On Digital Media (ODM) recently launched their TopTV marketing campaign, punting the fact that they are the first company to provide choice in the local pay-TV market where MultiChoice has previously enjoyed a monopoly.<\/p>\n
ODM are informing South Africa that they are set to launch their TopTV services in May 2010, giving consumers a choice of 7 different pricing and channel bundle options ranging from R99 to R249 per month.<\/p>\n
“For just R99 a month you can have access to over 20 channels, providing a comprehensive range of genres, like general entertainment, news, sport, movies and music, while R249 will buy you over 50 channels with some of the world’s premium content,” ODM says.<\/p>\n
To date ODM did not reveal much about their decoder and installation prices, but recent email communication reveals that consumers will be able to connect to TopTV at very reasonable rates.<\/p>\n
A recent direct mail from TopTV indicated that for R699 a new subscriber will get a TopTV decoder (STB), an 80 cm satellite dish, installation, smart card and all supporting equipment like RF & RCA cables and a remote control.<\/p>\n
ODM however now said that this price is not correct, and that the dish, decoder and installation charge at launch will be even lower than R699. The company would however not divulge the price before the official launch date.<\/p>\n
ODM further informed prospective subscribers that while they can use their old DStv dish when they purchase a TopTV decoder, the satellite dish and installation is included in the cost to get connected.<\/p>\n
Melinda Connor, Publicity & PR Manager at TopTV, said that all installations will be done by approved installers and that the process to find a suitable company to install TopTV services will be made easy through the TopTV website.<\/p>\n
One certified installer further indicated that the TopTV model will be different from the current DStv installation procedure. According to this installer consumers will purchase a TopTV decoder and installation – hence a total package – from a retail outlet like Game, and the company will then assign an approved installer in your region to install the service at your premises.<\/p>\n
This is substantiated by a TopTV installation website saying that “subscribers will require the TopTV setup box that is MPEG4 DVB S2 compliant. These will be available through major retailers nearer to the launch.”<\/p>\n
The TopTV installer also said that the retail price for a decoder, dish and installation will be in the region of R699, but it is understood from TopTV that users can expect a ‘launch special’.<\/p>\n
ODM is also planning to launch a PVR, but this will only be available towards the end of 2010. “The current plans are to launch with a PVR in November 2010, but no later than February 2011,” ODM said.<\/p>\n
TopTV installation and decoder pricing<\/a><\/strong> << comments and views<\/p>\n