DStv prices from 2000 to 2012

[[)roi(]]

It would be wise to also include the 1990's where they increased the prices more than once a year to keep up with the falling RAND. And never gave us a decrease when the Rand recovered. But they have most of their customers so well trained that some people actually ask every year on their forum what the increase would be before they even think about it. But DSTV is just another example of how useless ICASA really is.

+1

...and sadly reflects on how bad we as a nation are ito accepting high prices + crap services.

Most developed nations would avoid companies like them completely; example is what happened to Netflix when they tried to increase pricing and split services; within a short space of time they lost > 6 million customers, and soon after starting a "begging" campaign to get customers back.

IMO we get shafted by the retail companies because we allow them this, and they know we will accept this.

This behavior is not specific to Multichoice, all retailers including the telecom providers shaft us, but only because we are not known to swim up stream.

 

[jannievanzyl]

The monetary value of content in the Internet age is exactly equal to zero. Only dinosaurs who are stuck in the last century still think you can charge money for content. People are paying for easy access to content nowadays. Only legacy industry dinosaurs like Hollywood/record companies are still stuck in the old way of doing things...the times they are a changin'.

So the content just magically appears?

 

[MickeyD]

So the content just magically appears?

Of course.... you know mos, free the web!

 

[MrGray]

So the content just magically appears?

Actually, it kind of does if you setup the right stuff.

We are at the very beginning of a sea change in "TV/Movie" viewing as we've known it. For the first time in history, US pay TV subscriber numbers are dropping off in the millions in favour of streaming TV and download services.

The irony is, though, that even though I would be happy to pay, there is no legal channel to do so outside of the USA, afaik. I would love to see a legit packaged service, at a reasonable price, offering the same functionality as a Sickbeard/SABnzbd/XBMC setup.
The content producers are just plain stupid if they can't see how they're going to make a sh*tload of money doing this, and ultimately they will embrace it, because they will have no choice.

It's so obvious and inevitable that we will be paying something like $30-$50 per month to some or other online service for access to unlimited on-demand streaming/downloads of pretty much everything.

 

[[)roi(]]

Actually, it kind of does if you setup the right stuff.

We are at the very beginning of a sea change in "TV/Movie" viewing as we've known it. For the first time in history, US pay TV subscriber numbers are dropping off in the millions in favour of streaming TV and download services.

The irony is, though, that even though I would be happy to pay, there is no legal channel to do so outside of the USA, afaik. I would love to see a legit packaged service, at a reasonable price, offering the same functionality as a Sickbeard/SABnzbd/XBMC setup.
The content producers are just plain stupid if they can't see how they're going to make a sh*tload of money doing this, and ultimately they will embrace it, because they will have no choice.

It's so obvious and inevitable that we will be paying something like $30-$50 per month to some or other online service for access to unlimited on-demand streaming/downloads of pretty much everything.

I agree re "at the very beginning of a sea change in "TV/Movie" viewing as we've known it"

I for example pay for Netflix even though it is not approved by the media industry to provide services in our region -- at least I feel more resolute that in some way the artists are still rewarded for their work. Similarly iTunes, Amazon, ...

I prefer personally to channel my frustration at the local retailers who are the ones IMO keeping us in the dark ages of tech in order to continue their unjustifiable profiteering -- on that I think we both agree.

Yet where I differ is in the absence of something fair: this should never be seen as a justifiable reason for piracy -- artists should be entitled to income irrespective of our disdain for the media moguls.

 

[jhart]

Average increase op 5.64% per year = double the cost in 12years! WoW

 

[g0nt4du]

Wow at first look its like almost double in 10 years but looks just like inflation adjusted prices. Hard to argue with that!

 

[g0nt4du]

+1

...and sadly reflects on how bad we as a nation are ito accepting high prices + crap services.

..ed by the retail companies because we allow them this, and they know we will accept this.

This behavior is not specific to Multichoice, all retailers including the telecom providers shaft us, but only because we are not known to swim up stream.

Well put. Has always baffled me how we put up with ridiculous telecoms prices esp voice calls. I guess we sponsor African development in that way!

 

[[)roi(]]

Im waiting silently in the wings for FOX sports to start online broadcasting, bye bye DSTV, ill use my broadband to watch the sport, the movies, the tv series .

Or ESPN for international customers.