MultiChoice Uganda will introduce four DStv subscription packages on November 5, including a Shs100,000 sports-focused option that offers access to major football competitions at a lower price than the company’s most expensive package.
The new line-up, announced in Kampala on Monday, replaces the existing package structure with Starter at Shs25,000 per month, Select at Shs60,000, Sports at Shs100,000 and Ultimate at Shs185,000.
The changes are intended to give subscribers more choice over the content they watch and how much they spend, according to Hassan Saleh, MultiChoice Uganda’s chief executive.
“Our focus is on giving subscribers better value and access to the entertainment they love,” Saleh said during the launch at the company’s head offices in Kampala.
The revised structure separates sports from general entertainment, allowing customers to select subscriptions according to their viewing preferences and budgets. MultiChoice says the changes will apply to satellite television, streaming and GOtv platforms.
What the four packages offer
DStv Starter, priced at Shs25,000 per month, replaces DStv Access and offers more than 110 channels. Its line-up includes Pearl Magic, M-Net Movies Legends and SuperSport KICKOFF, which carries selected football matches, including fixtures from La Liga and selected games from the Premier League and UEFA Champions League.
DStv Select costs Shs60,000 per month and replaces DStv Family. It offers more than 140 channels covering local and international entertainment, news, children’s programming and selected sports. Its line-up includes M-Net Movies+, M-Net Movies Stars, National Geographic, CNN, Serie A and Telemundo.
DStv Sports, priced at Shs100,000 per month, offers more than 150 channels, including coverage of the English Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1, the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Champions League, according to the company’s package information.
DStv Ultimate, the most expensive of the four options at Shs185,000 per month, has more than 170 channels. It combines football coverage with premium entertainment and other sports, including Formula 1, international rugby, cricket, tennis and golf.
The new structure makes selected football competitions available on lower-priced subscriptions, although the range of sports and entertainment differs between packages.
SuperSport adds Swahili-language channel
MultiChoice will also launch SuperSport Swahili on November 5, targeting viewers in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
The 24-hour channel will carry football and other international sporting events, alongside original programmes featuring Swahili commentary and analysis.
Its planned coverage includes the Premier League, UEFA competitions, La Liga, Serie A, athletics, UFC and WWE.
The move adds a regional-language option to the company’s sports offering, with programming intended for Swahili-speaking audiences across East Africa.
Local productions remain part of the offering
MultiChoice said it would continue investing in Ugandan entertainment, with upcoming productions including the fourth season of Kampala Crème, Musama, the fourth season of Home of Our Stars, Tie the Knot and Short and Byg Show.
Julianne Mweheire, a director at the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), welcomed the package changes, saying they reflected a response to consumer demands.
“For the first time, we are not talking about economics, we are talking about customers speaking and the entity listening,” Mweheire said.
The UCC regulates Uganda’s communications and broadcasting sectors, including matters relating to consumer protection and content.
The revised packages come as pay-TV providers seek to align subscription prices and content with household budgets and changing viewing preferences.
