Pay-TV smackdown

[Hoof-Hearted]

Why dont we take Ivan seriously , and ALL stop paying DSTV subsceriptions...

.

Did exactly that last month.
From now on it's DVD's when I want to see a movie and down to the local Keg to check out any sport I might want to watch

I definitely won't be giving any tin to Telskommel though

 

[red.gp]

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.


MW

If you say its that easy , then maybe someone should setup a company in a free trade country like Dubai , whereby you just feed the satellite with whatever you have , if anyone wants to purchase a decoder , you can have selected distributors , and all payments to be made via bank transfer , credit card , paypal etc to a foreign account. This way ICASA has no say in this matter. And we as people living in a democratic country , will be entitled to watch what we are prepared to pay for it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In Lebanon . they somehow get some of the DSTV channels at $15 , so this includes Supersports , Mnet , etc etc as well as their own cobbination of MTVS, Discoverys,National Geographic etc , in other words , they getting DSTV + more for only $15 http://www.cablevision-leb.net/chlist.asp

This is via a cable tv system ,, any idea how we can maybe get the thing here ???

 

[Ivork]

lol @ Ivan. Sad thing is, it's all utterly true
But Do you really think choiceless could give a flying .....k about content, repeats and what their subscribers may or maynot want to watch??? You don't have a hope buddy!

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!!!
!

Canned mine 4 years back cause they p*ssed me off so much.
Darn I wish I could find those letters now!
I'll look on my pc at home and post if i find them.

What's more - never missed it either, and feel so good about it right to this day
.

 

[Digecho]

You GO Ivan ! Just clear one statement from them in your posting.. " altough you are not a subscriber.... "

 

[antowan]

Just reinforce the fact that MC doesnt give a crap about their customers or South Africa

Well any business only cares about customers as much as their competition forces them to.

 

[HAL 9000]

@ Digecho

I am using a PVR that I purchased two weeks after the PVR was launched, but had to register in a relative's name, as I was renting a flat from him, and he already had a DSTV SingleView installed that I was using - it was FAR LESS paperwork to keep it in his name & just pay the monthly subs via bank transfer, than to go through the whole convoluted 'transfer of ownership' rigmarole with MC's 'Customer Service', and end up with double billing, cancelled subs, errors, etc.!!!!!

 

[Digecho]

Thought as much ! Anyway, I've posted to MC Phil on their website.. Let's see if he or they repsond !

 

[HAL 9000]

@ red.gp

Full page ads in all the Sunday Newspapers? That is the next step I am willing to resort to, if this is what it will take for MC to FINALLY 'catch-a-wake-up' and DELIVER SOME SORT OF IMPROVEMENT in their current 'third-rate' service to us!!!!

If we deny the MC & MIH shareholders ANY further dividends by cancelling our subscriptions to DSTV 'en masse', then let's see just how quickly they either start to improve their 'abysmal' service to us - the paying consumer, or more likely than not , given their current 'track record & attitude' to their consumers, eventually go under, wondering what precisely went wrong as they do!!!

Do they NOT see the constant writing on their forums (walls), or the many negative postings on Hellopeter regarding these same issues?

Obviously Not!!!!

 

[dax]

The only way to solve the issue of these monopolies, is to break them up. Like what they did to Standard Oil.

No, the only way to solve the issue is for ICASA to get the hell out of the way and let whoever wants to broadcast, broadcast.

 

[Ivork]

If we deny the MC & MIH shareholders ANY further dividends by cancelling our subscriptions to DSTV 'en masse', then let's see just how quickly they either start to improve their 'abysmal' service to us -

Good idea but you've overlooked one thing - the sport factor.

There was a campaign a few years back when the greedy multiscum B@STARDS wakked the sci-fi channel to save money,to do something similair (to show our anger at monochoice's complete disregard of their subscribers content preferances) - but few were able to come to terms with loosing their sport.

.

 

[HAL 9000]

The Sport Factor

The Olympics are coming up soon in August - all we need to do, is for ALL DSTV 'Premium' subscribers to simply 'downgrade' to DSTV Compact for that month - that way we get TWO BOYCOTTS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE!!!

FREEDOM FROM OPPRESSION TO ALL CITIZENS IN TIBET!!!!

and

FREEDOM FROM THE ENDLESS REPEATS ON MONOCHOICE!!!!

If we could do without ANY FORM OF TV in this country until 1975, we can surely do without it for a month or two - and go back to READING & CONVERSATION, LUNCHES & DINNERS WITH FRIENDS & FAMILY, WALKING THE DOG, or EVEN JUST GOING TO THE GYM FOR A WORKOUT instead!!!

"How do you know you are unfit? You get winded reaching for the remote!!"

 

[dax]

Well any business only cares about customers as much as their competition forces them to.

Well said.

Everyone expects MC/DStv to behave in the way that a company does in a competitive free-market environment.

Now, if you want a competitive, free-market pay-TV environment, the best thing to do is to get ICASA out of the way, and stop this silly license process.

If Joe Q. Public wants to have a go at providing a pay TV service, and thinks he can do so with capital of R25000, more power to him! Let him succeed or fail based on what the market thinks of his product/service. Never underestimate the power of a smart South African in serving the customer!

Of course, if some licence-process thinks that it needs to check your "financial viability" instead of letting the market decide... well, then they've already removed potential choice from the consumer...

 

[MidnightWizard]

So EASY -- BUT NO NO

If you say its that easy , then maybe someone should setup a company in a free trade country like Dubai , whereby you just feed the satellite with whatever you have , if anyone wants to purchase a decoder , you can have selected distributors , and all payments to be made via bank transfer , credit card , paypal etc to a foreign account. This way ICASA has no say in this matter. And we as people living in a democratic country , will be entitled to watch what we are prepared to pay for it.

UNFORTUNATELY -- as far as SA Gov is concerned -- EVEN IF you upload to SAT from another country -- IF -- you then beam into SA then it is ILLEGAL. OK no problem for you in DUBAI -- BUT what do your subscribers do when they are in SA -- and it becomes ILLEGAL for them to own your decoder or watch your programs ??????

Am I talking nonsense ????

There was a test case a year or so ago where someone up GAUTENG way wanted to broadcast an ADULT channel -- which would have come from the Netherlands I think. Anyway long and short of it is that there was a court case and the outcome was as above.

I will have to go and look it all up again -- as I said -- old Wizard -- New Spells.

Perhaps someone here who is afait with the SA SAT-TV world and history could provide the actual details.

As far as I understand there is nothing stopping you from getting a BIG dish and one of the HUNDRED different models of foreign made TV Decoder Units. ( That also have smart card slots ) Of course NOCHOICE could see this coming and now MARRY your card to your decoder. -- Far as I am concerned that invalidates the Constitution.

There is actually a HUGE alternative World out there. With MANY different programs watchable from SA -- even a lot of FTA.

You need to speak to one of your Muslim buddies that watches Al Jazeera and other Middle-East programming -- they already have all the equipment to do this. Guess they laughing nicely now.

I used to have a whole pile of references and links -- but I got sidetracked. But don't let that stop you -- in this day and age -- information can be found -- just start searching

Check this guy out.

Dr Dish


Probably knows more about Digital Satellite Broadcasting than ALL the propellor heads at NOCHOICE

But -- to answer your question -- I am sure that someone with big enough bucks could set up a service to KILL NOCHOICE -- unless of course their Gov cronies came to their rescue


the GATVOL one

 

[Nod]

Maybe create a full page advert with channels that are available, but then mention that this is in the UK (or where ever), and cost x times less then Monochoice. In this way, people will see what they had been missing.

Some reply's at the DSTV forums, not from MC though.

 

[Ivork]

- all we need to do, is for ALL DSTV 'Premium' subscribers to simply 'downgrade' to DSTV Compact for that month - that way we get TWO BOYCOTTS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE!!!

Naaa, chop it completely, what you going to watch on there anyways?

Send in the “up yours cancel my subs immediately” letter – you feel much better and more rewarding sending a clear message about their BS:

Useless crummy compressed to hell picture
Useless equipment
Useless channels
Useless repeat after repeat *yawn* on abovementioned crummy channels
Useless unreliable EPG
Even more useless service
Useless get crewed attitude
Etc etc etc

It’s a very small up yours I know. I did it over the sci-fi fiasco.

It’s laughable to them, but over the last 4 years, a quick guess at R400/month, they only lost a miserable R20 000 from me. But I reckon that’s one employees full salary for a month they would have to have sourced elsewhere.

*big grin appears as he begins to wallow in that warm fuzzy feeling of achievement and satisfaction that engulfs him at the thought*

.

 

[HAL 9000]

Just some food for thought!!

Here is what they get in LEBANON, compared to over here - and this INCLUDES quite a few DSTV Channels AS WELL!!

http://www.cablevision-leb.net/chlist.asp

Also, check out what you can get on the C-Band transponders in the Continental US & Neighboring Territories!

http://www.bigdish.com/

and, FINALLY, I HAVE SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST, just check out how far the tentacles of MIH actually stretch across the planet - this one will REALLY SHOCK YOU ALL!!!

http://www.secinfo.com/dsVs2.4f8Rq.b.htm

http://www.secinfo.com/dRqWm.5Huv.a.htm

http://www.crmz.com/Report/ReportPreview.asp?BusinessId=1958

http://sec.edgar-online.com/2001/10/02/0000950157-01-500597/Section14.asp

http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/MIH-Limited-Company-History.html

http://www.naspers.com/news/mih_disposal_new_ENG1.pdf

http://www.shibuimarkets.com/perl/company.pl?cid=117346

Makes you think - are ALL of DSTV's 'overseas channel content providers' such as BBC PRIME, DISCOVERY, NAT GEO, HALLMARK, HISTORY, et al, REALLY 'TOTALLY INDEPENDENT' ENTITIES - OR ARE THEY ALL JUST PART & PARCEL OF THE SAME OMNIPOTENT MULTI-NATIONAL CONGLOMERATE?

Has 'SkyNet' ALREADY BECOME 'SELF-AWARE' and has 'The Rise of The Machines' ALREADY BEGUN?

 

[Ivork]

Please read the letter MCA sent Ivan posted on the myboradband link below. The clearly indicate their reasons.
http://www.dstv.com/Gysmm/Forum/threadView.aspx?sid=32163&Id=132

I guess this guy works for monoscum! And what link? the stupid forum doesn't allow anyone to post links (appart from copy and paste i guess)


Well to me they clearly indicate their BS reasons (i'm fluent in DSTV BS) and who gives a damn attitude and refuse to answer or try find solutions to legitimate problems, even after actually having a meeting (on his own personal time i'm sure), with the guy - who is actually trying to help them out of their incompetence (or perhaps ignorance) of their subscribers issues and needs!

Utterly pathetic - but I expect nothing less - i wouldn't have even gone that far with Jackie Rakitblabla whatever that name is idiots!

.

 

[Ivork]

Makes you think - are ALL of DSTV's 'overseas channel content providers' such as BBC PRIME, DISCOVERY, NAT GEO, HALLMARK, HISTORY, et al, REALLY 'TOTALLY INDEPENDENT' ENTITIES - OR ARE THEY ALL JUST PART & PARCEL OF THE SAME OMNIPOTENT MULTI-NATIONAL CONGLOMERATE?

No, they all mainly free-to-view channels so it costs MC buggerall.....

check out http://www.free2view.co.za/
And take the pole - click on the far left hand side "Programme Blog"

.

 

[mancombseepgood]

*big grin appears as he begins to wallow in that warm fuzzy feeling of achievement and satisfaction that engulfs him at the thought*

.

lets not forget R500+ per month in your pocket!

 

[Syndyre]

No, they all mainly free-to-view channels so it costs MC buggerall.....

check out http://www.free2view.co.za/
And take the pole - click on the far left hand side "Programme Blog"

.

What channels can you actually get free from that site? It doesn't really say.

Edit: Saw now thanks, not much.