Digital Television Company StarTimes Media has slashed its DVB T2 Free-To-Air(FTA) set top boxes by 17.5 percent today; the company did this to ensure that many Kenyans can afford the boxes as they do not attract monthly subscription charges.
StarTimes FTA set top box will now retail at a one off fee of Ksh 3,299 down from 3,999 with free access to one month Unique bouquet worth Ksh 1,499 giving Kenyans over 75 premium international channels.
Upon the expiry of the one month free Unique bouquet package, Kenyans will enjoy uninterrupted access to over 55 free to air local channels in digital quality for good. Customers will also be in a position to enroll to the company’s pay television platform without the need to acquire another set top box by subscribing to a bouquet of choice at will.
StarTimes Vice President for Marketing Mark Lisboa notes that the move is advised by the need to enable more Kenyans access free digital television service with the country having already switched off the 1st and 2nd phase of the analogue transmissions.
“The new price is testament enough that as a brand, we are committed to see more Kenyan household’s access affordable set top boxes and premium digital television service. Our free to air set top box is equally superior in that it saves the consumer the cost of acquiring a pay television set top box in the event they want to upgrade and access international channels as they can use the same set top box,” noted Lisboa.
The free to air set top box will complement the Pay Television one that is currently retailing at just Ksh 199 upon subscribing to a bouquet of choice at Ksh 1,500 giving Kenyans a choice for either of the two.
Kenyans who enroll on either the StarTimes free to air or the pay television platform will enjoy an elaborate aftersales service the company having established a 24 hour seven days a week call centre and a door to door technical service that is aimed at ensuring customers have the best digital television experience.
StarTimes has equally extended a 14 percent subsidy for the external antenna and 10 metre cable with the same retailing at Ksh 1,200 down from Ksh 1,400 to guarantee the best digital television signal reception.
Uptake of set top boxes has been on the rise since the Communication Authority initiated the switch off of the analogue transmissions with the 3rd and final phase expected to take place on 30th March 2015 with StarTimes progressively positioning itself as the preferred brand for digital migration.
