Boss are they still functioning? Cutezt:
A few months ago, a friend told me about an exciting alternative to the ever-increasing DSTV prices - SLTV. Intrigued, I decided to give it a try.
One evening, I rushed home all hyped to catch the UCL action, only to find my subscription expired. Ready to cough up some cash, I recalled the SLTV chat with my friend and thought, "Why not?" So, I decided to explore SLTV
After some digging, I found a bunch of SLTV sites, many of which I realized were incomplete, without much information about the company. but I settled on one that had dealer info and locations at https://metrodigital.tv/find-a-dealer/.
I reached out to a nearby dealer, who initially quoted me 27,500 Naira. Cool, right? Determined to make the switch, I decided to wait until the following week to subscribe as it was the weekend. So next week rolls around, and bam! Dollar rates soar, and suddenly it's N37,500! (This was just a flimsy excuse by the dealer to extort me tho, the price still remains the same according to the company, but I let it slide when I calculated installation fees and all)
Still, compared to DSTV's wallet-draining ways, it seemed reasonable. So, I bit the bullet and called the guy over.
The next day, the dealer arrived promptly and had the SLTV decoder and dish set up in less than 10 minutes. I was thrilled to discover that I could now access all the Supersport channels and more. Eager to learn about the subscription options, I found that the Diamond package was priced at 2,500 Naira, while the Gold package was 5,000 Naira per month. I also learned that SLTV offered a variety of free-to-air channels, but I didn't bother to have the installer set those up for me.
My SLTV Experience
After using SLTV for nearly two months, here is my review.
1. Broadcast Rights:
While I was able to access all Supersport channels without restrictions, I've noticed that SLTV streams a majority of their channels from DSTV and YouTube.
Occasionally, you encounter the DSTV interface and error code on your screen, and also the YouTube auto caption (mostly on CNN) which writes rubbish. This can be discouraging and unprofessional.
I thought about how TSTV vanished into thin air, but I made peace with myself when I decided to view the SLTV installation fee as paying for a DSTV subscription, just in case SLTV later shuts down. After all, I still watch my matches at the end of the day.
The streaming experience can be inconsistent, with lags ranging from a few seconds to up to 2 minutes behind the live action.
Intermittent signal cuts during matches, though not frequent, can disrupt the viewing experience.
Digging a bit deeper, I discovered SLTV has been engaged in a legal battle with DSTV for some time now on sharing its broadcast rights. DSTV initially won the case, but SLTV appealed the judgment in a higher court and won the appeal, However, DSTV has also challenged the judgment, so the case is still ongoing. ( https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/542466-court-orders-multichoice-to-sublicense-channels.html?tztc=1 )
The handling of SLTV's social media presence and branding suggests a need for improvement in terms of professionalism, including the employment of a dedicated social media manager and a graphic design team. An instance where SLTV openly called out MultiChoice and included names in a post, I perceived as unprofessional.
As far as customer support is concerned, it is nonexistent! A call to the number listed for support on their website and you will be greeted with 'switched off', I wonder how customer care will be switched off. Their social media support is no different. When you encounter a challenge, your best bet is to get an agent/dealer. That is why it is good to keep subscribing with a particular dealer so as to build a relationship in case you need any help someday.
I was however comforted when I learned of the presence of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, at SLTV's launch. It was an encouraging sign that the platform had the backing of the federal government. This government support has provided a sense of reassurance that SLTV won't leave its viewers "hanging" (at least for the time being).
2. Picture Quality
When tuning in to SLTV for your favorite matches, it's important to consider the picture quality. If you own a large screen TV, especially 50 inches or larger, you might notice that the claimed full HD stations are not actually full HD, possibly around 480p or 720p resolution at best. However, it's worth mentioning that SLTV does offer approximately 2 Supersport channels in full HD. There is room for improvement in enhancing the overall picture quality across their channels.
3. Subscription System.
The affordability of their subscription service is overshadowed by the lack of a functional public subscription system. Despite promoting both an Android app and a website for subscriptions, using these platforms often results in your money vanishing into thin air.
Personal experience attempting to subscribe through the app revealed a disconcerting outcome - while the payment was processed successfully, the subscription failed to activate. Even after contacting an agent who checked my profile for me, no record of the subscription or money could be found. A frustrating situation where payment was made for a subscription that was never received, necessitating an additional payment from me for another subscription.
For a company serious about its operations in 2024, the absence of a reliable subscription system is a significant drawback. Relying on agents for subscription management is an outdated practice that does not align with modern consumer expectations. It is misleading to advertise apps and websites for subscriptions that are not fully operational. Even after subscribing sometime, you will need to call and disturb an agent to refresh your profile for it to start displaying. Further investigation revealed that this subscription issue is widespread among users, not just me, indicating a systemic problem that requires urgent attention.
4. Available Content
While the platform offers a respectable selection of channels, the content is not tailored specifically for the Nigerian audience. For instance, the music stations predominantly feature tunes from across Africa, rather than catering to local Nigerian Audiences as the company claims to focus on providing affordable local content.
Switching to channels like Trace or MTV, you often times encounter unfamiliar songs from East Africa or outdated hip-hop tracks.
The movie selection, although more recent than the outdated offerings on DSTV, still falls short of providing the latest releases. Similarly, the National Geographic and wildlife-focused channels, while present, do not offer the same level of entertainment value and content as the Nat Geo on DSTV. Even tho they are both Nat Geo/Nat Geo Wild, they show different content.
On a positive note, the platform does provide a selection of cartoon channels, such as Nickelodeon, to cater to the entertainment needs of children, as well as Nigerian Movies from Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Epic, and Urban movie channels.
In summary, SLTV may be a suitable option for football lovers with screen sizes of 40 inches or less, who are not overly concerned with picture quality. However, for those seeking a more tailored content experience and crisp visual quality, DSTV may remain the preferred choice.
I hope to provide a more detailed video review of SLTV before the end of the week. Please feel free to drop comments if you have any further questions. |
