The House of Representatives moved on Tuesday to contain the “arbitrary” subscription rates charged by Multichoice for its Digital Satellite Television services in the country.

The House observed that high pricing by Dstv had made access to its “premium” programming difficult for the majority of Nigerians.

It also noted that lack of competition in the digital satellite broadcast industry had encouraged a monopoly giving firms such as Multichoice the “undue advantage” of blocking the efforts of other firms to enter the market and crash prices.

Lawmakers particularly opposed a “rigid” subscription policy that permanently billed subscribers “whether they are at home viewing programmes or not.”

A bill to stop such stranglehold on the industry passed second reading at the House on Tuesday.

The bill, which was sponsored by a member from Adamawa State, Mrs. Aisha Dahiru-Modibbo, sought to amend the National Broadcasting Commission Act to guarantee openness and competition in the industry.

The long title of the bill reads, “A Bill for an Act to Amend the National Broadcasting Commission Act to Provide for Competition in Nigeria, to Promote Efficiency and Expand Opportunities for Participation of Nigerians in World Markets, while at the same time recognising the Role of Foreign Competition in Nigeria and for other Matters Related thereto.”

Leading the debate on the bill, Dahiru-Modibbo said while Nigeria was not against foreign participation in the local economy but such involvement should not be to the detriment of Nigerians.

She noted that there were indigenous firms which could also render premium satellite broadcast programming to Nigerians, but complained that “deliberate actions” by monopolies stifled the firms.

“In every country, measures are taken to protect the people.

“What is happening to us in Nigeria does not happen elsewhere on the continent.

“It is high time our regulatory body, the NBC was positioned to protect Nigerians from this arbitrary actions,” she stated.

The House Deputy Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor, wondered why Nigeria, one of the countries with the largest subscriber base of Dstv services, hardly received the kind of “subscriber-friendly offers” that were offered to the citizens of other African countries.

“You have a situation in the telecommunications industry, for example, where you are billed as you go or use your mobile phones.

“You pay for what you use. We should be having pay as you view or watch as well.

“Why should Nigerians continue to pay for Dstv services whether they are at home using the service or not?” Ogor asked.

He cited Kenya as one of the countries that had taken measures to contain the excesses of Dstv and other foreign digital satellite TV service providers.

Seasoned broadcaster and Chairman, House Committee on Diaspora Affairs, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, lent her voice to the debate, supporting a call for more subscriber-friendly pricing in Nigeria.
http://www.punchng.com/news/reps-move-to-end-dstv-monopoly/

Let them just bring pay per view biko

Nice development.
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*modified *
Let's wait and see how long it will take before any bill is passed and implemented. When it comes to making laws that will benefit the common man, we know how our reps and senators behave.
But, it didn't take them anytime to approve the borrowing of ONE BILLION DOLLARS proposed by the clown to FIGHT the bokohaRAMS that they're currently negotiating PEACE with.
Meanwhile, I don't see DSTV doing any monopoly here. Our own indigenous providers too are very greedy!
How much is Dasat subscription?
How much is Startimes subscription?
How much is Hitv subscription?

I wonder why they have succeeded in maintaining the monopoly for years. We need competition in the satellite TV market. If not we can't keep blaming DSTV.

Nice one

welcome development


thank God Consatv is here

Lemon12:
welcome development


thank God Consatv is here

The monopoly has been just too long. I'd only others could add live football streaming channels, the monopoly would surely be broken

nice development, DSTV has held d power for so long a time ...mods front page now!!!

parrotibaba:
nice development, DSTV has held d power for so long a time ...mods front page now!!!

Una won eat the front page..!!!

graciousme:
I wonder why they have succeeded in maintaining the monopoly for years. We need competition in the satellite TV market. If not we can't keep blaming DSTV.

We get star time now... Abi them don park from ur area has they did in our side.

odun4love:



We get star time now... Abi them don park from ur area has they did in our side.

Their pictures and audio quality is poor

The bill will soon die. Dstv will send PR expert to them and they will look the other way like NBC is presently doing. Election is coming, politicians need PR.
[s]Seun or Mod too will not send this to the front page bc this may affect the advert they get from Dstv.[/s] Just guessing!!
Edited

Ok

and how come they just waking up to reality? who or wat woke them up? this bill is long over due

This is only good news if they have a better alternative.

thunder74:

She noted that there were indigenous firms which could also render premium satellite broadcast programming to Nigerians, but complained that “deliberate actions” by monopolies stifled the firms.

Like HiTV abi? They were much more arrogant brand during their short EPL reigns. And picture quality was not too far from that of LTV 8

thunder74:

“In every country, measures are taken to protect the people.
“What is happening to us in Nigeria does not happen elsewhere on the continent.
“It is high time our regulatory body, the NBC was positioned to protect Nigerians from this arbitrary actions,” she stated.
The House Deputy Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor, wondered why Nigeria, one of the countries with the largest subscriber base of Dstv services, hardly received the kind of “subscriber-friendly offers” that were offered to the citizens of other African countries.
“You have a situation in the telecommunications industry, for example, where you are billed as you go or use your mobile phones.
“You pay for what you use. We should be having pay as you view or watch as well.
“Why should Nigerians continue to pay for Dstv services whether they are at home using the service or not?” Ogor asked.
He cited Kenya as one of the countries that had taken measures to contain the excesses of Dstv and other foreign digital satellite TV service providers.

True.

I pay N13,450 per month. That's paying about One Million Naira (N1,000,000) to watch TV for only 6 years. That's the price of 1 plot of land in some outskirt of Lagos. Chai. I cant wait for the success of this move.

To be on the conservative side, let's say they have 1,000,000 premium subscribers. If my math has not failed me, that's N1,000,000,000,000 (someone should help me write this in words) for 6 years.

We are the enemy of our own self, if dangote can hold and monopolize local industries, why won't foreign companies like MTN, Julius berger who are not even the best in their respective countries hold Us to ransom here in nigeria. Will someone who import generator, ever wish Nigeria power sector well? Lastly MR. DEPUTY HOUSE LEADER am sure you owned houses in every state in nigeria which are well equipped with DSTVs and unfortunately you just calculated your loss per month that is why you raising alarm. When the masses problem become una major concern? #2015 in progress

This is good news

k

Nice one

A long overdue decision. The exploitation is just too much.

About time

thank God.

Best news this morning, I just hate the way dstv exploits Nigerians and pamper south africans, despite the fact that we patronise them a lot. A south African friend once told me how dstv is for a token of which every household can pay for.

Pay as you watch is a good idea jare, why should I pay for what I hardly use (say weekends only). Also their prices must be reduced. If they don't want to, let them pack their load to wherever they came from.

Good News to start today... Nice one Nairaland.

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Better l8 than never and I really like the idea of pay as you watch. Electricity and phone companies are doing the same thing so why not satellite tv?

I propose there should be a recharge card process that you load on your decoder, only reads when the decoder is on and disconnects when u've exhausted your airtime....

I think that is as fair as it gets cos this 11k5 premium fee just to watch 2 hours of tv everyday is craaaaaaaaazy.....

DSTV is really exploiting us. Its unimaginable that we pay for even stations like AIT.

Now someone is thinking!!!!! Nice one....

Thank GOD O
Waiting for better suscription rates and light to watch programmes

Sai Buhari

Imagine Paying Above 12k a month just on DSTV alone. its too exorbitant Abeg!!

But Wait oh If Dem Deregulate Dis Stuff e go Affect My Viewing Centre Business

DSTV pls do d Needful and Give d House Members Some token not as a Bribe, But Appreciation. After all its just Stealing and Not Corruption

Its simple. This is democracy and free market. If they want to beat DSTV, the should provide us with a cable service better than DSTV and gbam! DSTV would be out of the market before you say jack.

This is just a ploy to bring in one chinese mediocre company that would end up ripping Nigerians off, like they are doing with startimes.