The Sunday Mail
Takudzwa Chihambakwe – Leisure Correspondent
MORE and more subscribers continue to convert their Zimbabwean DStv accounts to South African ones in search of cheaper viewing.
And MultiChoice Zimbabwe is aggrieved.
The company has embarked on an operation to wipe out all installers facilitating the aforementioned process. This is not the first time MultiChoice has attempted to refrain clients from switching their accounts to South Africa.
In March 2015 they said they were going to cut all accounts that had been switched to South Africa but up to now nothing has been done.
“In terms of international copyright laws, MultiChoice South Africa can only provide its services to people resident in South Africa due to channels being authorised for reception in South Africa only. All operators providing DStv connections and support services in Zimbabwe are bound by law to ensure that DStv services in Zimbabwe are those that are legitimately provided for this country, and they may not connect Zimbabweans to DStv services in South Africa,” reads a statement issued by MultiChoice Zimbabwe last week.
However, it seems the mother company does not seem to care who is watching what from where and to whom they are paying, for there has never been a day we have seen an advert on any DStv channel telling viewers to desist from such practices. They make money either way – though the local franchise suffers.
“Illegal agents carry no guarantee of service quality and there is no means of enforcing adherence to DStv standards, and it is clear that a number of bogus operators are promoting access by Zimbabweans to DStv services sourced in South Africa, an act that is illegal and in flagrant violation of international rights regulations.
“It is our hope that this crackdown will eliminate bogus operators, who are putting customers at risk of poor quality service and also exposing them to possible prosecution for infringement of international copyright laws,” further read the statement.
Indeed there are instances where such accounts abruptly lose services.
However, when The Sunday Mail Leisure visited one of the illegal operators, their clients seemed pleased with the service they were getting and fumed when they heard MultiChoice intended to cut them off without coming up with better packages for locals.
When we quizzed a representative of MultiChoice Zimbabwe as to why they want to take action now and if they have the capacity to wipe out bogus operators, he said:
“MultiChoice is only able to respond when it is aware of illegal activity being conducted. The company is obligated to act to protect the rights of the channels, which it carries on its platforms. The operators approached so far have been very cooperative and some of them are in the process of taking down their advertising.”
Illegal operators are still advertising and operating as usual.
The local franchise blocked the annual price hikes for local customers this year, and on February 23, 2016 the Barclays Premier League, La Liga, plus the Euro 2016 were made available on the Compact bouquet at no extra cost.
