Uproar as DStv hikes subscription rates

Kenyans and Ugandans on Twitter have today been protesting an announcement that DStv subscription rates are going to be hiked from October.

The issue has been a trending topic throughout the day, with even some local celebrities taking their time to post their two cents, as @CarolRadull tweeted:

“I’m also looking for an alternative to @DSTV_Kenya 9,400/- per month. I love live football but affording it is another story! DSTV ‘Kwaheri’!”

Other tweets included:

“9400 per month for DSTV premium subscription from 1st October…?  Hello movie guy…” @SheilaSendeyo tweeted.

“9,400Ksh per month for DSTV premium subscribers from October 1st I couldn’t laugh hard enough. Let me look for el-cheapo TV ‘lol’” ‏@shirogaitho tweeted.

Multichoice was later made to respond via a statement, stating that the announced price adjustment on DStv subscription fees in Kenya would be effective from October 1, 2015.

“The increase is necessitated by Foreign exchange rate changes.  The continuous depreciation of the Kenyan Shilling against the US Dollar has negatively impacted the business -this is similar to other imported services where costs are originated in US Dollars For months, MultiChoice has held off passing through this price increase to subscribers and has absorbed the foreign exchange losses; however, it is no longer possible to avoid a price adjustment on DStv subscriptions,” reads the statement issued by Multichoice.

DStv has four bouquets namely; Premium, Compact Plus, Compact and Family all bouquets are available at varying pricing points.

Premium subscribers, however, receive value add services such as, video on demand services which include: Catch Up: for newly aired movies and the latest episodes of TV shows, BoxOffice: to rent movies via your decoder with no Internet connection required, BoxOffice and Catch Up Online: to rent movies and Catch Up online, DStv Now: to view live TV via the internet and SuperSport Live: to view live sports over the internet.