₦airaland Forum

Nigerians are at the losing end again after
MultiChoice Nigeria, a South African satellite
TV company implemented its 20 percent
subscription hike despite court order stopping it
from taking such action pending the
determination of a suit filed against it by some
lawyers.
DAILY POST recalls that a Federal High Court
sitting in Lagos state had ordered DSTV to
revert to its old subscription fee. The order
followed a suit filed by two lawyers
challenging what they termed an arbitrary
increment in subscription rates imposed by
MultiChoice Nigeria, operators of DStv and
GOtv pay-TV platforms, on their subscribers.
Justice C.J. Aneke, in an interim order asked
MultiChoice to revert to its old subscription
rates pending the determination of the suit on
the legality of its new tariffs.
Just as Nigerians were celebrating the court
order, MultiChoice waved the order aside and
has continued to charge customers based on
its new subscription rate.
DAILY POST’s visit to MultiChoice head office
in Wuse 2, Abuja on Friday revealed the
company’s exploitative tendencies and its
determination not to back down from its
current subscription rates as customers who
raised the issue of the existing court order
were either escorted by team of security men
from the vicinity or harassed by some of its
officials kept at the entrance to monitor
customer’s reaction.
When our reporters approached one of the
staff whose identity we could not ascertain, we
were told that nobody was ready to speak with
us on the said subject. However, due to our
reporters’ insistence, a team of policemen and
SSS led them to have a brief session with a
man who also refused to divulge his identity
to us. While speaking with our reporter, the
male official who is of average height told
DAILY POST that he was not in any way aware
of any court judgment and was not ready to
react to what he had considered mere rumours
being peddled by some unidentified persons.
The following conversation ensued between
our reporters and the DSTV officials:
DAILY POST: We have just gathered that
despite a court order that DSTV should revert
to its old subscription rate, you have
continued to charge customers based on the
new tariff. As one of your customers, I just got
a text message that my bouquet is now
N3600 as against N3000 (makes to switch on
the voice recorder)
DSTV official: You do not need to record as we
have a formal procedure that we follow. You
may need to get a reaction from our
cooperate headquarters in Lagos. That’s the
right channel. However, I will explain to you as
a customer. You can give me your details so I
can forward their contacts to you; then you
can contact them.
DAILY POST: But you can also speak to us.
DSTV official: Like I said, we have a
procedure. I can only talk to you as a
customer, I will send you our cooperate coms
number or I will forward your numbers to them
so they can contact you. Then, you can get all
your answers. We are aware of an injunction,
but we have not received any order with
relation to that. We have been hearing the
rumour on the said order, but nobody has told
us anything yet. So I will get them your
details so you can get other information on
this from them.
DAILY POST: Okay, that’s fine…
DSTV official: Any other thing? You said you
want to make payment
DAILY POST: Yes, I will make payment now
Police: You want to make payment or you
have already made?
DAILY POST: I would like to make payment,
but I have just received a text message that
payment is now 3600 against the 3000 that I
was paying before now. Am I going to be
charged for that now?
DSTV official: (Silent, appears confused)
Woman on black suits presumed to be DSS:
(In obvious doubt) let’s see the SMS.
DAILY POST : Here…( stretches his mobile
phone) You see, I was right.
DSTV official: You are already aware of the
new subscription rate
Woman (DSS): Exactly!
DAILY POST: But I said I just got this text
message, but there is nothing I can do, I’m
already a customer, so I will make payment.
DSTV official: Is your payment altered? Have
you been disconnected? (Still suspicious of
the reporter’s motive)
DAILY POST: Not at all. It’s just because you
people won’t be working on Saturday, so I
need to make payment as my subscription
would be altered on Sunday. (Brings out
money from his pocket and counts) Three
Thousand Six hundred (3,600)
Woman (DSS): (Calling a staff name) Go with
him to counter six let them attend to him. Go
with him…go with him to counter six, let them
attend to him, and give him his receipt.
(Woman follows to counter six and
embarrassingly said: Please attend to this
customer so we can free him from the
environment.
Reporter: Madam (No response) Madam
(referring to the woman)
Woman: Sirdam!
DAILY POST: Are we being harassed?
Woman: Tell us if we are not being harassed.
DAILY POST: You are turning the table round
Woman: You are done now
DAILY POST: Okay…thank you very much…
Also speaking to DAILY POST on Tuesday, a
female senior staff at MultiChoice head office
in Lagos said the company cannot respond
“for now”.
Preferring anonymity, she said: “We cannot
react for now because the case in court.
Anything we say now may be use against us in
court.”
Reminded that the new price regime was
already in effect, she responded: “Sorry I
cannot comment. There is a suit in court and
that is the only place we are allowed to
speak.”
Meanwhile, angry reactions have trailed the
decision by MultiChoice Africa in disregard of
a court order. Many subscribers interviewed by
DAILY POST were enraged by the decision.
They complained that it was unimaginable
that DSTV could go ahead with the move
despite the palpable opposition that the
increment has generated from Nigerians.
Daniel Oleji said that, “it goes to show that
they have no regard for their customers. How
can they not because of the resistance of
Nigerians cut down the increment to like 10
per cent and not the 20 per cent addition they
have now effected.”
Another subscriber, who gave his name as KC
called for the “arrest of those in charge of
DSTV in Nigeria. Don’t you know what
happens when you go against the court? For
me, those guys should be arrested for showing
contempt for our judiciary.”
Muhammed Yusuf on his part lampooned the
government agencies that are supposed to
track and control the excesses of companies,
stressing that, “if they had been checking
DSTV all these while and punishing them for
the various times they have let Nigerians
down in the services they provide, it wouldn’t
have gotten this. But I don’t think it is too
late for government to come hard on them.
Let it use this opportunity to deal decisively
with the organization so that they would think
twice before exploiting Nigerians again.”
When told that such punitive action by the
government can make the company quit
operating in Nigeria thereby denying the
country of the benefits of hosting the
company, Yusuf said, “believe me, DSTV would
on their own never want to leave this country
as it knows what it is gaining. Even if it
leaves, it wouldn’t take long before another
company takes its place. Government just has
to intervene for the sake of Nigerians.”
Ahmadu James says he is no longer
concerned about whatever DSTV does as he
has switched to another service provider,
adding that, “I can assure you that there are
many people like me who have migrated to
other substitutes. Thank God, MultiChoice is
not the only company operating cable
television in this country. I am very sure that
they would have noticed the decrease in the
population of their subscribers lately.”
When accosted, Emeka Obi rather asked, “Tell
me what would make them (MultiChoice) to
increase their subscription fee. Are they in any
way directly affected by the falling value of
Naira? What exactly could have been behind
this their greed when we still see many
shortcomings in their services? Me, I have
abandoned mine since it expired. Even if I
subscribe now, where is the light with which to
watch their programmes? Me I cannot pay
their new price and they had better stopped
sending me SMS reminding me to go and
pay.”
Kunle Osofisan, a businessman residing in
Oniru Estate, Lagos, lamented the decision of
MultiChoice to go ahead with the new rates
despite a court case.
“I’m aware that the court ruled on the case in
the first week of April after they had
implemented the new price regime,” he said.
“But as soon as the Judge ruled, a sensible
company should have reversed and wait till
the determination of the suit.
“Now, they are acting like there is no case on
this matter. People who go to their offices to
subscribe pay the new rate.
“Has our national identity or honour gone so
low that a South African company now call
bluff a ruling by a Nigeria court?, he quipped.
Another subscriber identified as Dora said, ‘’
you see… are we even supposed to be paying
monthly to DSTV. Isn’t that an exploitation on
its own? We have been enduring this. You
could pay for 30 channels and you are only
able to watch maybe five or ten channels. Why
can’t we pay for what we watch? DSTV should
stop exploiting us in our own country. Let
them go to South Africa and do that.
My administration will not witch hunt
anyone – Wike
Meanwhile, DAILY POST was at the Consumer
Protection Council, CPC, in Abuja to confirm
what the Council is doing to stop the alleged
exploitative tendencies of MultiChoice. A
source who pleaded anonymity told our
reporter that a letter is currently being worked
on and that very soon, it will be delivered to
DSTV. He said a copy will be made available
to DAILY POST just to know the position of the
Council. He said, ‘’we are aware of the
development as our customers all over the
country have reacted to the new subscription
regime. We are working on a letter that will
soon be sent to DSTV. Until then, we are not
officially guaranteed to react. We will make a
copy of the letter available to you. After then,
you should know our position.

Guyz south africa just insulted us and our diginity

Nawa oooi

Nigerian court is worse than a toothless dog

Customers should boycott them and they should be charged for contempt.

They bribed our senators first n now refusn d court oders ....well I still did ma one year sub for premium sha
....ma own b say I don boook space dey wait for fp

tizz04:
They bribed our senators first n now refusn d court oders ....well I still did ma one year sub for premium sha

Will be bleeped up if this price goes on against court others.... imagine s.a pulling wait in nigeria smh

The result of monopoly. I hope they would be dealt with thoroughly.

What kind of nonsense is this, DSTV taken us for a ride. They should be chased out of this country, so annoying .

ishiamu:
Will be bleeped up if this price goes on against court others.... imagine s.a pulling wait in nigeria smh

abi

Multichoice must not get away with this. The appropriate authorities must get them to face the law. Importantly is that they have base whatsoever to increase their subscription rates. If they must increase their suscription, then it must be in prepaid format as obtainable in other climes.

help kick DSTV out of Nigeria!!
their old old outdated movies, bad bad news and current immoral western songs.

help kick DSTV out of Nigeria!!
their old old outdated movies, bad bad news and current immoral western songs just for high fees!

tizz04:
abi

Ya

idrizzle07:
What kind of nonsense is this, DSTV taken us for a ride. They should be chased out of this country, so annoying .

ozoigbondu:
Guyz south africa just insulted us and our diginity

barcanista:
Customers should boycott them and they should be charged for contempt.

Omexonomy:
Nigerian court is worse than a toothless dog

That is exactly what our politicians does and we clap for them, how many times has many senators, Governors, political parties and the president have disregarded the court order. Atleast DSTV has not slap a jugde with the help of police or military, the more we allow our politicians to distroy the institution the more we suffer.

As you lay your bed so you will sleep on it.

I hardly watch DSTV nowadays unless I have a specific program to watch if not I prefer to buy my cd and watch.

Rubbish

If this is true, then its such a shame... shame on the relevant authorities selling us cheap for peanuts since time immemorial!

If you can't afford DSTV, go for DaarSat or StarTimes. What the heck is the noise for!

You guys are funny. Your naira took a dive, and you still expect DSTV rates to stay put. Cost of Satellite Transmission is paid for in dollars, not naira. So if the naira cost of getting DSTV signals into your home goes up it will be unfair to force them to keep the old rates unchanged!

Nevertheless, DSTV should never have disobeyed a court order.

Volksfuhrer:
If you can't afford DSTV, go for DaarSat or StarTimes. What the heck is the noise for!

You guys are funny. Your naira took a dive, and you still expect DSTV rates to stay put. Cost of Satellite Transmission is paid for in dollars, not naira. So if the naira cost of getting DSTV signals into your home goes up it will be unfair to force them to keep the old rates unchanged!

Nevertheless, DSTV should never have disobeyed a court order.

the court ordered them not to increase the fees but they went ahead to increase it. WTF can any Nigerian organization do that in SA.

Dstv should be Banned

Even MTN join

What Rubbish

Volksfuhrer:
If you can't afford DSTV, go for DaarSat or StarTimes. What the heck is the noise for!

You guys are funny. Your naira took a dive, and you still expect DSTV rates to stay put. Cost of Satellite Transmission is paid for in dollars, not naira. So if the naira cost of getting DSTV signals into your home goes up it will be unfair to force them to keep the old rates unchanged!

Nevertheless, DSTV should never have disobeyed a court order.

This is the problem with Nigerians, you see every event as an opportunity to throw weight around and show off. As anybody said they can't afford the new price? The agitation is for the insult this SA coy dished out to our entire judicial system. Do you think any Nigerian coy or any coy at that can do such in SA? And you are here typing things we didn't ask for. Do you think you are the only one that can afford it?

#occupyDSTV

Dstv be like Don't mind those judiciary, they want to orubebe our business but we'll jegarize them.

Zedric:
This is the problem with Nigerians, you see every event as an opportunity to throw weight around and show off. As anybody said they can't afford the new price? The agitation is for the insult this SA coy dished out to our entire judicial system. Do you think any Nigerian coy or any coy at that can do such in SA? And you are here typing things we didn't ask for. Do you think you are the only one that can afford it?

The last paragraph of my post took care of your objection.

An issue like this has no business in court in the first place! DSTV is a private enterprise and should be treated fairly like any other business. We cannot allow others to review their prices in the light of new cost conditions, and then single out DSTV for attack because it is owned by foreigners!

Fash20:
the court ordered them not to increase the fees but they went ahead to increase it. WTF can any Nigerian organization do that in SA.

Did you read the last paragraph of my submission?

I have 2 Dstv acct which I have refused to renew,waiting for their customer care Agents to call as usual then I will give them my piece of mind.for now their decoders would be treated like toys.i have migrated to my strong receiver nilesat etc until .......so many free stations to watch....mtcheeeeew

In other news, Startimes Nigeria just announced yesterday that they will increase all their prices by 20% (Vanguard pg.43). This increase is effective April 18, 2015.

They also have to be sued!!!!!!