Lessons For Nigeria as DStv Leaves Malawi After Court Blocks Plans to Hike Subscriptions
- MultiChoice has exited Malawi and stopped DStv services in that country
- The development comes after the company’s move to hike subscriptions in the country was rejected by the government
- The company announced it is exiting the country following a court injunction stopping from increasing petrol prices
Multichoice has ended DStv services in Malawi following a pricing row with Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority.
The company announced this on Wednesday, August 9, 2023.
Source: Getty Images
MultiChoice to honour existing subscriptions until September
In July, Multichoice increased subscriptions for DStv services in the country, but the regulatory authority obtained a court injunction against the increase to comply with the demand.
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The company said it does not provide DStv services as MultiChoice Africa Holdings offers them. Hence MultiChoice Malawi could not comply with the order.
On Wednesday, August 9, 2023, the court sustained the regulator’s injunction, leading to the withdrawal of DStv services in the country.
MultiChoice Malawi said:
“MCM does not offer the DStv service to the public and therefore cannot set or adjust tariffs for this service, a point repeatedly made to MACRA.
“As a result, the order handed down to MCM is incapable of being implemented by them but carries with it grave consequences for the directors and management of Multichoice Malawi, including imprisonment.
“Given the impact on its supplier MCM and an increasingly adverse regulatory environment, (MAH) is therefore left with no choice but to terminate the DStv service indefinitely.”
The company added that it will not accept new subscriptions or reconnections starting August 9, 2023; all ongoing subscriptions will run until September 8, 2023.
BusinessDay reports that the Director General of Malawi Communications Regulation Authority said it expects MultiChoice Malawi to implement the court order without delay as they may be charged with contempt of court.
MultiChoice announces price increase of DStv subscriptions one year after similar move
Legit.ng reported that MultiChoice Nigeria has said it is set to implement another price increase across its DStv bouquets effective May 1, 2023, one year after it announced a similar upward review of prices in April 2022.
The increase in the various packages is between 16.3% to 18.6%, and the company said the lasted price hike is due to multiple economic challenges confronting the business.
The announcement said that beginning from May 1, subscribers on the Premium package will pay N24,500, an increase of 16.7% from the N21,000 they currently pay, while the Compact+ package will cost N14,250 monthly, a 16.5% increase.
Source: Legit.ng
