CAPE TOWN – Streaming service Viu, owned by Hong Kong-headquartered telecommunications operator PCCW has officially launched in South Africa.
The company said in a statement: “Viu’s programming strategy is inclusive and locally relevant premium content in each market, and South Africa will be no different. This will be achieved through its partnerships with e.tv, the SABC and Vodacom.”
Available in a free version as well as a premium app it promises to offer a wide selection of local content and international shows.
Users with the Premium subscription plan will have access to Premium videos and will not be presented with advertisements when watching content.
Sadly, if you're using the free version, there will be ads as you are using the platform.
Here are the different price plans for the service:
Daily – R5
Weekly – R20
Monthly – R69
Content selection
Viu recently announced that it had partnered with the SABC and acquired the rights to broadcast select SABC shows, including Uzalo and Skeem Saam for a period of 24 months.
These shows are labelled as Viu Exclusives on the streaming platform’s website.
The platform also secured video-on-demand rights to 18 South African titles and offers a variety of other content through its web interface.
Etv shows such as Imbewu: The Seed and Scandal! are available through the Viu platform, too, and there are a number of shows labelled as Viu Originals.
Other video-on-demand content offered through the platform includes Bollywood films, African series and movies, and South Asian shows.
Users can visit the Viu website to view free shows and sign up for the service’s premium package.
The Viu mobile app can also be downloaded from the Google Play Store, Apple Store and the Huawei app gallery.
Viu is also available in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar.