DStv premium pricing – really expensive?

[furpile]

It's a rather valid criticicism. Even at the full price these bundled services provide much better value. Sky for instance now include free broadband internet with SkySports. Instead of brushing that off articles like these should do the bundled comparisons even if it's not all sunshine and roses and drive home the point that Dstv is a rip-off. The article isn't even accurate in claiming "DStv Premium is in-line with the top-end packages of Directv and Dish." It isn't as these top end packages include about twice the number of channels. What is also not included is that a lot of these services now seem to include pvr and their own version of "catch-up." The equivalent Dstv package would therefor be R740 for premium plus pvr.

The article is accurate. In terms of affordability it costs us the same to pay for DSTV as it costs other countries to pay for their top end packages. Just before that in the article, it was stated that DSTV's content compares better with lower end packages (due to number of channels etc). Thus we are paying for a "premium" service but only getting a "mid-level" service.

 

[Drifter]

Bottom line is, it is still bloody expensive, but we dont have much choice, do we?

 

[Bona Botse]

Bottom line is, it is still bloody expensive, but we dont have much choice, do we?

Of course you have a choice, you just choose not to exercise it. Would you still be a DSTV subscriber if they hiked the fee to R5k tomorrow?

 

[Drifter]

Of course you have a choice, you just choose not to exercise it. Would you still be a DSTV subscriber if they hiked the fee to R5k tomorrow?

OK, let me rephrase, we dont have a choice in service providers. It's DSTV or nothing.

 

[mothersruin]

The part I can't handle when you are paying premium, is the series. Sure you have to have adverts during the episode, but to have a bar coming across the top telling you whats on next, cutting off the heads of the actors often at the most dramatic monent - or a a strip at the bottom telling what's on another channel. Good grief, what have I got a remote for? Surely premium can do without that. (a bit off the topic, but relevant)

 

[Jola]

It's nothing.

Would pay R100 per channel for SS1 HD and SS2 HD, though. No PVR, life is too short for recorded sport.

Nothing else is worth anything.

 

[Drifter]

The part I can't handle when you are paying premium, is the series. Sure you have to have adverts during the episode, but to have a bar coming across the top telling you whats on next, cutting off the heads of the actors often at the most dramatic monent - or a a strip at the bottom telling what's on another channel. Good grief, what have I got a remote for? Surely premium can do without that. (a bit off the topic, but relevant)

Whats really grinding my bones is the volume of the ads in the middle of the series, and an ad every 5 mins, really?

 

[Blacks]

Cant compare us to US dollar and UK pound, we earning ZAR. Pay me in US dollar and Im happy to pay the prices on the list.

 

[Penquin]

So what the last table basically tells us, if DSTV was a player in any of those markets at that price, they won't have a single subscriber as even the cheapest competition offers a lot more for your $$$.

 

[Blacks]

Cant compare us to US dollar and UK pound, we earning ZAR. Pay me in US dollar and Im happy to pay the prices on the list.

the best comparison would be to work out cost vs income, then the comparison will make sense

 

[Necuno]

So what the last table basically tells us, if DSTV was a player in any of those markets at that price, they won't have a single subscriber as even the cheapest competition offers a lot more for your $$$.

You did not read the article :erm:

 

[Petec]

Plus you have to pay the "rental" fee to download a dstv box office hd movie. Seriously?

And you honestly expect me to eat the tripe, that dstv compares (apples vs apples) to overseas offerings? It does not. This article is only valid if you compare us to the moon for example.

To try propaganda me by saying, that there are contract and service delivery issues overseas, is utterly insulting and disingenuous.

Yes, you site the examples in this article (which I honestly will not even bother to investigate), but no sane person would go for these packages when you have polar opposite packages, compared to dstv, readily available overseas.

I fear that this article is actually an attempt to get us to accept the current status quo, and just silently eat it up...
Well, nope... Nope, I will not.

 

[LCBXX]

Cant compare us to US dollar and UK pound, we earning ZAR. Pay me in US dollar and Im happy to pay the prices on the list.

What a lot of people forget is that $10 is not like paying R120 on the States. $10 feels like R10 for Americans. Keeping this in mind, the table therefore indicates that DStv compares with DirecTV on price, yet only offers 20% of the value.

 

[Superjakes]

TLDR - has anybody mentioned that DSTV "treats" its subscribers to gems like Africa Magic, etc? If you are a sports fanatic with small kids, there are still less than 50 channels of any value. Also, why are there no proper music channels left on DSTV?

 

[Langjan]

These comparisons do not mean much because earnings of Australians, Americans and the British mean that 50 dollars or even 50 pounds is peanuts to them, equating to about R50 to R100 for South Africans.

DSTV is shooting itself in the foot, as many potential clients will soon discover that they can see most channels, especialy sport on the Internet if they care to simply ask Mr Google where to go.

 

[longboy]

The earning power of people overseas is much greater than what we have here in South Africa. This is why we cannot compare their prices to ours.

Also, a lot of their offerings come with free fibre internet and landline telephone, etc.





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[Skerminkel]

The ONLY thing that makes dstv a viable choice is if you follow/like local South African sport. Other than that, it is a rip off service, which should be shunned by all.

I love rugby, but still decided that DSTV is too expensive. And R700/m will not make a dent in my finances, it is simply not value for money. I watched 2 complete super rugby matches with friends the whole season. Kids and wife cannot be bothered.

 

[jetlee]

These comparisons do not mean much because earnings of Australians, Americans and the British mean that 50 dollars or even 50 pounds is peanuts to them, equating to about R50 to R100 for South Africans.

DSTV is shooting itself in the foot, as many potential clients will soon discover that they can see most channels, especialy sport on the Internet if they care to simply ask Mr Google where to go.

Read the article, youll see this is covered

 

[Creag]

No matter how I read the article or comparison, the price of DSTV is quickly becoming a want and not a need.

 

[JimM]

19 HD channels

7 Supersport
8 M-Net, series & Movies
2 Universal
Fox
Discovery

8 is technically correct! Supersport, Universal etc., are third party operators who pay to broadcast on the DStv platform!

What wasn't shown is how satisfied the viewer is with content! For example, I have a PVR that has under 9% of recording space used... There simply is nothing worthy of recording and the PVR is really only viable as a 'time shifted viewing device' - Those who choose what programs to air are making their selections mainly on cost methinks!