TSTV hands out free decoders
Recently launched Nigerian pay TV platform Telecom Satellite Television (TSTV) has started giving out free decoders to build subscriptions, reports Gabriella Opara.
Running on the 4.5G network, the TSTV Africa decoder has 50Gb hard disk to record TV programmes, a pause/play function and 100 channels of local, regional and international programmes. The channels will air in Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Ghanaian, Sierra Leonean and Liberian languages, among others.
The direct-to-home pay TV platform offers a blend of local and international channels for entertainment, including news, sports, kids, health and more.
TSTV’s CEO Bright Echefu had promised the Nigerian public that full commercial sales and operations will start this month.
Echefu, represented by head of corporate communications Ugo Magu, announced at the company’s head office in Abuja that 5,000 decoders would be distributed for free in selected states and the nation’s capital. The regular price of the decoders is N5,000.
According to Echefu, the promotional exercise is to ensure proper monitoring and evaluation of the signal strength and quality of TSTV channels and programmes across the country.
The pay TV platform aims to ensure there is uniformity in the sales of its decoders, which is why the accreditation of dealers is still continuing. Out of the 2,000 people who have applied for dealership, only 750 have been certified so far.
Magu revealed that the commercial sale and installation of the decoders will not begin until the process of dealer accreditation is complete.
Magu said: “We wish to reassure Nigerians that we remain committed to our promise to offer premium quality and affordable DTH services across the country seamlessly. We seek your further understanding and support in this value-driven course.”
He explained that the delay in the commercial distribution of decoders was to prevent sabotage by rivals. “We have not commenced commercial sales of our decoders because we are aware we are running a business easily frustrated by competition,” he said.
Magu added that TSTV has the right content and premium product to satisfy the growing demand of Nigerians.
tagged in: Bright Echefu, Nigeria, TSTV, Ugo Magu