A call has been made for Multichoice Nigeria Limited, owners of Digital Satellite Television (DSTV), to switch to pay-as-you-go for subscribers angry over the quality of services DSTV is offering its Nigerian customers.
Aggrieved DSTV subscribers have complained to the Consumer Protection Council (CPC). The CPC met with DSTV chiefs to pass the consumers’ message across to the company.
According to the CPC delegation, it is time DSTV introduced the pay-as-you-go subscription in the best interest of subscribers of the satellite television who want value for money.
The CPC queried the rationale behind the reluctance to introduce the pay-as-you-go subscription plan in Nigeria in comparison with practice in other countries where the economic well-being of consumers is considered.
The council maintained the pay-as-you-go subscription would be a means of ensuring consumers get value for their money, since they will have the option to make choices. It also said with the proposed subscription plan, DSTV customers will be able to control their consumption.
Other issues were raised at the interactive session, one of which was the incessant loss of signals during bad weather.
“The council also canvassed for compensation to subscribers for loss of transmission signals, usually experienced during adverse weather conditions, particularly in rainy season, known as rain fade,” CPC said in a statement.
While responding, representatives of Multichoice Nigeria Limited said the company currently lacks the platforms to implement pay-as-you-go system of payment, but did promise to look into it. Further explanation was given concerning the disparity in the company’s payment plan by the company’s representatives.
They affirmed Multichoice is an access-to-content selling company and could not determine what it could purchase or sell to the smallest unit which would allow a pay-as-you-go payment system to function.
On the issue of compensation for down-times for signals, Multichoice representatives said loss of signals during the heavy downpour is a natural occurrence, which could hardly be curtailed.
Like the payment issue, company representatives promised the CPC they will reevaluate the council’s demand for some form of compensation for DSTV subscribers for the disruption in service while the company seeks the development of new technologies that can eliminate the company’s major bottleneck in qualitative service delivery.
