MultiChoice is giving serious consideration to the launch a standalone streaming version of DStv, not delivered via direct-to-home satellite but offered exclusively over broadband connections and not tied to a satellite subscription, though the broadcaster said it’s not imminent.
Mark Rayner, CEO of MultiChoice South Africa, said at a press conference on Thursday that a standalone streaming version of DStv is “definitely” coming in the future. “The question is when,” he said.
The idea of launching a standalone streaming version of DStv is something MultiChoice spends considerable time discussing internally, Rayner said. But there are “no concrete plans to launch on a specific date”.
He said broadcasters around the world are launching online-only options, but the jury is out on whether consumers want to subscribe to multiple “skinny bundles” — offering a limited subset of channels — or whether they want a broad bouquet of channels from a single provider.
MultiChoice already offers a streaming service through DStv Now, which offers access to more than 60 live DStv channels in standard definition, as well as Catch Up video-on-demand content.
Last month, the broadcaster said it was expanding DStv Now to more subscribers. Historically, DStv Now was only available to DStv Premium customers with an active personal video recorder (PVR) decoder.
However, the service has now been made available to all DStv Premium subscribers, irrespective of whether they have a PVR.
DStv Now can be viewed from smartphones, tablets (Android and iOS) and computers using a Web browser.
The platform’s library includes the M-Net Movie Collection, which offers a thousand movies that are updated weekly.
The streamed channels include all of SuperSport, with DStv Now proving a popular way for consumers to catch a game when they’re away from their TV (such as Friday morning rugby games). — (c) 2017 NewsCentral Media
