Vodacom Group, a cellphone company equally owned by Vodafone Group Plc and Telkom South Africa, and Naspers said they will form a venture to sell low-cost DTH services. Vodacom will offer 16 pay-TV channels for a monthly fee of 139 rand as a cheap alternative to the existing MultiChoice DStv offer, which charges 440 rand for 55 TV channels, or 199 rand for 26 channels.
“With cellphone penetration in South Africa at over 80%, Vodacom is constantly looking for opportunities to expand its growth,” Alan Knott-Craig, Vodacom’s CEO, said in the statement. The packages will sell under the DSTV select brand. Naspers already sells the DSTV satellite television service in South Africa and a number of other African countries.
