MultiChoice Ethiopia and its parent company MultiChoice Africa celebrated the addition of 25 new channels, after the recent launch of a W7 Ku-Band Satellite. Now DStv subscribers in Ethiopia can get access to the 25 new channels in different packages at different prices. The four introduced packages, also known as bouquets, which together could have 25 to 70 channels, are Access, Family, Compact, and Premium, and are available for 10, 20, 25, and 70 dollars a month, respectively. HILINA ALEMU, FORTUNE STAFF WRITER, had a brief discussion about the new features with Gelila Gebre-Michael, general manager of MultiChoice Ethiopia.

Q: How can subscribers access the new channels?

Gelila: Customers have different options when changing their equipment to receive [information] from the new satellite. Subscribers who have the 1.8 metre dish have the option of only changing their low noise block (LNB) and repositioning their dish to the new satellite’s position. However, it is mandatory that their smart card be changed to the new Ku-Band smart card and that will be done for them for free.

If their decoder is a MultiChoice decoder and is not compatible with the W7 Satellite, then it will also be changed for free. If subscribers choose to get the smaller dish of 90cm, they have to buy a complete 90cm dish set.

Following that, their smart card and MultiChoice decoder will be changed for free if what they have is not compatible with W7. The conversion will begin this week, and all our DStv subscribers will have to convert to the new satellite before the end of May 2010.

Q: There are locally produced programmes in some countries that run on DStv but only within the boundary of those specific countries. Will that be applied in Ethiopia?

Gelila: MultiChoice’s experience in every African country is unique. There has not been such a request in Ethiopia’s scenario.

Q: Why do you not let subscribers pick their own channels for each bouquet, instead of having them pay for those already set by MultiChoice?

Gelila: The bouquets are structured in a way that MultiChoice Africa believes will suit the different viewing needs of a family or anyone interested in getting different options.

Q: What is the ratio of subscribers on the basis of packages you provide?

Gelila: Fifty five per cent of our subscribers have the full and premium bouquets which carry all the movies, entertainment, information, news and kids channels.

Q: Many of the UEFA Champions League and English Premier League matches are now being transmitted on Ethiopian Television (ETV), meaning people can watch the football games sitting in their homes rather than paying extra to watch them at DStv subscriber cafés or other places. This is affecting the sales of those who run such businesses. What do you think about this and the effect on your business?

Gelila: SuperSport screens more than 1,000 European [UEFA] league games live through its many channels. We still believe DStv carries an unparalleled number of games compared to any other broadcaster. As a result we are looking at a steady growth in the number of subscribers.

By HANS LARSON
PECIAL TO FORTUNE

Source: AddisFortune