Broadcasting31.08.2023

DStv Premium prices and sports in South Africa vs 15 other African countries

DStv Premium’s South African price is the most affordable in Africa for a package that boasts the widest range of sports, a MyBroadband comparison shows.

In the past few years, DStv parent company MultiChoice has increasingly leaned on its Rest of Africa (RoA) market to help drive subscribers and revenue growth.

In South Africa, the broadcaster has lost subscribers in its Premium segment over the past few years, as more people have moved to video streaming services thanks to better Internet connectivity and cost-of-living pressures.

Premium subscribers contribute the highest revenue per user and play a critical role in DStv’s overall revenue.

They enjoy the widest selection of content, including all SuperSport channels with live coverage of high-profile matches and tournaments.

Sports licencing is not cheap, however, so the Premium fee is the most expensive — R879 — without the additional Access Fee or decoder cost.

While many customers might be unhappy about the price of DStv Premium in South Africa, they are better off than subscribers in DStv’s 15 RoA countries.

Our comparison of the DStv Premium prices in all the pay-TV broadcaster’s markets showed that South Africa had the most affordable price of the countries with the full selection of SuperSport channels.

Where you will pay over twice the South African price

Mozambique had the most expensive price for Premium — 6,000 Mozambican medical — which worked out to R2,170 at the time of publication.

That is an astounding 143% more than South African DStv Premium subscribers pay.

Mozambique has the same assortment of SuperSport channels as South Africa and much of the same channels outside of the sports category.

The only two countries with cheaper top-end DStv packages were Angola and Nigeria.

Angola’s Mega package — which offers the most sports of any DStv subscription in the country — costs 22,000 Angolan Kwanza (about R502) — while Nigeria’s Premium subscription costs ₦‎24,500, roughly R595.

However, the DStv Mega subscriptions in these territories are not the same as DStv Premium. They do not offer any dedicated rugby, cricket, motorsport, or golf channels, which are sought-after in South Africa.

It will only be the most popular events from these sports that subscribers in those countries can enjoy on SuperSport Grandstand, which is available on Premium in all African countries where DStv sells its services.

The cheapest country for DStv Premium outside of South Africa is Eswatini — where subscribers pay 879 Swaziland Lilangeni, about R895.

The country’s subscribers also have the full selection of SuperSport channels available to South Africans.

The other countries that offered the same selection of sports channels as DStv Premium in South Africa had subscription prices between 26% and 60% more expensive.

All things considered, it appears that South African Premium subscribers are getting the best deal on offer from MultiChoice.

Nevertheless, DStv does not have the luxury to increase the price to better align with its other markets, as South Africans generally have greater access to international streaming services and other alternatives.

The broadcaster seems aware of this, as its price hikes in South Africa have been well below inflation in the past few years.

The table below compares the prices of DStv Premium in all the African markets where the satellite pay-TV service is officially available.

DStv Premium prices compared
Country Channels Monthly price  Difference vs South Africa
Angola 180+
12 SuperSport channels (Mega)
No dedicated rugby, cricket, motorsport, or golf except on Grandstand
AOA 22,000 / R502 75%
Botswana 130+
16 SuperSport channels
BWP795 / R1,110 +26%
Eswatini 123+
16 SuperSport channels
SZL879 /  R895 +2%
Ethiopia 170+
13 SuperSport channels
No dedicated rugby, cricket, motorsport, or golf except on Grandstand
ETB3,900 / R1,335 +52%
Ghana 150+
12 SuperSport channels
No dedicated rugby, cricket, motorsport, or golf except on Grandstand
GHS600 / R993 +12%
Kenya 175+
13 SuperSport channels
No dedicated rugby, cricket, or golf except on Grandstand
 KSh9,900 / R1,282 +45%
Malawi 150+
Unknown sports channels
MWK79,000 / R1,385 +58%
Mauritius 150+
13 SuperSport channels
No dedicated rugby, cricket, motorsport, or golf except on Grandstand
MUR3,120 / R1,294 +47%
Mozambique 135+
16 SuperSport channels
MT6,000 / R2,140 +143%
Namibia 125+
16 SuperSport channels
N$879 / R1,111 +26%
Nigeria 160+
11 SuperSport channels (Mega)
No dedicated rugby, cricket, motorsport, or golf except on Grandstand
₦‎24,500 / R595 -32%
South Africa 135+
16 SuperSport channels
R879
Tanzania 150+
12 SuperSport channels
No dedicated rugby, cricket, motorsport, or golf except on Grandstand
Tsh165,000 / R1,241 +41%
Uganda 170+
12 SuperSport channels
No dedicated rugby, cricket, motorsport, or golf except on Grandstand
UGX275,000/ R1,398 +59%
Zambia 150+
16 SuperSport channels
K1,200 / R1,137 +29%
Zimbabwe 170+
16 SuperSport channels
US$75 / R1,413 +60%

Now read: Using IPTV services can lead to jail time in South Africa

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