MultiChoice entrenches its monopoly in Africa

[jes]

MultiChoice entrenches its monopoly in Africa

Africa Magic, BBC World News, Discovery World, DSTV, Fritz Baffour, GOtv, MultiChoice, Nickelodeon, Nico Meyer, Supersport

 

[LazyLion]

The Subscribers are to blame as well.
If they would vote with their wallets we could change the situation.

... But for some of these countries DSTV is just starting up and is the sole provider... so technically they are not a monopoly there yet until somebody else tries to launch a competing service.

 

[Necuno]

MultiChoice is so overrated.

The Subscribers are to blame as well.
If they would vote with their wallets we could change the situation.

Doesn't help if just a few are not subbed to them.

 

[R13...]

The Subscribers are to blame as well.
If they would vote with their wallets we could change the situation.

... But for some of these countries DSTV is just starting up and is the sole provider... so technically they are not a monopoly there yet until somebody else tries to launch a competing service.

Sometimes the consumer can't help it. I'm sure you'd support a monopoly too if there were no alternatives.

 

[elvis_presley]

Sometimes the consumer can't help it. I'm sure you'd support a monopoly too if there were no alternatives.

Exactly. It's easy to moan about DSTV and Telkom, but really - what compelling reasons has the market given us to move away from either? The market's been open long enough that excuses have started to wear a bit thin.

 

[LazyLion]

Sometimes the consumer can't help it. I'm sure you'd support a monopoly too if there were no alternatives.

But there are alternatives in South Africa.

 

[R13...]

But there are alternatives in South Africa.

TopTV? Please. Even they came out and said they mustn't be seen as an alternative to DSTV.

 

[elvis_presley]

TopTV? Please. Even they came out and said they mustn't be seen as an alternative to DSTV.

Yeah - when TopTV came out, I knew they didn't have sport channels, and assumed I'd move over as my household mainly consumes news, general content and tons of kids stuff (never watch sports). Even for that general kind of stuff, TopTV falls short. The only reason I could see someone getting TopTV is because they can't afford DSTV.

 

[ThinkCentre]

The problem is that anything is better than SA-ANC TV! Even TopTV!

 

[Creag]

But there are alternatives in South Africa.

Like

 

[LazyLion]

TopTV? Please. Even they came out and said they mustn't be seen as an alternative to DSTV.

Yeah - when TopTV came out, I knew they didn't have sport channels, and assumed I'd move over as my household mainly consumes news, general content and tons of kids stuff (never watch sports). Even for that general kind of stuff, TopTV falls short. The only reason I could see someone getting TopTV is because they can't afford DSTV.

Like

TopTV won't get any better unless more people support them.
And by refusing to change you are just entrenching the monopoly even more.
This is exactly what I am talking about. DSTV is a monopoly because of people like you.
That's why I said DSTV subscribers deserve what they get.
Enjoy the crappy repeats, rip off prices, and junk service.

 

[elvis_presley]

TopTV won't get any better unless more people support them.
And by refusing to change you are just entrenching the monopoly even more.
This is exactly what I am talking about. DSTV is a monopoly because of people like you.
That's why I said DSTV subscribers deserve what they get.
Enjoy the crappy repeats, rip off prices, and junk service.

WTF? So I should go out and buy TopTV, knowing full well it has nothing I'd watch? Why don't they just open up a charity account so we can donate to them? Sounds like an AMAZING business plan. I know that DSTV is an overpriced option, but it's the ONLY option for most the people who subscribe to it.

Newsflash - watching a bit of a R590/mo service is a LOT cheaper than watching none of a R270/mo service.

If DSTV is sooo overpriced and filled with such crap, why can't TopTV compete? That's what I'd like to know. If broadcasting was such a brilliant business to be in, with such gigantic profit margins, TopTV would have no problem finding investors to help them get over the rough patch while they ramp up subscribers.

By the way, TopTV is just as overpriced as DSTV if you compare the content you get for your money on each of the services.

 

[Ice2Cool]

Zambia is one of the worst countries on this planet.

 

[Flowerhat]

TopTV won't get any better unless more people support them.
And by refusing to change you are just entrenching the monopoly even more.
This is exactly what I am talking about. DSTV is a monopoly because of people like you.
That's why I said DSTV subscribers deserve what they get.
Enjoy the crappy repeats, rip off prices, and junk service.

true man

 

[LazyLion]

WTF? So I should go out and buy TopTV, knowing full well it has nothing I'd watch? Why don't they just open up a charity account so we can donate to them? Sounds like an AMAZING business plan. I know that DSTV is an overpriced option, but it's the ONLY option for most the people who subscribe to it.

Newsflash - watching a bit of a R590/mo service is a LOT cheaper than watching none of a R270/mo service.

If DSTV is sooo overpriced and filled with such crap, why can't TopTV compete? That's what I'd like to know. If broadcasting was such a brilliant business to be in, with such gigantic profit margins, TopTV would have no problem finding investors to help them get over the rough patch while they ramp up subscribers.

By the way, TopTV is just as overpriced as DSTV if you compare the content you get for your money on each of the services.

You are not thinking long term... in fact it really only has to be for a few months.
If everyone caught a wake up and deprived DSTV of their income for three months, they would be crying at your door with their hats in hand asking how they can fix it.
And if all the subscribers gave that money to TopTV for three months they would be signing up new channels and feeds in no time at all.

The problem is that your average South African has no backbone and can't make a sacrifice for a few months.
They are not willing to do without for a short time so that things can improve in the long run.

In short, they are cowards... and that's why I say they get what they deserve.

 

[Necuno]

WTF? So I should go out and buy TopTV, knowing full well it has nothing I'd watch? Why don't they just open up a charity account so we can donate to them? Sounds like an AMAZING business plan. I know that DSTV is an overpriced option, but it's the ONLY option for most the people who subscribe to it.

Newsflash - watching a bit of a R590/mo service is a LOT cheaper than watching none of a R270/mo service.

If DSTV is sooo overpriced and filled with such crap, why can't TopTV compete? That's what I'd like to know. If broadcasting was such a brilliant business to be in, with such gigantic profit margins, TopTV would have no problem finding investors to help them get over the rough patch while they ramp up subscribers.

By the way, TopTV is just as overpriced as DSTV if you compare the content you get for your money on each of the services.

or vpn and use hulu/netflix/abc/starz/sky...

 

[elvis_presley]

You are not thinking long term... in fact it really only has to be for a few months.
If everyone caught a wake up and deprived DSTV of their income for three months, they would be crying at your door with their hats in hand asking how they can fix it.
And if all the subscribers gave that money to TopTV for three months they would be signing up new channels and feeds in no time at all.

The problem is that your average South African has no backbone and can't make a sacrifice for a few months.
They are not willing to do without for a short time so that things can improve in the long run.

In short, they are cowards... and that's why I say they get what they deserve.

That's bull**** and you know it. TopTV needs to make a competitive product to get people to move across. For R270, TopTV's current lineup is kind of sad. Even if there was mass action like that, I wouldn't go across to TopTV, because as I said they *ARE* as overpriced as DSTV - if they had to get the amount of series, news feeds, sports feeds, etc - they'd cost just as much or more than DSTV.

Compare the bouquets. Compare the prices. Prove me wrong.

TopTV isn't the company that's going to save us. They're the Neotel of the broadcast world.

 

[LazyLion]

That's bull**** and you know it. TopTV needs to make a competitive product to get people to move across. For R270, TopTV's current lineup is kind of sad. Even if there was mass action like that, I wouldn't go across to TopTV, because as I said they *ARE* as overpriced as DSTV - if they had to get the amount of series, news feeds, sports feeds, etc - they'd cost just as much or more than DSTV.
Compare the bouquets. Compare the prices. Prove me wrong.
TopTV isn't the company that's going to save us. They're the Neotel of the broadcast world.

Then you are one of those subscribers who are to blame. YOU are the one entrenching the monopoly.
Even if you don't like TopTV, fine, then just cancel your DSTV subs for six months.
Show DSTV what you think of their crap and their prices.

But if I'm right, you are not man enough to do it. And that's why DSTV remains an entrenched monopoly.

Many of us have canceled already, but our sacrifice is in vain unless more people grow a pair.

 

[elvis_presley]

Then you are one of those subscribers who are to blame. YOU are the one entrenching the monopoly.
Even if you don't like TopTV, fine, then just cancel your DSTV subs for six months.
Show DSTV what you think of their crap and their prices.

Why should I? TopTV is even MORE of a rip-off! My kids watch hours of the kids TV every week, my wife keeps up with all her BBC soapies, and I have the news running in the background a lot. I get enough value from DSTV to keep it. I would get ZERO value from TopTV.

TopTV don't WANT to compete in the market segment I'm interested in. Don't you get that? They're happy ripping off people who don't have enough money to get ripped off with more expensive products

But if I'm right, you are not man enough to do it. And that's why DSTV remains an entrenched monopoly.
Many of us have canceled already, but our sacrifice is in vain unless more people grow a pair.

Hey, if you want to pay R270/month for that crap, that's your decision! Seriously, dude. DSTV's R260 bouquet is better than TopTV's R270 one. You're just making a fool of yourself trying to fight the man, when the man actually has a better deal!

They're both a rip off. Whoever you subscribe to right now, you're encouraging rip-off prices.

If there were a company that looked like they were going to offer a better long-term solution and actually have the balls to take some risk to get something I could actually use, I'd skip in a heartbeat. But DSTV is actually competitive on prices in this overpriced market.

 

[Roman4604]

But DSTV is actually competitive on prices in this overpriced market.

Yeah, as soon as someone else can offer me 4 or more channels of 1080i full HD Olympics coverage (at a lesser price), I'll give them a look.