MultiChoice is struggling to hold on to its DStv Premium subscribers, with thousands of people dumping the service each month in favour of more affordable options.
One of the main reasons for this decline in DStv Premium subscriptions in South Africa is the proliferation of affordable uncapped fibre services.
Armed with an uncapped fibre connection, or even a highly-capped LTE or DSL service, South Africans can replace their DStv package with a streaming video service for a fraction of the price.
The only real drawback is the lack of live sport. DStv remains the only platform in South Africa which offers subscribers access to all popular live sports like rugby, soccer, cricket, and golf.
However, many people are willing to compromise on live sport and watch fixtures on free platforms like YouTube after a match has been aired.
THE BEST STREAMING OPTIONS FOR SOUTH AFRICANS
While South African consumers do not have the same options as their counterparts in the United States, there are many excellent streaming services available locally.
Here are the best streaming services available in South Africa, along with their prices and main value propositions.
NETFLIX – R99 TO R169 PER MONTH
Netflix is the global streaming video leader, making it possible to stream movies and TV shows on your smart TV, game console, PC, Mac, smartphone, tablet, and more.
It offers an excellent range of content – including critically-acclaimed original shows – in HD and UHD, and its apps are available on most popular devices.
SHOWMAX – R99 PER MONTH
Showmax offers a wide range of international and local shows to South African consumers. It has by far the largest catalogue of Afrikaans series and films.
It is accessible across a wide range of devices, from TVs and computers to smartphones and tablets.
AMAZON PRIME VIDEO – $2.99/$5.99 PER MONTH
Amazon Prime Video offers a great selection of movies and TV shows to subscribers, including several platform-exclusive Amazon Originals.
You can subscribe to Prime Video for $2.99 per month for your first six months, after which the usual price of $5.99 kicks in. Subscribers can cancel at any time.
CELL C BLACK – R99 PER MONTH
Black offers subscribers 40 live TV channels, including live sports, and a vast selection of movies and TV series to rent and stream through its online platform.
It also offers a number of daily, weekly, and monthly packages on custom content like football club TV channels.
VODACOM VIDEO PLAY – FROM R25 PER MONTH
Vodacom Video Play delivers a similar offering to Cell C’s Black streaming service.
Viewers can subscribe to access a wide selection of content, or they can rent individual movies and shows through the platform.
– Mybroadband