Pay-TV giant MultiChoice has begun trialling a weekly subscription option for its DStv service in Uganda, which could reshape how its content is accessed across the continent. If the pilot proves effective, the company may introduce the model in other African markets.
According to Chief Executive Calvo Mawela, the weekly payment trial commenced around seven weeks ago and will be evaluated over three to six months. He noted that the idea is to offer a more flexible solution for viewers whose income and spending patterns do not align with traditional monthly billing.
“It’s a significant shift,” Mawela told the Sunday Times. “We believe this approach could offer much-needed breathing room for consumers, similar to how prepaid airtime transformed mobile phone usage.”
While many subscribers have long requested the ability to customise their DStv channel line-up, Mawela said that the platform remains unconvinced about the viability of true à la carte channel selection. However, he hinted at ongoing research into a model where users purchase a basic package and top it up with optional channel add-ons.
The update follows MultiChoice’s financial results for the year ending 31 March 2025. The company reported a net profit of R2.02 billion, a sharp turnaround from the R2.52 billion loss recorded the previous year. A key factor behind the profit swing was the sale of a 60% stake in MultiChoice’s insurance arm to Sanlam in late 2024.
Despite this profit, group revenue dipped by 9% due to an 11% drop in subscription income. South African revenue held steady at R41.73 billion, but operations in the rest of Africa and the Showmax streaming service suffered notable declines.
The overall customer base has also contracted. DStv saw an 8% fall in subscribers year-on-year, from 15.69 million to 14.51 million. Over a 90-day window, active users decreased by 11% to 18.59 million. The decline was evenly split, with South Africa and the rest of the continent losing approximately 600,000 subscribers each.
To reverse this trend, MultiChoice tests weekly subscriptions and reassesses how it bundles content, especially sports.
The firm confirmed it is exploring ways to separate premium sports content, currently housed under its SuperSport brand, from its broader DStv packages. Discussions around reconfiguring entertainment and sports channels are underway, though they are still in their infancy.
“It’s premature to share concrete plans or pricing structures,” MultiChoice said in a statement to MyBroadband. “However, we remain focused on providing greater value and flexibility to our customers.”
This isn’t MultiChoice’s first foray into more modular offerings. In 2021, it trialled “DStv Flex” — a lighter entertainment bundle with the option to bolt on sports content as needed. The idea was to allow subscribers to pause their sports access during off-seasons, helping them manage costs. Although the concept has since been shelved, the renewed interest in content unbundling suggests that consumer preferences are nudging DStv back in that direction.
All eyes are now on how the weekly subscription pilot performs in Uganda — a small but telling experiment that could signal broader changes for one of Africa’s leading entertainment providers.
