MultiChoice has renamed its DStv Now streaming service to DStv, signalling the first step towards the full launch of its standalone streaming service.
In a blog post on Thursday 15 October, MultiChoice said that once customers update their DStv Now application, the name of the platform will change to DStv.
“We’ve changed the name from DStv Now – but kept all the features the same – you can stream your live channels and watch catch up too,” the company said.
“If you don’t have auto-updates on your device, you can update your DStv app by going to your app store.”
DStv’s streaming service is available to all DStv subscribers, no matter which package they are on, and there is no additional fee or charge to watch DStv channels and shows through the online platform.
The DStv Now website shows the new branding too, with the platform being renamed to simply “DStv”.
“It’s possible for any DStv customer to watch the same channels and shows they watch on their decoder at home, but on a device like a phone or a laptop,” MultiChoice said.
Sign-up and standalone streaming
MultiChoice said that customers can sign up for the DStv streaming service online with their email and password.
However, they will still need to provide a DStv account holder’s ID number, smartcard number, or customer number.
This means that customers will require an active DStv account to sign up for the streaming service, which was the same requirement as the original DStv Now service.
MultiChoice previously announced that it would launch a standalone streaming service that will allow customers to watch all the content available on their full DStv bouquet without a satellite connection.
The rebranding of the Dstv streaming service may be the first step towards the ability to sign up for DStv packages without a decoder or satellite connection.
MultiChoice South Africa CEO Mark Rayner previously told MyBroadband that the DStv standalone streaming packages will be priced identically to the satellite bouquets when they are launched.
“What we are trying to achieve is one set of products on multiple devices. There is not a new pricing tier for DStv if it is streamed,” Rayner said.
“You still buy Premium, Compact, Access, etc., depending on what your budget allows, but you just choose your access method.”
Rayner also said that once DStv’s streaming-only offering is launched commercially, there will be an ecommerce-like sign-up process which asks customers to choose between a satellite or streaming offering.
The same account is eligible for either content delivery medium, however.
Currently, customers who sign up for a new DStv account are only able to select decoder offerings.
It remains unclear when the standalone streaming service will launch.
MyBroadband
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