and growing administration costs.
MultiChoice is also facing stiff competition from streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video and it remains to be seen how the latest price review will impact its viewership.
Under the new pricing schedule, customers on the Compact package will pay Sh3,900 up from Sh3,700 (a rise of 5.4 percent) while the Family package will cost customers Sh2,100 from the current Sh2,000, a rise of five percent.
MultiChoice Kenya had increased the cost of the packages on April 1 this year after similar moves in April and August last year.
Kenya is one of the 50 markets of MultiChoice in sub-Saharan Africa where it enjoys a viewership of 23.5 million subscribers.
MultiChoice offers DStv, Showmax, and SuperSport and has for years been the go-to for customers seeking a wide range of television channels dedicated to a particular industry that range from sports to wildlife documentaries.