Kenyans Sigh With Relief as GOtv Assures Free to Air Channels Ahead of the Country’s Digital Migration

TV viewers in Kenya have been disgusted with news that they will have to pay monthly subscription fees whichever pay TV service they subscribe to.

With fears that Free-to-Air (FTA) TV Channels will be no more, majority of Kenyans see no escape from the additional monthly TV bill even if its below $50.

However, allaying this fears that all subscribers will be forced to pay monthly subscription to access FTA, Mr Felix Kyengo, General Manager GOtv Kenya has said that the company’s GOtv Open Bouquet is a non-subscription FTA bouquet which requires no monthly subscription charges.

“This is an option for television viewers to receive their local free to air channels for a once off administration fee,” said Mr Kyengo. Currently the GOtv decoder is available at a special price of KSh 3,399 inclusive of 2 months GOtv Plus subscription from MultiChoice Agents countrywide.

 GOtv decoders come with a two month inclusive viewing of GOtv Plus, after which they can subscribe to GOtv or GOtv Plus – OR activate GOtv Open by paying a once-off administration fee of KSh 2,600. GOtv service offers GOtv and GOtv Plus bouquets which are packed with exciting local and international channels designed to keep families entertained with great news, movies, kids programming and sport.

Clarifying the current confusion in the market regarding FTA’s Kyengo assured GOtv customers that the free channels exist and customers who want paid options can choose after the initial two month period or otherwise continue accessing the six FTA channels for two weeks while they wait to renew their subscription or pay the once off nonrefundable administration fee for GOtv Open with access to six FTA channels forever.

GOtv is a locally owned firm, with the 40% shareholding held by the government, while the rest by MultiChoice and private individuals. The DTT pay-tv service provider has great African television content suitable for family entertainment. Its affiliation to MultiChoice,with 20 year African digital TV legacy gives it an upper hand over its competitors.

Nairobi is set to move from analogue transmission to digital this February end.