DSTV’s Market Dominance Threatened as TSTV Introduces Pay-as-You-Use Option

The long reign of DSTV in the Nigerian cable TV space is about to receive a major threat as a new entrant has promised to offer Nigerians the much-touted Pay-as-You-Use option, in place of the monthly subscription that is presently offered.

According to a report, Telcom Satelite TV (TSTV) is offering consumers on their platform the option of paying only for programmes watched, an option that hitherto was not possible.

Managing director of TSTV, Mr Bright Echefu, at the signing of the multi-transponder agreement with their ABS partner, disclosed that the platform is set to offer viewers HD and SD video options, internet services, broadband, TV and radio at very affordable rates. He also noted that TSTV is set to show live English Premier League matches as well as La Liga and Champions League matches.

These are perhaps DSTV’s market edge in the industry at the moment.

TSTV has also promised to cover all the sub-Saharan African countries and provide over 200 TV channels when fully launched, with over 100 of these channels composed of our local stations. The others will be regional and international stations. The platform will feature content in the major Nigerian languages: Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo, as well as the dominant languages of neighbouring West African countries -Ghana, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

The New TSTV Decoder Offers 200+ Channels, FREE 20GB Data, Video Calls, Pause Subscription, Record & Playback Feature And More pic.twitter.com/Lcmik3PUZf

— TSTV (@tstvafrica) July 10, 2017

TSTv is touted to run on 4.5g network. Subscribers will get 20G worth of data for N3,000 monthly and the data can be used for video call, conferences with camera and wifi. The TSTV decoder will have a 50GB hard disk to record TV programs and a pause/play function.

TSTV is partnering with Europe-based television station, ABS Global to offer this content. And the anticipated launch date is October 1.

Industry observers have expressed doubt over the ability of the new platform to deliver its promises after all. This worry comes in the light of the fact that some other TV platforms hitherto offered luring prospects in the past and have not been able to meet up with their promises.

Recall that SES promised free Digital broadcast sometimes back which has not yet seen the light of the day.
The big question really is: is it possible to offer better services to Nigerians at a cheaper cost? Perhaps, TSTV will make a difference. Because, some of us have bought decoders and the providers are no longer in the trade!

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