The addition of Radio One to the DSTV bouquet list extends Multichoice’s audio channel offering on the PayTV service bringing Ugandan music and information to more listeners as the brand’s Marketing Manager confirmed:

Today we mark a major milestone at MultiChoice as we unveil the first Ugandan FM radio station onto the DStv audio bouquet, in line with our commitment to deliver great Uganda entertainment and accurate current affairs content to the rest of the world

Mr. Colin Asiimwe, Head of Marketing, MultiChoice Uganda 

According to Mr. Asiimwe, Multichoice remains commited to driving the local content agenda by increasing the mix of Ugandan, International TV, and audio content available on DSTV.

So, In addition to local TV Programming headlined by the the Multichoice all-Ugandan cinema content channel Pearl Magic. Radio one will avail DSTV Subscribers with vast local content broadcasted on FM Waves, but received on DSTV with ease.

During the announcement, Radio One’s Head of Programming Mr. Elvis Kalema commented on the FM Radio’s extended broadcasting audience to DSTV as a vote of confidence in the quality of content broadcasted to the Radio’s audiences, and a great avenue to extend their reach across Uganda.

This milestone means that our audiences across Uganda now have an additional avenue to listen to their popular programs and shows on Radio One live from Kampala, Uganda.

Elvis Kalema – Head of Programming, Radio One

On top of Radio One’s addition on DStv, MultiChoice Uganda also recently launched a series of great entertainment TV channels including; KiX, ZooMoo, and ESPN available for DSTV Customers.

As a streaming attempt, Showmax which previously routed on Explora decoders is also available in Uganda with content ranging from TV Series, Sports and Documentary Channels.

Package prices have increased on a ratio of 1-5% from the usual rates. For Instance, GOTV Packages have increased by a fair margin of UGX 1,000 from the base rates.

For DSTV customers, package prices have gone up with a minimal decrement on the number of available channels per package. By this fashion, DSTV and GOTV are now the most expensive PayTV services in Uganda, and below are the new package rates.

The new 2020 DSTV Package Prices

New 2020 GOTV Package Prices

By the structure of the new Package pricing, Multichoice must be adapting to new UCC license standards which may be forcing the brand to recover its profitability ratio by raising package prices in return.

For now, the COVID19 Pandemic has affected several businesses worldwide with little to no room for recovery. So, the increase in PayTV package prices could force several customers to switch to Free to Air channel offers since most new TVs support DVB T2 straight out of the box.

Even though DSTV Explora decoders already have Showmax as a top-notch movie streaming service. Netflix and Amazon Prime will give DSTV viewers more choices to choose from.

Netflix is currently the leading Movie streaming platform most loved by users with major spikes in usage attributed to the current COVID19 Pandemic, which has forced many netizens to keep home, and kill Lockdown boredom by streaming movies.

Likely Amazon Prime Video is another loved streaming platform with its bullish streak mainly tied to US users. Even though the service is available in over 200 countries worldwide, several African countries are not supported. So, with DSTV Explora, the service will be available to users in countries not on its support list.

Give the fact that Showmax is already available on DSTV Explora. MultiChoice’s plan to add two of its fierce competitors on the Explora catalog, can be attributed to the popularity ratio between the streaming services, though they all offer different originals.

Likely, Box Office which allows users to rent movies will still be available on DSTV Explora. This means Explora decoders will have Showmax, Box office, Netflix, and Amazon Prime as fully accessible streaming services.

In Sub-Saharan Africa where Multichoice jointly operates with DSTV as its major PayTv service, the company has not made it clear whether the new services will require an Internet connection to the Explora decoder, or rely on the decoder’s satellite dish connection.

But due to the low penetration rate of Home/Broadband Internet service providers in the region, streaming Netflix and Prime Video originals on Explora decoders could simply require users to have a working satellite dish connection to the decoder.

With over 19.5 million customers across the continent, DSTV’s new Netflix and Amazon Prime Video offering will be available in the coming weeks, with an initial rollout to new Explora decoders as reported by MyBroadband SouthAfrica.

Well, GOTV users usually face a problem of delayed watching once a payment is made. Actually, the decoder may display an E16 error even after payment is made.

To activate your GOTV decoder once you successfully make a payment for a new package or after renewing your current bouquet, all you need to do is clear the displayed error to refresh your decoder.

To clear GOTV errors, you can either dial a given shortcode from the GOTV menu, or simply visit you’re My Account dashboard to send a clear signal from your Smartphone or computer.

Activating Your GOTV Decoder

1. Make sure your decoder is plugged in and turned ON.
2. Visit the GOTV Self Service Website: eazy.gotvafrica.com.
3. From Eazy Self Service Menu, Locate and click Fix errors.
4. From the open Fix Error Dialog Box, Enter your decoder number.
5. Choose the GOTV E16 Error on the list.
6. Enter the security check phrase.
7. Click fix error.
8. In a few seconds, Your decoder should become active again
9. Done: You just refreshed your decoder, if you made a payment, you should watch all channels.

With error E16 that pops up when your decoder subscription runs out, fixing it is as easy as refreshing the decoder online while it’s powered on. And, Just like that, your GOTV viewing experience continues.

For DStv, the Tweyanziza! Offer applies to all active and disconnected Access, Family, Compact, and Compact Plus customers. This means, when you pay for DSTV Access, you get Family and a Compact Plus customer gets DSTV premium just like that. 

The offer upgrades you from your current package (the one you have paid for) to the next one to get more entertainment and more channels for a wider viewing experience.

For GOTV, the Mwebale Nnyo! offer applies to Lite, Value, and Plus packages. This means, if you pay for GOTV Lite at UGX 11,000, you get GOTV Value channels instead, for a plus customer, you’re automatically elevated to Max free of charge.

According to Multichoice, the Offers campaign is equivalent to 40% off all DSTV and GOTV Packages with more channels for less, but limiting the topmost packages of Premium and max for the two offers respectively as Joan Ssemanda said:

It is our priority to put customers at the heart of everything we do, and in line with our mission to make great entertainment available, even during the most trying of times, we wanted to gift our valued customers by giving them a chance to experience a wider range of the quality content we carry on our other packages. This is our token of appreciation for their continued support

Joan Ssemanda Kizza – PR and Communications Manager, Multichoice Uganda

How to get the new DSTV and GOTV Discounted Offers

To enjoy the new DSTV and GOTV offers, all you need to do is buy a full package to automatically be upgraded to the next bouquet in line. The offer guarantees more channels from your current package, In simple terms, you get a higher package at the price of your current bouquet.

Either way, you can download the DStv Now App which allows you to watch Tv on your smartphone the same way you’d stream on Airtel Tv or YoTV.

With your full subscription cleared up to level you with more channels from an upper package, Staying Home to Stay safe with a wide experience becomes a perfect notch to pull in this trying COVID 19 Pandemic period.

Though GOTV uses basic HD decoders similar to other standard PayTV services in the same league like Startimes, Azam, Zuku among others. Its channel quality closely compares to DSTV’s even when packages are priced much lower.

Offered GOTV packages include: GOTV Lite which serves as a starter pack for customers, GOTV Value as a mid-range package for more channels than GOTV Lite, GOTV Plus for a bunch of more premium channels, and GOTV Max for all channels offered by the PayTV service.

GOTV Packages and Channels list

GOTV LITE

Number of Channels: 20+
Cost Per Month: UGX 14,000

GOTV Value

Number of Channels: 30
Cost Per Month: UGX 19,000

GOTV Plus

Number of Channels: 40
Cost Per Month: UGX 31,000

GOTV Max

Number of Channels: 50+
Cost Per Month:

GOTV Supa

Number of Channels: 69+
Cost Per Month: UGX 58,000

Love Supersport on GOTV? Here is the best GOTV Package to choose

• GOTV Plus
• GOTV Max
• GOTV SUPA

Apparently, GOTV Plus and GOTV Max both offer Super Sport channels. But for full supersport channels, you should consider GOTV Max which ranks with ESPN as an added sports channel.

In a nutshell, GOTV is a Pan-African PayTV service, so, its package names don’t change in countries it exists, but local channels are altered depending on the region. So non-local channels remain constant as package prices change based on a country’s business ecosystem.

Well, DSTV Packages range from access, family, compact to premium with price changes based on the number of channels available per package.

When you buy a new decoder, it’s preloaded with DSTV Access to discover the full bouquet of channels supported by your new PayTV decoder. Nonetheless, here is a list of DSTV Channels per package and the respective prices.

DSTV Package Prices

In summary, below are the DSTV package prices for customers leaving in Uganda, if you leave in a country such as Kenya or Nigeria, chances are high that the prices are similar in dollar rate.

DSTV LUMBA

Number of channels: 50+

PRICE PER MONTH: 16,000/=

DSTV Access

Number of channels: 90+

PRICE PER MONTH: 43,000/=

DSTV Family

Number of channels: 110+

PRICE PER MONTH: 64,000/=

DSTV Compact

Number of channels: 140+

PRICE PER MONTH: 104,000/=

DSTV Compact Plus

Number of channels: 155+

PRICE PER MONTH: 160,000/=

DSTV Premium – UGX 255,000 per month

Number of channels: 170+

PRICE PER MONTH: 275,000/=