KAMPALA, Uganda – Ugandans have been frantically inquiring about prices for decoders and paying for subscriptions for the pay-TV services in the run-up to the deadline of the digital migration on June 17.
The leading pay-TV providers, MultiChoice and StarTimes report healthy sales during the past month.
“We are experiencing a tremendous period, because our sales, especially for DStv have tripled. All our outlets are flooding with customers and actually this digital migration bonanza may not last for as long as we intended, because the number of DSTV kits that we have put aside for the promotion are almost out of stock.
“This is partly because of the digital migration fear. But I think, our price cut also influenced people, because it is the best offer one can get on the market,” Tina Wamala, MultiChoice Uganda spokesperson said last week.
Prices for a DStv kit were slashed the usual Ush309,000 ($97) to just Ush150,000 ($47) which includes the installation fee.
Wamala said sales of the budget GOtv digital, which is a subsidiary of DStv, have also risen sharply although people are buying more DStv kits than the GOtv decoders.
Speaking for StarTimes, Christine Nagujja, said they have also realized a big turn up of customers at their main branches and outlets. She attributes this to the digital migration rush, but also because of their favourable prices that are affordable for most people
“This has been our best season as all our sales outlets are reporting an increase in sales. The digital migration is going to be good for everyone, because as we enjoy the profits from our sales, we pledge to make sure that our customers enjoy quality and quality TV services.
“We think that the push was necessary for the TV market and we hope that Uganda Communications Commision will on the set date finally switch off the analogue signal to the digital signal, because it is good for everyone,” Nagujja said.
There are a variety of pay decoders on the market as well as free to air decoders that can be found in most parts Kampala and the outskirts.
Different companies have dispatched sales team and made camp all over the city centre.
The sales people are also excited about the big number of customers, because they earn commissions
Tracy Nasaaka, a sales person for GOtv Uganda, said she makes over thirteen sales per day and sometimes is only limited by the available stock.
“Sometimes I run out of stock and people have to wait for the next stock. GOtv is licensed by Uganda Communications Commission and it has good pictures compared to other pay decoders. I am making a lot of money from the sales and I believe I will receive more customers as the day for digital migration nears,” she told East African Business Week.
Rwakijuma Seezi, a sales person with MultiChoice along Kampala Road, is pleased about situation. He however suggested people are opting to buy DStv instead of GOtv because of the price cut and also because DStv offers more quality and quantity in terms of channels.
Aisha Nakazibwe, a sales person for StarTimes in Kikuubo said a decoder goes for Ush30,000 ($9) and subscription of Ush24,000 every month. The Nova bouquet is a basic Ush8000 ($2.50).
Denis Ahimbisibwe a sales person, Damila Company, a free to air decoder service provider, said the decoder and antenna goes for Ush180,000 with over 100 local and international channels.
According to him, the sales are still down, because people are still not aware about its advantages and existence however he hopes to make more money when the digital migration comes in and more people are forced to buy.
“Our outlets are still limited to few places and we have not made big sales like we expected. we are also facing stiff competition from the pay decoders, because they have been in the market for long and UCC has not done enough sensitization.
So people think it is only the pay decoders that will work after the digital migration however, we hope after the digital migration to make more sales, because this is a new product and people are not aware about it. When they are finally switched off, they will buy,” Ahimbisibwe said.
Peter Musinguzi a sales person of free to air decoder said their product is new in the market but people are buying slowly. It offers only East African channels and goes for Ush150, 000.
However several people East African Business Week interviewed still insisted the pay-TV decoders are expensive if this was the only way to continue watching TV. Others appreciated the advantages that come with having a decoder rather than the analogue signal that Uganda has been using.
Talking to another customer who had just bought StarTimes decorder, Mrs Patience Nalwoga said she will be able to watch all the channels and her children will enjoy watching cartoons they were missing.
Alex Ocen, a customer of Damila said he has bought the decoder because it is affordable and he does not want to keep paying monthly subscriptions like the other pay decoders. He says he was encouraged to buy the decoder as it shows most channels.
Business Week
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