Ditching the dish — DStv Premium streaming deal a big hit

MultiChoice has recorded good uptake of its discounted DStv Stream Premium 12-month contract, which is the cheapest way to get the company’s most sought-after product.
The broadcasting giant attributed the package’s positive performance to its award-winning content, live sports line-up, and flexibility.
While DStv has supported live Internet-based streaming for its satellite subscribers for over a decade, it first started offering streaming-only packages in 2020.
Initially, the plans were priced the same as their satellite siblings, with Premium streaming-only costing R819 per month.
Following a reduction in the maximum number of concurrent streams across all of DStv’s products, the broadcaster introduced a R699 promotional price for the Premium streaming-only package towards the end of 2021.
This version of the product came with only a single stream for viewing on a TV, monitor, laptop, smartphone, or tablet.
A R799 option with an extra mobile-only stream was introduced in the following year, before the R699 single-stream package was dropped.
In September 2024, MultiChoice reintroduced the R699 price tag for those customers willing to make a longer commitment in a 12-month contract.
The offer rolled out alongside an update to the DStv Stream app promising an enhanced user experience.
The update changed Live TV rows to play back channels as users browsed, enabling them to preview content directly from the home page and start watching a live stream immediately.
MultiChoice continued its improvements on DStv Stream with an updated user interface and new features in November 2024.
These included an enhanced Watch from Start, allowing users to rewind up to 24 hours on select channels, and Cloud PVR, enabling them to save live shows for later viewing.
Coupled with growing broadband penetration in South Africa, these updates have made the product a more attractive and affordable alternative to using DStv satellite.
Broadband pricing, speeds, and availability have improved significantly in South Africa in recent years.
That makes it easier for DStv customers to ditch the decoder and dish completely and consume all their content via the Internet.
In many cases, households that can afford the R699 price already have an Internet package that can support DStv Stream in addition to all the other online applications and devices they use.
Streaming vs satellite trade-offs
MyBroadband compared the DStv Stream Premium contract and month-to-month packages with the equivalent satellite offerings.
DStv has not increased the prices of its streaming-only packages since they were first launched in 2021.
The R699 12-month subscription is currently R200 cheaper than DStv’s most affordable Premium satellite contract, which also requires a decoder and dish and has a longer 24-month term.
The R799 month-to-month deal also costs R140 less than the DStv Premium month-to-month deal.
The streaming-only packages offer very good value for money, considering they include a Showmax Entertainment subscription, valued at an additional R99 per month.
The satellite package also benefits from another concurrent viewing environment through the decoder, which can be used when the Internet is offline.
Furthermore, satellite subscribers can add up to four extra viewing environments — two on extra decoders via XtraView and two mobile streams — for a fee.
The table below compares the DStv Stream and satellite month-to-month and satellite products.
DStv Premium satellite month-to-month | DStv Premium satellite 24-month contract | DStv Stream Premium month-to-month | DStv Stream Premium 12-month contract | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Decoder viewing | Yes | No | ||
Minimum concurrent viewing environments | Three: – 1 for decoder – 1 for TV or monitor – 1 mobile stream | Two: – 1 for TV or monitor – 1 mobile stream | ||
Extra viewing environments options | Yes: – R139 per extra decoder – R99 per extra mobile stream | No | ||
Maximum concurrent viewing environments | Seven: – 3 for decoder – 1 for TV or monitor – 3 mobile streams | Two: – 1 for TV or monitor – 1 mobile stream | ||
Internet connection required | No, but required for online applications and features | Yes | ||
Showmax included (standalone price R99) | Yes | |||
Monthly starting price | R929 | R899 | R799 | R699 |