This is the year that Kenya has decided to migrate from analogue to digital. Not news. This switch will come at a price and you are the person to foot the cost. Not news. What do you need to know before you go to the supermarket and swipe your card buying these decoders? The price of course, and the value of what you are buying. So here, I have taken the liberty to rank the providers so that you have an easy job choosing from all the noise and billboards
1. Zuku
Zuku comes first because it meets the criteria of value for money. Zuku has two options for its subscribers: Zuku Satellite or Zuku Triple Play. Zuku Satellite has over 85 channels for the price of Sh. 2,400. Just Sh.2, 400 for 85 channels. Zuku Classic has a little more than 50 channels for just Sh. 1,200. Did I mention the over 40 radio channels? And I am not talking Kameme FM here, they have all the music you could ever want, from Jazz, to Hip Hop and yes, even 3 Classical music radio stations. Triple Play comes with TV, Internet and Telephone; for just Sh. 3,000. Tell me that’s not a bargain? This sounds like an advert, right? Well, it deserves it. If you have a budget and never want to get off your couch, or misplace your remote, check in here.
2. DSTV
Let’s be honest, unless you earn six figures, DSTV has always been expensive. They have great content but great prices too. The difference between Zuku and DSTV is largely Supersport. Now, let’s do the maths. Take out your calculators. DSTV Premium costs about Sh. 6,000, never lower. Zuku Premium is Sh. 2,400. The price difference is Sh.3,600. Now, if you subscribe to DSTV premium to be watching Manchester United (wait…we don’t watch them anymore)…okay, Arsenal playing once a weekend, you pay Sh.3,600 more than your Zuku neighbour who will watch from the pub while sipping Coke for Sh. 100 or a beer for Sh. 200. In a year, 3,600 twelve times is Sh. 43,200…all for 36 weekends of English football. Is it worth it? Only your wallet knows
3. Star Times
SLOGAN: Watch what you want
If you scan the Star Times brochure, their bouquets look really affordable.Then you read and realise what you are getting for Sh. 2,000. Chinese movies, Indian movies and Setanta. Their Unique bouquet is plain boring. Unless of course you’re Indian, Chinese or Tarzan. It’s Chinese anyway, what did you expect? “My people perish because of ignorance”. You won’t watch what you want here
4. GoTv
This kid from DSTV’s Multichoice is the worst of them all. If you ask me I will tell you it is a total rip-off. Remember the Swahili saying “Kizuri chajiuza na kibaya chajitembeza”? This is what they were referring to. The number of tents GoTv have pitched up in town should make you suspect something. It’s like they want to sell as many decoders as they can before people realise what a waste of money GoTv is. Their Channel lineup looks like a boring meal. And don’t be cheated by those Supersport channels, they have nothing but cricket and squash. They don’t even have the Kenyan Premier league. You are better off getting Signet from good ol’ KBC. If you honestly feel like smashing a decoder, go buy Go
Now that I have saved you the hours of internet browsing, window shopping, impulse buying and ignorant purchasing; make the wise choice in this exodus
