Article from : mybroadband.co.za
South Africans can subscribe to numerous video streaming services for the price of DStv Premium and get access to more content, on-demand and ad-free.
Five years ago, MultiChoice’s DStv Premium package was the prime destination for entertainment at home in South Africa.
With free-to-air channels from the SABC and E-tv being rather limited, many South Africans were more than willing to pay hundreds of rands for access to channels with premium international content.
This has rapidly changed over the past few years with the arrival of video streaming services, particularly the global launch of Netflix in January 2016, supported by cheaper and more widely available uncapped broadband connectivity.
While DStv’s Compact, Compact Plus, and Family packages still offer solid value for households without fast and affordable Internet access, DStv Premium has been bleeding subscribers.
We decided to see how many video streaming services you could subscribe to for around the same price as an R829 DStv subscription.
Our list was focused specifically on streaming services that can be subscribed to in South Africa without requiring a virtual private network, a foreign-based payment method, or any elaborate workarounds.
While there is an argument that you should consider the cost of broadband Internet access for such a comparison, most households with DStv Premium will likely already include this in their monthly budget.
Therefore, it is not an additional cost that must be accounted for when dropping the DStv Premium package.
The table below shows 10 popular video streaming services you can sign up for at the same monthly price as DStv Premium.
| 10 streaming services for the price of DStv Premium | |||
| Service | Library size | Key content | Price |
| Netflix (Standard) | 3,603 movies 1,996 TV shows | Netflix Originals | R139.00 |
| Showmax* | 1,247 movies 564 TV shows | HBO shows Local kykNET and MzansiMagic content | R99.00 |
| Amazon Prime Video | 6,965 movies 1,089 TV shows | Amazon Originals Twitch Prime | $5.99 / R88.22 |
| BritBox | 150 titles | BBC and ITV shows | R99.99 |
| AcornTV | 74 titles | British programming | R79.00 |
| Apple TV+ | 71 titles | Apple TV+ Originals | R84.99 |
| Vodacom Video Play | 9,000+ titles | Select blockbusters and rentals | R99.00 |
| eVOD Premium | 1,500 hours of content | e.TV soaps, shows, and Hollywood movies | R29.99 |
| TelkomOne Amp | n/a | SABC channels News channels | R49.00 |
| VIU Premium | 2,000 hours of content | South African TV shows and soaps | R69.00 |
| Total | R837.19 | ||
| *Figures from JustWatch as of 29 August 2021. Does not include local content. |
Specialist genres
There are also several other streaming services catering for more specialist needs, for which you can swap out some of the above.
Alternatively, some of the services in the table above also offer free, ad-supported tiers, so you can opt for those instead of the paid versions and add one or two of the services listed below.
The table below shows some of these specialist streaming services.
| Specialist streaming services | ||
| Service | Type of content | Price |
| DEOD Binge | Religious, family-friendly | R39 |
| Deukom | German language programming | R725 |
| Marquee TV | Performing arts programming | R179 |
| NET Afrikaans | Afrikaans lifestyle programming | R79 |
| PrideTV | LGBT programming | R79 |
| YouTube Premium | Ad-free YouTube | R72 |
Sports
If you must have a sports streaming service, things get a little bit tricky.
MultiChoice has secured exclusive rights to many top sporting events and worked to ensure that SuperSport remains South Africa’s one-stop premium sports destination.
This means that you will require either DStv Premium or Showmax Pro to watch most high-profile sporting matches and events.
Alternatively, you can subscribe to an international service using a VPN and/or a foreign payment method.
The table below compares Showmax Pro with the international services you can buy.
| Sport streaming services | |||
| Service | Sporting content | Additional requirements | Monthly price |
| Showmax Pro | Athletics Football Boxing Swimming | None | R449 |
| Now TV Sky Sports | Football Rugby Cricket Golf Athletics MotoGP Formula 1 Tennis Boxing MMA Basketball | VPN UK-based payment method UK address | £30 / R608.21 |
| ESPN+ | (Limited range of live events)Rugby Cricket Golf Boxing MMA Basketball American football Baseball Field Hockey Ice Hockey Formula 1 | VPN US zip code | $5.99 / R88.22 |
| FuboTV | Rugby Cricket Golf Boxing MMA Basketball American football Baseball Field Hockey Ice Hockey Formula 1 Tennis MotoGP | VPN US zip code | $65 / R957.35 |
Mr Satellite is based Southern Suburbs Cape Town and services this area, for all your DSTV, and streaming installations for your home call us on 0832615290
Leave a Reply