Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News

      Blue Label Telecoms to change its name as restructuring gathers pace

      11 July 2025

      Get your ID delivered like pizza – home affairs’ latest digital shake-up

      11 July 2025

      EFF vows to stop Starlink from launching in South Africa

      11 July 2025

      Apple plans product blitz to reignite growth

      11 July 2025

      Nissan doubles down on South Africa despite plant uncertainty

      11 July 2025
    • World

      Grok 4 arrives with bold claims and fresh controversy

      10 July 2025

      Bitcoin pushes higher into record territory

      10 July 2025

      Cupertino vs Brussels: Apple challenges Big Tech crackdown

      7 July 2025

      Grammarly acquires e-mail start-up Superhuman

      1 July 2025

      Apple considers ditching its own AI in Siri overhaul

      1 July 2025
    • In-depth

      Siemens is battling Big Tech for AI supremacy in factories

      24 June 2025

      The algorithm will sing now: why musicians should be worried about AI

      20 June 2025

      Meta bets $72-billion on AI – and investors love it

      17 June 2025

      MultiChoice may unbundle SuperSport from DStv

      12 June 2025

      Grok promised bias-free chat. Then came the edits

      2 June 2025
    • TCS

      TCS+ | MVNX on the opportunities in South Africa’s booming MVNO market

      11 July 2025

      TCS | Connecting Saffas – Renier Lombard on The Lekker Network

      7 July 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E4: Takealot’s big Post Office jobs plan

      4 July 2025

      TCS | Tech, townships and tenacity: Spar’s plan to win with Spar2U

      3 July 2025

      TCS+ | First Distribution on the latest and greatest cloud technologies

      27 June 2025
    • Opinion

      In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

      30 June 2025

      E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

      30 June 2025

      South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

      17 June 2025

      AI and the future of ICT distribution

      16 June 2025

      Singapore soared – why can’t we? Lessons South Africa refuses to learn

      13 June 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CambriLearn
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • Iris Network Systems
      • LSD Open
      • NEC XON
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SevenC
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Wipro
      • Workday
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Fintech
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Motoring
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » News » As Super 5 fails, WowTV talks of launch

    As Super 5 fails, WowTV talks of launch

    By Editor4 August 2010
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp

    South Africans’ last hope for more competition in the country’s pay-TV market, Walking On Water Television (WowTV), is gearing up to launch a satellite TV service within the next couple of months.

    TechCentral can reveal that WowTV plans to launch two bouquets of channels, one costing R49/month and the other R99/month. The low prices suggest the company is hoping to appeal to a broad market.

    The developments come as rival pay-TV licensee Super 5 Media comes unstuck. Super 5 has retrenched its employees and one of its creditors is expected to bring an application for its liquidation later this week.

    Despite suffering several setbacks itself, WowTV co-founder and chief financial officer Luyanda Mangquku says the company is on track to launch services soon.

    “We have gone through the long and painful process of finding the most appropriate technology for our platform,” Mangquku says.

    Though he will not say exactly when WowTV will launch commercial services, the company has finally revealed details about what it expects to provide to consumers.

    Mangquku says WowTV will offer 10 channels on its premium bouquet, which will cost R99/month. A smaller offering, with about five channels, will cost R49/month.

    A decoder, with satellite dish and installation, will cost about R1 200.

    “We are doing all we can to be up and running as soon as possible,” he says.

    The Independent Communications Authority of SA licensed WowTV three years ago, when it also handed licences to Super 5 Media, e.tv sister company e.Sat, and TopTV operator On Digital Media. So far, only On Digital Media has launched a product.

    At the time it received its licence WowTV indicated it would launch a service with only one channel.

    However, Mangquku says these plans have changed, which is partly why the company did not launch last year as expected.

    He says the company had to review its business plan because of general market conditions.

    On Digital Media’s TopTV has 55 channels, available in a range of bouquets. It has a basic, 24-channel offering for R99/month and a full bouquet for R249/month.

    Mangquku says WowTV has sought funding to bring additional channels to market, a move which led to speculation it was suffering financial difficulties.

    “Obviously, launching with more than a single channel meant our initial funding needed revisiting,” he says.

    WowTV is still engaged in discussions with several unnamed parties to help provide the extra funding.

    According to Mangquku, WowTV is considering off-the-shelf content. However, it is also in the process of sourcing original local content, which he says will set it apart from the other providers.

    “Our local content will set the standard for local production companies in terms of defining the type of content that would fly on WowTV,” he says.

    Critics have labelled WowTV a niche player with a religious focus. But Mangquku says the company’s offerings will not be strictly religious, but rather “family friendly”.  — Candice Jones, TechCentral

    • Subscribe to our free daily newsletter
    • Follow us on Twitter or on Facebook


    Luyanda Mangquku Super 5 Media Walking on Water Television WowTV
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleCell C’s new clothes
    Next Article ZA Tech Show: Episode 122

    Related Posts

    Eight years later, WowTV ready to roll

    25 June 2015

    Pay TV: Icasa tries again

    11 May 2014

    What Icasa’s digital TV regulations mean

    14 December 2012
    Company News

    $125-trillion traded: Binance redefines global finance in just eight years

    11 July 2025

    NEC XON welcomes HPE acquisition of Juniper Networks

    11 July 2025

    LTE Cat 1 vs Cat 1 bis – what’s the difference?

    11 July 2025
    Opinion

    In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

    30 June 2025

    E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

    30 June 2025

    South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

    17 June 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    © 2009 - 2025 NewsCentral Media

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.