Raheem Akingbolu
Operators of a leading digital TV network operator, StarTimes, have stated that the six years after the entertainment company’s entrance into the Nigerian market in 2010, it has completely changed the digital TV industry and viewing experience for Nigerian subscribers especially the masses.
According to the company, this, StarTimes has achieved, by forcing down the price of pay-TV to the convenient reach of the masses, introducing for the first time in Nigeria the very mass market friendly DTT (Antenna) pay-TV model and the most affordable content bouquet called Nova. The company success has also been linked to its partnership with Africa’s largest television network NTA and other terrestrial analogue TV stations, which has helped in creating alternative options for viewers, boosting the industry, making digital TV very affordable and rallying the masses to key into Federal Government’s digital TV switch over agenda.
StarTimes spokesperson, Israel Bolaji, said the digital TV platform has played a significant role in boosting the industry and has set the pace in many areas, including affordable pricing, collaboration and innovation.
“For over 20 years, digital television in Nigeria was very expensive and pegged beyond the reach of the middle class and masses until the arrival of StarTimes in 2010 which offered more affordable option for exciting television experience. By pioneering the DTT (antenna) model which is a very mass market friendly and quite affordable, we broke decades of pay TV for the rich jinx. Today, an average Nigerian household can afford both a decoder and monthly subscription.
“Our deliberate collaboration with terrestrial analogue TV stations and the government through the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) was also instructive, as it marked the first and true beginning of strategic engagements involving public and private partnership towards actualisation of digital TV switch over which is currently evolving. Today, everybody else is scrambling to partner same stations which were ignored for many years.
We just don’t sell decoders, we provide all-round delightful digital television entertainment and experience for the household with over 100 channels that enrich viewers, including every member of the family. We further support subscribers with viewing convenience programmes like door-to-door after sales services, 24-7 care phone lines, add-on channels and convenient payment models and online platforms. Our add-on bouquets, for instance, enables subscribers on lower-cost bouquet access channels on higher bouquets without switching bouquets,” he said.
