By Foday Moriba Conteh
During a conference held on Thursday 16th March, 2023 at the Country Lodge Hotel on Hill Station in Freetown, the Chief Executive Officer of Transnational SL/DStv Sierra Leone, Natalia Abboud, has informed pressmen that as of 1st April, 2023, DStv price reduction on its services will take effect.
She added that monthly subscription prices on DStv Premium, DStv Compact Plus, DStv Compact, DStv Family and DStv Access will decrease by 50% and 30% respectively effective the 1stApril, 2023.
Natalia Abboud informed the press that they are constantly looking at various ways to thank their customers for their ongoing support and loyalty whilst delivering a world-class entertainment service at a price they can afford.
She maintained that the price drop across the DStv bouquets is their way of demonstrating a commitment to Sierra Leone and to their customers to ensure they receive the best possible access to great entertainment at an outstanding value.
The CEO stated that MultiChoice is committed to putting customers at the heart of every decision they make and aims at continuously delighting them with great entertainment and the best value, adding that DStv viewers of all ages and tastes should expect great entertainment in the month of April.
She stated how, “M-Net brings the laughs with a brand-new comedy Colin from Accounts. The newly rebranded kids’ channel Cartoonito launches new title including Bugs Bunny Bullders where classic Looney Toon characters come together to learn valuable lessons. For music lovers, catch a collection of concerts from Ray Charles and Salif Keite on Qwest, And, stay in for movie night with your favourite superheroes with DC Universe weekends on TNT,” adding that in the latest leap in providing customers value, MultiChoice will make great entertainment even more accessible to its customers in Sierra Leone.”
Giving a breakdown of the price adjustments which, she said will affect Sierra Leone ,excluding local GST, includes Premium from $82.00 to $52.17, Compact Plus from $53.00 to $30.00, Compact from $25.00 to $19.13, Family from $19.00 to $11.30, Access from $12.00 to $6.09 etc.
“The DStv price reduction in Sierra Leone will see customers enjoy more of their favourite contents more affordably. This comes at a time when customers are encouraged to fight against piracy by subscribing to DStv Sierra Leone through Transnational SL. Lid, legally recognized as the sole authorized representative of MultiChoice DStv in Sierra Leone,” she averred.
The CEO pointed out that across the African continent, DStv presents the most value from other competitive pay TV offerings, stating that over the past 30 years of which, DStv Serra Leone has operated in the market, they have worked tirelessly to ensure they provide unrivalled channels for their customers to enjoy.
The Chairman of DStv Sierra Leone, Adonis Abboud, said that in 1987 when people had no access to international news except through Focus on Africa, they came with the first Startalight system in the country in order to give a chance to everybody to be informed and entertained.
He added that they also installed Startalight Television at Fourah Bay College which made the college became the first college to have Startalight Television within West Africa.
Adonis Abboud said that amidst all the efforts they are making they found out that the market has been flooded with Nigeria decoders that are brought into the country without paying taxes to the Government of Sierra Leone, adding that such an action bordering on smuggling is not good for future investors.
He said the risk of allowing foreign decoders into the country without monitoring them could make it possible for children to see harmful contents which he said is not good for the country, continuing that DStv has a parental control policy that protects children from viewing programs that they are not supposed to view.
The Director of Regulatory Administration at the National Telecommunications Authority, Smart Kokofele, said that the move by DStv Sierra Leone to announce the reduction in prices is adhering to the call of the people of Sierra Leone.
He said that the existence of Transnational SL goes beyond the GST they pay to Government as they have over the years proven to be partners in development due to their Corporate Social Responsibility in the country.
Smart Kokofele said that National Telecommunications Authority has provisions to prohibit, punish any entity that illegally broadcast within the country, adding that they do so by jointly collaborating with other regulatory agencies.
