Following a recent backlash after an apparent industry take-over hype, TSTV Africa, the much-anticipated payment TV platform has announced its decision to commence commercial operations in November and give out some free decoders for the purpose of a test run.
According to Mr Bright Echefu, the company’s Managing Director, “Commercialization of our decoders will resume officially on Nov. 1 and by that time, every part of Nigeria would have TSTV decoders for people to buy.” He also said that at least 5,000 decoders TSTV would be released to the public next week for free, adding that it would use the first set of decoders with a one-month free subscription to test run its services.
We Bring to you channels that better define the uniqueness of our diverse cultures and core values in an affordable bouquet.#tstvafrica pic.twitter.com/u6bvXYMijA
— TSTV (@tstvafrica) October 6, 2017
According to him, “I can tell you categorically that some decoders will be released next week for Nigerians to test and we are going to cover the 36 states of the federation. These decoders are going to be free and it close to 5,000 units to test and that will last for two weeks.”
Recently, many observers have criticized the decision of the owners to launch its operations in Abuja, arguing that Lagos, being the commercial nerve centre of the country, ought to be the right destination. But, Mr Echefu spoke on the plans of country-wide coverage.
He said, “We are releasing about one million which can go round and our target for the first quarter is one million units. In every quarter we will bring one million units and we are targeting four million units within the next one year and we are going to cover the 36 states of the federation.”
Unveiling TStv Africa decoder to the public on 1st October,2017. TStv Africa …connecting your world! #tstvafrica #connectingyourworld pic.twitter.com/JFWrTzD4j8
— TSTV (@tstvafrica) October 3, 2017
We do hope that the new platform owners understand what it really takes to provide affordable and satisfactory TV content for viewers across the country. The truth is that there are tinnier dynamics to the Nigerian economic ecosystem that will always define a Nigerian way. For instance, how will TSTV guarantee that the free decoders will eventually get to willing users and not friends of those in the know?
Although Mr Echefu attempted to answer the question by saying that the delay in releasing the decoders to the public was to ensure that dealers were properly scrutinized so that the decoders do not fall into the wrong hands. But, we think that very stringent internals must be maintained. Otherwise, the brand will be dead on arrival.
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