Customers in the country who bought the DStv Explora Ultra decoder are unhappy due to Multichoice Malawi’s failure to register them.
Those who purchased the decoders in South Africa complain about Multichoice Malawi’s lack of support in registering the products and the absence of warnings against buying them.
One of the customers who purchased the product in South Africa and asked for anonymity expressed frustration, saying they were misled by an advertisement on television and only learned about the compatibility issue upon returning to Malawi.
The official website promotes the DStv Explora Ultra as combining traditional PVR functions with streaming apps, offering a wide range of entertainment options.
The decoder is priced at R 2999 (approximately MK295 253.95).
In interview, Deborah Matowe, the corporate affairs and public relations manager at Multichoice Malawi, highlighted that the product cannot be registered in the country as it has not yet been launched in the local market.
“Multichoice Africa Holdings (MAH) is gradually introducing products and services across sub-Saharan Africa to effectively tackle any unforeseen technical issues during product utilization. This phased approach is a standard procedure for new product launches, with further announcements expected as the rollout extends to other African regions. Multichoice Malawi does not carry or sell the DStv Explora Ultra model,” she said
Matowe emphasized that certain products are geo-locked due to partnership and content broadcasting agreements.
“Consequently, Malawian users obtaining these decoders engage in cross-border piracy by purchasing them under false pretenses in South Africa and subsequently importing them to Malawi for usage,” said Matowe
Further, she said Multichoice Malawi has partnered with the Copyright Society of Malawin (COSOMA) for the Anti-Piracy campaign where they endeavored to educate customers on the various forms of piracy including cross border piracy and will continue to sensitize the public on impact of piracy on services and products.
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