Starting November 5, DStv is cutting subscription prices in Kenya across the board, replacing its existing six packages with four new tiers priced between KES 750 and KES 7,300 a month. The biggest drop is at the top end: the new Ultimate package comes in at KES 7,300, down from KES 11,700 for the old Premium tier. That is a 38% reduction, saving subscribers up to KES 52,800 a year.
The new Sports package, priced at KES 3,000, will carry every Premier League and UEFA Champions League match, plus UFC and WWE content. At the entry level, the Starter package comes in at KES 750, and new customers can get a decoder, satellite dish, and installation for KES 2,000. Two existing packages, Compact Plus and Lite, are being discontinued, though MultiChoice has not explained how subscribers on those tiers will transition to the new line-up.
The changes are also coming to DStv's streaming service, so customers no longer need a satellite dish to access the platform. Existing satellite subscribers can link their smartcard numbers to a DStv Stream account and register up to four devices, with one stream allowed at a time.
MultiChoice Kenya CEO Nzola Miranda called the move "a defining moment in our 30-year journey in Kenya," adding that the company had undertaken a comprehensive review of its entire product portfolio for the first time. The restructure is part of a broader turnaround effort by parent company Canal+ as DStv faces growing competition from internet-based television across the continent.
Whether lower prices are enough to win back subscribers, and keep them, is the real question. With premium sports rights costs still in the picture, how long DStv can hold these new price points will be worth watching.
Originally published by TechCabal.