DStv and GOtv packages in Mozambique among the most expensive in Southern Africa
Mozambique is one of the countries in Southern Africa where MultiChoice packages, offered through DStv and GOtv, are the most expensive, according to an analysis by TORRE.News.
MultiChoice, headquartered in South Africa, offers the cheapest packages in its home country, where some free packages were recently announced.
A comparison of data among countries in the region reveals that MultiChoice charges the highest rates in Mozambique, followed by Zimbabwe and Zambia.
In Mozambique, the company charges about $94 for the Premium package and $7 for the Base package. In Zimbabwe, the Premium package costs $75 and the Lite package (the lowest) costs $8. In Tanzania, the company charges about $65 for the Premium package and about $3 for the POA package (the lowest).
For Zambia and Malawi, neighboring countries to Mozambique, MultiChoice charges $57 for the Premium package and $5 for the lowest package.
In Botswana, the Premium package costs about $60 and the lowest about $6. In the Kingdom of Eswatini, the Premium package costs $53 and the lowest $8.
In South Africa, the Premium package costs $52 and the lowest can be acquired for just $2. Angola and Namibia also have relatively cheaper packages.
TORRE.News contacted MultiChoice for clarification on the pricing criteria. Saquina Macane, the Director of Corporate Affairs, explained that the costs applied in each country consider various factors, such as satellite and distribution equipment costs, and content acquisition costs.
“The process of defining subscription rates takes into account several commercial, economic-financial, and strategic factors, including infrastructure costs, monitoring services, and customer interaction channels,” said Macane.
She added that comparing rates between countries is a complex process due to the various unique factors of each country, such as the cost of acquiring exclusive Portuguese-language content not available in other countries.
While MultiChoice in South Africa is already offering some free channels to encourage population connectivity to televisions, there is still no clear position in Mozambique on the trend of TV package prices, neither from the service providers nor from the National Communications Institute of Mozambique (INCM).
The INCM is responsible for regulating television channel prices and other communication services, ensuring that prices are fair and affordable, and promoting fair competition among service providers.
The recent appointment of Helena Maria Lopes Fernandes Tomás as Chairperson of the INCM's Board of Directors may bring improvements in communication policies in the country, especially after public outcry caused by the rise in data and voice service prices about two months ago.
