Pay-TV smackdown

Just reinforce the fact that MC doesnt give a crap about their customers or South Africa :(
 
Wow Mono**** are a bunch of lame f_gs. Yet another reason I refuse to have DSTV. I already support Telkom's video on demand anyways :D
 
What we need is Pay-As-You-Go TV.
Buy a voucher that allows you to watch for one week/month or year. Phone a number, enter the voucher code, and your decoder is activated. When it expires, you buy another.
No bother, no mess, no contracts(!) and no hassles.

I can really see myself using something like that - the very thought of needing to phone DSTV and courier them a sperm sample and police clearance certificate just to use their lousy service is a real put-off.
 
What a biased article, trying to paint telkom as the poor underdog. How many times has telkom screwed us over? They treat people like crap, offer a sub-standard service at ridiculous prices with little to no support.

At least with multichoice you have a Choice, telkom is still the festering sore that covers all ADSL and is probably the #1 that SA will remain a 3rd world country with regards to internet.

Anytime that I hear that someone has or will or is trying to screw telkom I get a warm feeling in my tummy and I silently cheer them on.
 
Derth said:
What a biased article, trying to paint telkom as the poor underdog. How many times has telkom screwed us over? They treat people like crap, offer a sub-standard service at ridiculous prices with little to no support.

At least with multichoice you have a Choice, telkom is still the festering sore that covers all ADSL and is probably the #1 that SA will remain a 3rd world country with regards to internet.

Anytime that I hear that someone has or will or is trying to screw telkom I get a warm feeling in my tummy and I silently cheer them on.
Click to expand...

Biased article ? Only against Multichoice yes, but not exactly in favor of Telkom. MC could've picked any other company to screw over but they picked Telkom, and why?

1. Because Telkom Media had R7bn set aside - which was later reduced to R5.6bn.
2. Partner with an established company - this will ensure economic viability of the joint venture - also, refer back to point 1
3 Join points 1 and 2, and all MC is seeing is the killing that they'll be making off their proposed joint venture ( why, its even been stated in the article )

All I see here is MC's strong-arm tactics to stifle competition. Telkom's IPTV offering must have merit otherwise why would MC be trying to get them on board ?
 
Just two big monopolies going at each other in a dog-fight. Let them tear each other to bits I say. :mad:

I hate multichoice. It is no choice at all. Terrible content, expensive prices. It's time will come too.
 
With services like Joost and Hulu, wouldn't that make IPTV redundant? I know it's not the best content, we don't have nearly enough bandwidth... yet yadda yadda...

I thought that was part of the reason Telkom pulled out, as anyone can clearly see the internet is heading in that direction, and I definately wouldn't be paying for something like Telkoms IPTV to watch local rubbish if I could get something better for free.
 
Think of the CONSUMER

What is needed is competition in the SAT component -- NOT IPTV -- but TELKOM being Telkom thought that they could leverage their fixed line monopoly.

I do not have all the figures but it would be a lot more efficient to set up competition to "NOCHOICE" using the same technology -- most of which is already outsourced and done for NC. ( They are basically a management company )

I am not sure what agreements NC have with the Satellite operators ? But as far as I know ANYONE can buy transmission slots on the SAT. All you need to do is set up a very basic downlink earthstation ( to control your space and content on the "BIRD" . The BIG problem was always the GOVERNMENT LEGISLATION. The SA Gov in effect GAVE NC their unassailable MONOPOLY position. ( Now that must have been worth something to some one )

I used to have all this stuff at my fingertips -- but old wizards only have so much space for new spells. :D :(


MW
 
Great. Just what we need. Another price-fixing, rip-the-public's-face-off cartel.
 
And for the lame man out here, what is it actually that those blood sucking corporates are squabbling about?

Who has bigger monopoly rights to steal more cash out of SA viewers?
 
I thought DSTV were always saying "we welcome competition" but behind closed doors they are being a monopoly thats losing their monopoly...
 
The only way to solve the issue of these monopolies, is to break them up. Like what they did to Standard Oil.
 
How Mc Deals With Criticism Or Advice

For nearly 3 Years now, I have been posting numerous comments and observations on the DSTV forums, regarding MC's seeming TOTAL INABILITY to provide 'Premium' PVR subscribers with a SUBSTANTIAL amount of NEW programming content on MANY of the so-called 'Premium' channels!

In July 2007, I complained to DISCOVERY EUROPE directly about their 'constant repeat patterns'. I was informed that they provide 'over 50 hours of NEW CONTENT' per month to their viewers, but, as there are 720 hours in a month (30 days), if you subtract 50 from 720, you get 670.

If you then divide 670 into 720, you get a figure of just over 93 % (yes, thats correct, 93%) of their programming consisting of THE SAME TIRED OLD REPEATS - ONLY 7% per month is NEW PROGRAMMING!!

By checking the DSTV forums, you will note that I have consistently pointed out MANY recurring 'problems' related to programming & the EPG to MC, even going so far as managing to get a 'personal meeting' with their CEO, Nolo Letele, their Head of Corporate Afairs, Jackie Rakitla, and Aletta Alberts, their Head of Programming, at the end of March this year - a 'world first' for ANY DSTV subscriber, I suspect!!!

I presented them with a 30-slide PowerPoint presentation, where MANY of the above mentioned aspects were brought to their attention by me!

I was assured that they would refer to and act on the points I mentioned, as & where required, to IMPROVE their levels of CONTENT & SERVICE DELIVERY to their subscribers, and I was also invited to establish a line of communication with them personally, if I had any further observations or comments about their service in the future.

Since this meeting, things have progressively GOT WORSE in some aspects, specifically with regard to CONSTANT Inaccuracies in the EPG, and the EVER-PRESENT levels of REPETITION on the afore-mentioned channels, which have NOT IMPROVED ONE IOTA in the interim, in fact some have got worse (for instance, EVEN MORE REPEATS OF OLD EPISODES OF TOP GEAR XTRA on BBC GRIME replacing their 'late-night' repeats of their early evening dramas)!!!!

I communicated this fact to Nolo, Jackie, and Aletta personally, in three or four e-mails over the last two months since our meeting (as they had intimated I was able to do so) in the 'increasingly vain' hope that SOME IMPROVEMENT would be forthcoming from MC!!

This is the e-mail I received from Jackie Rakitla on Monday morning, in response to my comments & suggestions to them - (many of which you can read on the various DSTV forums as well):

"Dear Mr Leon,

When the Multichoice CEO invited you last month, he genuinely wanted to
listen to you and address issues you raised regarding the DStv service. This was in addition to numerous interactions you had with our employees.

However, it appears that you are still extremely unhappy about the DStv service and have resolved that you will harass our employees on the DStv Forum and extend this harassment to the CEO, Aletta and myself through emails.

Although you are not a Multichoice subscriber, we continued to entertain
your queries.

You are not prepared to accept our reasons why certain activities happen.

Unfortunately your behaviour has not been helpful and cannot be tolerated any longer.

We have therefore decided to block your access to our DStv Forum and we will not have any further engagements withyou.

We will also communicate to the subscriber that provides you with access to the DStv service regarding your behaviour towards Multichoice.

Kind Regards

Jackie Rakitla"


Here is my response to MC Management, as a FINAL reply to their statement:

"Dear Jackie

After a 'stony silence' regarding the various postings I provided to
yourselves since my meeting with yourselves in March, this is how
MultiChoice Africa's Management ACTUALLY deals with the "CONSTRUCTIVE
CRITICISM & FEEDBACK" that I gave you towards SIMPLY TRYING TO IMPROVE THE LEVELS of the 'slip-shod, inefficient and, for want of a better word, incompetent' service that appears to be ON THE INCREASE @ MCA, especially with regards to the EPG department - YOU JUST BURY YOUR HEADS BACK IN THE SANDBOX, AND HOPE THAT THE PROBLEM (ME) GOES AWAY QUIETLY AGAIN- WITHOUT MCA APPEARING TO BE ATTEMPTING TO TAKE ANY CORRECTIVE STEPS TO RESOLVE MANY OF THE ISSUES I HAVE RAISED on the various forums, SINCE that meeting!!!!

All I have strived for, in my ongoing 'ever-more-frustratingly ignored'
campaign to MCA so far (WITHOUT ANY APPARENT FORM OF SUCCESS OR
IMPROVEMENT from MCA), is simply for MCA to try & live up to its 'so-far
unfulfilled, and empty promises & claims' of being a 'world-class' pay-tv
provider, and to try and provide us with 'quality NEW programming &
entertainment' and 'effective levels of customer service' in the EPG
compilation & content, that would have ACTUALLY made your product worth
the exorbitant amount of money we have to pay for it, only to end up
CONTINUALLY DISAPPOINTED & FRUSTRATED!

If I, (and the NUMEROUS other DSTV subscribers on your forum), CANNOT
BRING THESE CONTINUAL 'EPG' ISSUES (AND MANY OTHER ISSUES AS WELL) TO YOUR PERSONAL ATTENTION (as complaining about them on the forums APPEARS TO HAVE HAD ABSOLUTELY NO EFFECT AT ALL!), how can we, as LONG-SUFFERING DSTV subscribers, expect that ANY FORM OF CORRECTIVE ACTION would be implemented to TRY & PREVENT ANY FURTHER RE-OCCURENCES OF SIMILAR SITUATIONS OCCURING, OVER & OVER & OVER AGAIN?

Recent issues with the EPG in particular, include DSTV subscribers NOT
KNOWING (RIGHT UP TO THE TIME IT WAS ACTUALLY SCREENED) whether last Thursdays' 20h00 MNET ACTION time-slot was going to to be SUPERNATURAL Season 3, Episode 13 OR RESCUE ME, Season 4, Episode 1 - the programme @ 20h00 showed SUPERNATURAL S3 E13, BUT THE EPG STILL REFLECTED 'RESCUE ME S4 E1'!!!!

Also, there was NO INDICATION AT ALL on the EPG for MNET EXTRA, right up
until Saturday, 24 May 2008, as to whether the FINAL EPISODE OF DEXTER II
was being screened in the 23h00-00h00 time-slot, due to the fact that the
2-hour FINALE of DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, Season 4 having moved ALL
subsequent programming time-slots on MNET EXTRA for Saturday forwards by 1 hour!

These CONSTANT 'BASIC OMMISSIONS AND ERRORS' WITH THE EPG SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE, and the fact that you now feel that 'my pointing these issues out to you personally' is some form of 'perceived harassment to yourselves', just goes to prove how far 'ALL your heads really are in the sandbox'!!!!

The fact that MCA is currently a MONOPOLY in the pay-tv arena in South
Africa, should in NO WAY AT ALL be a 'justifiable excuse or reason' (the
'take-it-or-leave-it' & 'shrugging-of-the-shoulders' attitude that appears
to have become so prevalent @ MCA) for CONTINUALLY providing your DSTV
subscribers with 'third-rate, shoddy & indifferent programming & service',
with INCORRECT OR MISLEADING INFORMATION CONSTANTLY APPEARING IN THE EPG (on which the DSTV PVR RELIES IMPLICITLY in order for it to function correctly!).

You ALL know my feelings by now on the PROGRAMME REPEATS ISSUE, but NO DISCERNABLE ACTION AT ALL APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN TAKEN BY MCA, SINCE MY MEETING WITH YOURSELVES, TO EITHER IMPROVE, RESOLVE OR CORRECT THIS INCREASINGLY UNTENABLE & INTOLERABLE SITUATION EITHER, WITH REGARD TO MANY OF THE SO-CALLED 'PREMIUM' CHANNELS 'CONSTANT REPEAT PATTERNS OF THE SAME TIRED OLD PROGRAMME CONTENT' ON DSTV!!!!!!!

"DEJA VU TV - GIVING YOU SO MUCH MORE - OF THE SAME OLD, SAME OLD!!!!!"

SO, AS A RESULT OF YOUR "WHY SHOULD WE WORRY AND CARE ABOUT ONE SMALL SUBSCRIBER, WHEN WE CAN STILL 'FLEECE & SIMULTANEOUSLY PULL THE WOOL OVER THE EYES' OF ANOTHER 1,999,999 SUBSCRIBERS QUITE HAPPILY, and APPARENTLY WITHOUT ANY QUALMS OR CONSCIENCE THEROF, MONTH AFTER MONTH AFTER MONTH, YOU WILL BE GETTING YOUR LONG-OVERDUE WISH AT LAST!!

I am NOW getting off the MCA TITANIC well BEFORE it finally goes under, as
I am now 'sick & tired' (GATVOL) of seeing the 'same old set of deckchairs' being constantly reshuffled on my screen, day after day after day!!!!!

EVERY DAY I TURN ON DSTV, NO MATTER WHAT TIME OR CHANNEL, THERE IS A 99.9% CHANCE THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE SEEN BEFORE, SOMETIMES TEN- OR TWENTY-FOLD BEFORE - ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!!

MCA WILL NOT BE GETTING ANY MORE SUBSCRIPTION FEES OUT OF ME, as of the end of this month, as I will PERMANENTLY SUSPEND MY SUBSCRIPTION TO YOUR 'THIRD-RATE' EXCUSE OF A SERVICE!!!

I will also RETURN my 'UNRELIABLE' PVR to your MCA Umhlanga Customer Care
Centre for a FULL R 2799-00 purchase price refund, as this has turned out
to be an INFERIOR product that has consistently failed to deliver on its
'purported claims & promises' by MCA!!!

I will simply get DVD box sets of any series I REALLY want to watch in the
future instead, with the R 6600-00 or so in DSTV subscription fees that I
will be saving every year!!!

Regards, best wishes, and good luck to MCA's Management (and Programming
Department) in TRYING to keep your 'remaining & ever-dwindling' DSTV
Premium subscribers satisfied (NOT!!!) WITH THE CONSTANT REPEATS in the
future, when 'decent' competition to your 'ever-more-pathetic' service
FINALLY arrives in S.A.!!!

SO LONG, SAYONARA, AND GOODBYE MULTI(NO)CHOICE!!!!!!!!

Yours Sincerely

IVAN ANDREW LEON

P.S.
A copy of this correspondence will also be published on ANOTHER public
forum or media, at a date & time still to be decided on by me, for ALL
other interested DSTV subscribers to also be able to read and comment
on!!!"

IT IS NOW ABOUT TIME THAT WE ALL VOTED WITH OUR WALLETS (AS I AM NOW DOING) AND JUST STOP PAYING OUR SUBSCRIPTIONS TO THEM, UNTIL SUCH TIME AS EFFECTIVE REMEDIAL ACTION IS IMPLEMENTED BY MC TO ACTUALLY IMPROVE THEIR "THIRD-RATE & REPETITIVE" OFFERING TO US!!!

I would be VERY interested to hear from ALL of you out there how you feel about this situation!!!
 
let them fight, just pondering how to pour more petrol on the fire
 
Last edited:
Ivan - I am in the throes of doing the same. I have to agree with you. I can live with re-runs if they charged us 50 bucks a month for the service.
 
Why dont we take Ivan seriously , and ALL stop paying DSTV subsceriptions...

i mean , if there is a national campaign ,with adverts in major newspapers , where everyone is asked not to pay the June fees , MC will already know theres a bit of a coup going on , and will have to resolve this , being a public company,dependant on profits.

Once we done with them , we move on to Telkom....i know this list will never end... as theres alot of commercial exploitation going on around here.

so all we need is another Bob Glenister, whos busy trying to save the Scorpions , to aid this advertising campaign.
 
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