CAPE TOWN: South Africans have responded with outrage, with growing calls for a boycott, over DStv’s new and limiting one-device-at-a-time streaming policy.
The new policy is set to come in effect from March 22. It will allow only one device to stream on the DStv Now at a time.
In a fully connected household situation, this means that dad will not be allowed to stream the news in the lounge at the same time as his son who maybe streaming football on another device in his bedroom. One of them will have to stop watching to allow the other to watch.
“From 22 March 2022, customers will be limited to streaming DStv on one device at a time. They will still be able to watch previously downloaded content on a second device.” DSTV said.
The satellite service which also offers online live streaming cites its actions as being based on counteracting password sharing and piracy.
“The change will be made to all DStv subscriptions across Africa; however, only customers making use of more than one concurrent stream will be directly affected by the change.
“We will not limit the number of people using a login – however, we are limiting (to one) the number of people who can stream at the same time,” it added.
DStv users were outraged by this announcement, with plans to boycott the service gaining momentum.
“DStv will be a thing of the past,” one Twitter user said.
Dstv will be a thing of the past 🤞
— MW (@MWTlali) February 22, 2022
10 years is enough - they're on life support ka PSL contract 👐 pic.twitter.com/lH8dr6xbPT
South Africans need to be serious about boycotting DStv🤞🏿
— GuardianOfBlackness😏 (@SneMzilikazi) February 22, 2022
Bayas'nyela strong!
Dstv is becoming so useless by a day..
— Maanda (@MaandaMindloz) February 22, 2022
DStv packages range from R29 with 36 channels, to R829 with 155 channels.
Live sport only becomes a part of the package from packages priced from R295.
One Twitter user said they would have to cancel their package because they cannot afford it without “my tenants”, possibly referring to people who helped pay for the package with them.
I have to cancel my DSTV kengoku because I cannot afford it without my tenants pic.twitter.com/qa409kj0iG
— Lerato❤ (@lerrykins_) February 22, 2022
Others said the live sport was the only reason they still had a subscription.
How can we take football away from DSTV and leave them alone?
— King Dalingcebo (@deep_djdet) February 22, 2022
I mean, it's a little bit dizzy to think that this is going to encourage people to GET DSTV rather than to abandon it altogether for other options, which are growing.
— Natalie (@NatAlleyCat) February 22, 2022
I'll flat out rather go to the pub for the sports then. https://t.co/q8gXlTo6kH
DSTV asking for big kak now. Overpriced and constantly removing channels. Sport is all you have left.
— Gabriella (@Gabi_Virgillito) February 22, 2022
Bad move.
IOL