New Survey Rates DSTV Consumers’ Choice Despite Price Hike

According to a study conducted by CampsBay Media and TWOREPORT, 28 per cent of Nigerian football fans will track and consume information relating to the 2018 World Cup through the use of mobile applications on their smart devices.

​Nigeria’s population currently stands at over 180 million people with over 87 per cent of its citizens owning a mobile phone.

With various cable networks having ​the​ right to show the World Cup, there is a drive to push the content via their different apps.

In a recently released survey, Nigerians have expressed their preference of DStv’s mobile viewing app, DStv Now; placing Kwese and StarTimes behind the MultiChoice owned mobile platform.

Respondents to the survey, who were asked to choose any of the three, ranked DStv Now at 59 per cent overall, using pricing, size of app, user interface, content, video and other unique features.

The app was introduced in 2014 and allowed viewers to watch live programming, enjoy DStv Catch Up and view the TV Guide from the mobile devices, on the go.

DStv Now outperformed both Kwese and StarTimes in terms of user interface, layout and design; ranking 60.9 per cent.

Kwese TV followed with 8.7 per cent while StarTimes raked about 4.3 per cent.

It is the same for video quality where DStv Now came tops at an incredible 60.9 per cent. ​

B​oth DStv Now and Kwese TV are the top apps where the World Cup 2018 is viewed, DStv leads with 87.5 per cent it offers the most matches and related content.

Its innovative pidgin English commentary channel has also proven to be widely popular with the audience.

However, as Kwese and StarTimes’ trump card is low pricing; they narrowly inched forward in terms of price- neck and neck at 29.2 per cent while DStv Now got 20.8 per cent.

Still, viewers do not consider that a disadvantage as respondents revealed that they knew 1 out of 5 family members who have downloaded the DStv Now app.

Overall  DStv Now finished at 60.9 per cent, with viewers choosing it over others because o​f its wide video viewing options, seamless access (as it links to your already existing subscription via the smartcard), access to a wide range of sports channels, parental control features among others.

Since MultiChoice commenced satellite pay TV operations in Nigeria, the company has contended with multiple competitors in the market.

Using innovative technology and providing quality programming, DStv has reinvented itself with unlimited access to world class channels cutting across news, music, sports, local entertainment and much more.

Chinese owned StarTimes entered the Nigerian pay TV market in 2010 with decoders that did not require a dish as well as low cost bouquets.

By partnering with Nigeria’s public broadcast service, it was able to penetrate the mass audience.

Monthly subscription rates are between N900 and N3800.

Kwese TV is a subsidiary of Econet Wireless; a telecommunications conglomerate with presence in sub-Saharan Africa.

Leveraging heavily on sports and retail three, seven and thirty- day subscription; Kwese commenced Nigerian operations in October 2017 with 60 channels and a number of free-to-air stations.