Telecoms13.01.2010

ODM Pay-TV pricing and program details revealed

South African consumers have been waiting for years for competition in the pay-TV market, and despite ICASA issuing 4 potential DStv competitors with licenses in 2007 consumers have yet to see a single competing service launched in the country.

ODM currently seems to be the likeliest candidate of the four to launch pay-TV services first, and the company has now given some guidelines as to what consumers can expect from them.

Pricing and content

ODM Chief Marketing Officer Elouise Kelly says that the company is currently in discussions with various networks and channels throughout the world and they expect to complete negotiations and contracts by the end of February. “One of the networks we are chatting to are Fox,” said Kelly.

Fin24 previously reported that ODM will provide “Fox Entertainment, MGM and other international channels for the first time in SA” and that they are “in discussions with Multichoice to explore the possibility of acquiring content from DStv.”

Kelly said that pricing options will start from R99 right through to R249. This is a downward adjustment from their previously planned pricing models which ranged from R149 to R349 a month depending on the choice of channels selected by the subscriber.

According to the current online Subscriber Information Form new subscribers will have the following choice of content: Movies, Series, Documentary, Children, Music, Religion, News, Sport and Local Content.

Decoder

ODM subscribers will be able to use an existing DStv dish for the service, but will need a new decoder. According to Kelly the “box we are going with at launch is what is known as a basic zapper box, however it will have some great functionality. “

The decoder will be manufactured by Altech UEC, the same manufacturer which MultiChoice used for their new HD PVR decoder. According to Fin24 ODM is also planning to launch a PVR within the next 12 months.

ODM previously said that the new decoders will be available through major retailers nearer to the launch at approximately R400, and added that exact details of the pricing and capabilities will only be announced once testing is complete. ODM added that they “are finalising the distribution strategy and will make announcements about this close to launch.”

One of the weaknesses of the ODM offering is that they will not be providing popular sport coverage, i.e. rugby, cricket and PSL football. According to Fin24 ODM will however gain rights to niche sporting content such as martial arts.

ODM Pay-TV plans – vote for your favourate channels