MultiChoice Group has signed agreements with Netflix and Amazon.com to offer the companies’ streaming services through its next-generation Explora personal video recorder (PVR) decoder.
In a presentation published on its website detailing its 2020 financial results, MultiChoice said in a section headlined “Further enhancements to customer experience — improve retention”, that it has launched field trials of its standalone DStv Streaming product — which is expected to be launched soon — and signed the Explora deals with Netflix and Amazon.
The move might not be as crazy as it sounds. Although Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are competitors to MultiChoice’s DStv and Showmax offerings, keeping customers on its hardware could help reduce churn.
MultiChoice has been losing customers at the high end of the market in recent years, particularly those on its Premium bouquet, as consumers with home fibre broadband turn to more cost-effective streaming alternatives, particularly given the weak economy is reducing disposal income.
In a separate slide in the presentation, MultiChoice said it is now “extending aggregation to include OTT partnerships”. OTT, or “over the top”, is industry jargon for Internet streaming.
‘Unique environment’
The broadcaster said its technical capabilities mean it is “trusted to successfully integrate and protect partner content”, while its operational expertise means it has a “tailored approach to cater for Africa’s unique business environment”.
Customers, it said, will benefit from “increased access to different content in a convenient way”.
MultiChoice has not said when it will launch the new Explora PVR decoder, but the set-top box is expected to bring support for 4K ultra-high-definition channels to DStv for the first time. — (c) 2020 NewsCentral Media