BUSINESS

Is GOTV illegally charging its subscribers for free to air channels?


GOtv has done away with its Free to Air bouquet, dubbed as GOtv open bouquet, replacing it with GOtv lite where they will be charging an annual fee of Kshs. 1800 effective from May 18th . Well, probably most of you might not have known about this.

The new GOtv lite bouquet will give users access to free-to-air and 2 additional pay TV channels. However, from what we are gathering, most consumers feel that this should not be the case as the Communication Authority of Kenya already declared that subscribers were not to pay for Free to Air channels.

What this meant is that, If you have a Free-to-Air decoder or a digital TV, you will receive digital signals distributed by distributors that included ADN, Pan Africa Group (PANG) and Signet. Of course, this came after the digital migration tussle between the Communication Authority and local broadcasters that ended with a two-week digital switch off by the three major media houses in January, CA had asked all decoders in Kenya are supposed to offer a Free to Air option.

Through an internal guide seen by TechTrendsKE, the Kshs, 1,800  being charged by GoTv is being referred to as ‘annual administration fee’.  So what prompted the company to increase these charges? It says that it is the changes in operating systems and bouquet configurations that has necessitated the introduction of GOtv Lite, which has replaced the current GOtv Open.

“GOtv Lite replaces Gotv open and the new basic bouquet offering with an annual Admin Fee launched by GOtv. Subscribers will NOT be required to pay monthly fees on the Gotv Lite bouquet. For Ksh. 1800, subscribers will have access to the FAITH and Islam channels plus all available local free television channels.Changes in operating systems and bouquet configurations has necessitated the introduction of GOtv Lite, which has replaced the current GOtv Open.” the company said.

Currently, GOtv sells decoders to consumers for Ksh. 1399 with 2 months GOtv Plus Subscription. Upon expiry, subscribers have the option of Continuing with either the GOtv Plus or GOtv Value bouquet options and pay a monthly subscription or pay a one-off fee of Kshs. 1,200 for the FTA channels. The latter is set for replacement by the GOtv Lite.

Among other refreshed bouquets is the original GOtv bouquet which offers over 21 channels ranging from news and documentaries, lifestyle, music, religion and sport, will be renamed to GOtv Value and GOtv Plus which provides over 40 channels of great family entertainment will remain unchanged. Many subscribers are yet to be informed of these changes and are still using the service with the belief that the GOtv Open package is still as they knew it was before the changes

Below are some screenshots of the complains consumers are making on the GOtv Facebook Page.

Capture gotv Capture Gotv plus

Some subscribers were paying the Kshs. 1200 to get their decoders activated to free to air but they were charged an extra Kshs. 600 to get them on the GOtv plus platform, this came to many as a surprise.

Whats your experience? Leave us a comment in the comments section below.

Facebook Comments

REGISTER NOW

TechTrends Media Editorial

We cover Technology and Business trends in Kenya and across Africa. Send tips to editor@techtrendske.co.ke

22 Comments

  1. Instead of choosing the channels to add on Gotv open /lite i suggest you allow subscribers to choose themselves then they alert you.For mine I would prefer Nat Geo Wild instead of Islam. Thanks.

  2. Ipaid 1800ksh for gotv lite today but they transfer the amount to gotv value.what can ido to suspend this current bouquet to allow me to activate gotv lite?.please help me.

  3. I think if you thought on the line of a Ksh 1,800 annual subscription for all the local channels in both bouquets, then monthly renewal of Kshs 600 or Kshs 849 for the 21 & 41channels respectively, this would be a nice idea. Atleast the kshs 1,800 in both bouquets cater for all the local channels. If I am financially stable this month & I feel the need to add the other channels for that particular month, you reap the additional kshs 600 or 849 from me. If unstable, you will be having my Kshs 1,800 annuall subscription & I continue with the local channels only.
    TAKE SOME TIME TO DIGEST THIS &THINK BUSINESS MAKING YOUR CUSTOMERS HAPPIER!

  4. Good afternoon, i paid my subscription of kshs.850 my iuc no. 2016020811 on 7th oct,2015 and upto now am not able to watch my favourite channels, kindly activate all the channels required.

    Regards
    Hellen

  5. I bought a decoder and after two months I paid 1800 of which I watched TV for two months and I was informed to pay 749.my question is on which bounquet am I?coz Gotvplus is 850.

  6. I bought a decoder and after two months I paid 1800 of which I watched TV for two months and I was informed to pay 749.my question is on which bounquet am I?coz Gotvplus is 850.Icu no

  7. Hi,i have been paying Kshs.849 monthly,can i choose the channels to be paying for and what will happen to my local channels?pleaae advise,thankyou.

  8. Hi,I paid my subscription for local channels yesterday 28th dec 2015 ksh1800 jls6qlsjyq a/c 2017302137 and unfortunately my decorder indicate that expirely date is Feb 2016 .If that what you are doing your business exactly that date I will dismantle it and 4 get.So if you can change ,change to mentain your business pliz

  9. have paid for my decorder kshs599 but am not able to watch local channels as citizen ntv qtv KTN please help icu 2018754913

  10. am joseph and i want to move from go tv plus to go tv lite av paid 1800 bt its talkin of march being expiry month 2016 plis hlp.iuc no 2016006714

  11. I wld like 2 shift fro GoTv plus to Lte, what do i do ? My iuc 2018517568: or there shld b a way any particular month i pay for banguet i want comensurate with my pocket at any one month, and customer should not be left struggling to access a banguet of his choice.

  12. wish to change from gotv plus to gotv lite. what is the procedure? my IUC no is 2017358791

  13. I want to change from gotv plus to gotv value.what procedure should i follow via my phone? Martin

Have anything to add to this article? Leave us a comment below

Back to top button