Telkom to launch rival DSTV satellite service.

[bwana]

Unveiling its strategy for pay-TV in Africa's richest country, Telkom Media said it would launch a cut-price satellite service with plenty of local content plus international sport and movies, aimed at the middle income bracket.

This is apparently in addition to their IPTV aspirations.

"This is about the democratisation of pay-TV," Telkom Media's Chief Strategy and Operations Officer Rikus Matthyser told reporters, adding the company hoped to start offering the satellite service about 9-12 months after licences are awarded.

How about some 'democratisation' of the phone lines? Goose meet gander, gander . . . .

 

[stoke]

Smashing. Go Go Go Go Go.
Put up a sattelite while you're at it.
Just give us something back for your profits.

 

[ernstn]

Why this rubbish. Why do they not rather concentrate on running a world class communications system at costs compatible with the rest of the world.

It is highly unlikely that they can do the new venture properly if they are so useless in their prime market.

 

[Skeptik]

"plenty of local content"

That should put most people off right away!

 

[Telkomhater]

Moral dilema: The devil you hate or the beast you despise?

 

[Skip]

I guess they realised IPTV would've made them look like complete hypocrites for not giving us free local bandwidth.

 

[bwana]

I guess they realised IPTV would've made them look like complete hypocrites for not giving us free local bandwidth.

They're still doing both and if I'm reading the timeframe correctly the satellite service wont be online until 9-12 months after the licenses are awarded later this year.

I'm sure monochoice will have come to an "understanding" with the right people by then.

 

[ic]

Unveiling its strategy for pay-TV in Africa's richest country, Telkom Media said it would launch a cut-price satellite service with plenty of local content plus international sport and movies, aimed at the middle income bracket.

Translation "plenty of local content" == bombard the already brain-dead customers dumb enough to pay Telkodemonopolies for a few TV channels, with ADSL & C-loser brainwashercials...?

Telkom Media said it was confident it deserved a licence and stressed the market had plenty of potential to grow given only 9% of South African households have pay-TV while 75% have a television set.

Oh the irony...the majority of South African households are denied access to a wired fixed line from Telkodemonopolies, yes absolutely give Telkodemonopolies a Pay-TV license after it has done smashingly well with that set of telecoms licences...

Matthyser brushed aside this concern, saying it would provide more local content and would bid for sought-after rights to premier soccer matches. It will also take on Naspers' by offering global entertainment, news and adult content.

Ohhhh, ok, now I understand Matthyser's business model - Rikus basically wants to provide a satellite equivalent of eTV, the only real difference is that Telkodemonopolies will charge people to view the same crap that eTV currently offers for free...

 

[JTech]

well put ic