By Ghana News

Copyright ghanamma

DStv subscribers for Ghana dey react hours afta di kontris minister for Communications, Digital technology and Innovation Samuel George announce fresh bouquet packages afta weeks of ‘fight’.

For one joint press conference between management of multichoice Ghana and di communication ministry on Monday, Samuel George announce say di service provider agree to offer Ghanaians ‘better value’ for dia subscriptions wey go take effect from 1 October.

Di minister for early September threaten to shutdown Multichoice Ghana DStv operations if dem fail to reduce prices of dia packages by 7 August, at a time di kontri dey witness reduced inflation and stable currency wey dey gain value against di major foreign currencies especially di dollar.

“I direct di National Communications Authority (NCA) to suspend di broadcast licence of DStv if dem no reduce subscription fees by 30%.”

Sam George at di time accuse di company say dem dey use di depreciation of di cedi wey be ova 200% for di last eight years as dia excuse for di high prices, wey dem fail to adjust prices when di cedi dey perform well well.

For di beginning, Multichoice no gree – dem describe di govment demand as “not tenable” wey dem maintain say dem get to charge di high prices to maintain di service quality.

But di minister vex wey im insist and give anoda fresh deadline say make di broadcaster comply or dem go shut down dia office.

Di national communications authority set up one committee to engage wit multichoice ova di drama.

Afta more dan one month of back-and-forth di two parties now agree to “offer better value to subscribers.”

“For dis fresh arrangement, DStv subscribers go get upgraded packages at no extra cost, wey e go offer customers between 33 – 50% more value,” di communication minister explain for di press conference on Monday.

According to di minister, dis offer dey apply to old and new subscribers starting from 1 October.

In addition, Multichoice also decide say dem go slash di price of dia zapper decoder and dish kit by 50% for new customers wey di cost dey come down to GH 555 ($45).

“I request for 30% reduction, wetin we get now – di lowest be 33% wey di highest be 50%, I thank Multichoice for dat,” Samuel George tok.

Wetin be di new packages for subscribers

Even tho di prices no physically reduce for di various bouquets, di minister say multichoice dey upgrade all di packages.

.Padi bouquet GHC 59 ($5) now go upgrade to Access wey dey cost GHC99 ($8)– up to 35 more channels

.Access bouquet GHC 99 ($8) now go upgrade to family wey dey cost GHC190 ($15) – up to 19 more channels

.Family bouquet GHC190 ($15) now go upgrade to compact wey dey cost GHC 380 ($31) – up to 22 more channels wey include live matches

.Compact bouquet GHC 380 ($31) now go upgrade to compact + wey dey cost GHC 570 ($46) – up to 12 more channels

.Compact + bouquet GHC 570 ($46) now go upgrade to premium wey dey cost GHC 865 – up to 18 more channels

.Premium bouquet GHC 865 ($70) now go get all di content for di flagship premier bouquet

Wetin subscribers tok

Pipo dey ask if dis really be price reduction and improved value.

For some of di subscribers, dis tin no be new. DStv dey offer promotional packages sometimes.

But as di communication minister insist say di new deal neva happen bifor, some subscribers disagree.

“I no dey even watch 70% of channels for my DStv bouquet, wetin I go use extra channels at di same price, for?,” one subscriber Lambert Atsivor tok.

Lambert write for social media say, “we need actual price reduction.”

Anoda subscriber write for Facebook say “make we admit say DStv outsmart us; dem only run di same step-up promo from January to March dis year. Notin special about di new pricing,” Freddy Mawuli tok.

Gerrard Israel also write say, “dis DStv pricing dey funny me, notin new for here – just few channels dem add to di same bouquets. Samuel George no really catch wetin we dey ask for.”

In fact, for some sabi pipo, DStv be luxury, so pipo fit opt out.

“Dstv no be necessity; e be luxury. If pipo no fit afford, oda options dey for dem like free-to-air channels, YouTube or even oda entertainment packages wey no dey cost,” Tilly Akua Nipaa wey be media personality tok.

So di verdict still dey out dia as to whether dis be actual price reduction or not, but wetin many pipo dey happy about be say at least, di fight between di minister and di broadcast service provider Dstv dey over for now or maybe not.

Di communications minister also say Dstv deactivate nearly one million ‘ghost decoders’ to deal wit cross-border piracy

Di communication minister say subscribers go get between 33-50% value but some pipo say di bouquet ‘bump up’ no be new tin

Di communications minister also say Dstv deactivate nearly 0ne million ‘ghost decoders’ to deal wit cross-border piracy