Multichoice Kenya's Corporate Communications Manager Philip Wahome (right) and Sales and Distribution Manager Steve Kombo (left) at a media conference on October 18, 2016

Last week, Multichoice announced that its subsidiary GOtv was reducing the prices of all its packages in addition to adding more sports content. 

The changes saw Gotv slash by 28% the prices of GOtv Value  bouquet from KSh. 650 to Ksh. 470. The price of GOtv Lite bouquet was reduced to Kshs. Ksh. 840 per annum down from Kshs. 1800.

The price of the GOtv decoder and GOtenna has also went down to Ksh. 2999 from the previous cost of Ksh. 3999.  In an interesting development, Multichoice has announced a 60% price reduction in the price of DSTV Explora from Kshs. 30,650 to Kshs. 12,500. 

The new price is inclusive of the decoder, cabling and installation costs. The DSTV explora was launched in 2013 and offers users a full HD experience with additional features such as personal video recoder (PVR functionality), video on demand capability as well as video rental services all within the same interface. 
The PVR functionality allows the viewer to record shows into a 2 Terabyte hard drive and watch them later (one can record upto 220 hours of content).
One also has the option to pause, play and rewind live TV giving the user more control over their viewing experience. 
The video on demand capability is offered through DSTV catch up service. DSTV Catch up allows you to watch the latest series for a given period of time as soon as they air on their main networks. The video rental service, is another addition that allows a viewer to watch content for a fee which is added to your monthly subscription.
Explora is especially useful when watching the latest films after they open in theaters worldwide.  The moves by Multichoice are very interesting and could point to increasing competition in the content provision space.

The entry of new streaming services such as Netflix and Showmax as well as competition from other existing players like StarTimes are likely to have pushed the firm to make these changes.
The opening up of the its wide array of sports content to GOtv subscribers will ,most likely intensify demand for the service while at the same time one up Kwese TV, which is set to enter the market later this month. 

The reduction in prices of Explora may attract new users onto the platform but at the same time, we cannot downplay the competition triple play and quad play users have had in the target market.

Going for the gold with LG this Olympics

By Correspondent

With the Rio Summer Olympics just around the corner, athletes around the world are getting ready for the iconic multi-sporting event. Top on their mind is getting an honor only reserved for the top brass—the gold medal. Every elite athlete will be going for the gold, and LG Electronics has an instrumental role in helping them achieve this.

LG Electronics has been a key player in harnessing the power of technology to redefine the modern sporting experience. One has to look no further than TV, where LG’s top-of-the-line OLED TVs have caused a huge stir, captivating millions across the world with breathtaking picture clarity.

LG has gone a step further and is now using the power of technology to make training easier for athletes, ensuring that athletes have that all important competitive edge over their rivals. 

LG understands that training is a primary factor in determining the success of an athlete and has rolled out a range of products meant to help athletes transition into the modern era of smart training.

Smart training is simply data driven training that leverages on devices and smart connectivity to collect as much information as possible about the athlete’s training routine.

This includes data such as their speed, acceleration, deceleration and other pertinent information, which trainers can use to tweak their athletes’ performance to optimum levels.

One revolutionary product that has proven its effectiveness for both athletes in track and field events is the LG Watch Urbane 2^nd Edition, which provides users with the data they need to make every minute of their training count. 

This use of this technology was initially restricted to field events such as marathons, but has now been scaled up to include team sports such as football, where team work is essential.

But while technological tools provides trainers with reams of useful data, it was what trainers do with the data that truly counts. 

This means that the best technology partner is not just one that helps improve the training process, but rather one that also focuses on improving people.

LG is all about people. It develops its products with people in mind and seeks to improve the lives of people, even going the extra mile to achieve this. 

That is why it has established a reputation as a key corporate sponsor of teams, providing much crucial funding to develop world-class story.

In different markets across the world, LG supports sporting talent. This is what makes it unique in that it shares in the aspirations of different peoples around the world to become all that they can be in the different sports they are good at.

In Europe, LG has sponsored teams like Manchester City and Bayern Leverkusen. In Africa, it is rewarding top football talent in Kenya’s top league by offering incentives to players of the month. Internationally, LG has supported the Cricket World Cup. 

This Olympics presents yet another opportunity for LG to continue in its prestigious tradition of developing the world’s top sporting talent.