DSTV removes local channels on its list
Communication Minister Eng Isack Kamwele speaking in the past event. Right is TCRA Director General James Kilaba. Photo |File
What you need to know:
- In a statement released on 7 August, 2018, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) said it would suspend the license for Multichoice Tanzania Ltd for the latter’s continued carrying of the FTAs on its service despite holding a license that barred it from doing so.
Dar es Salaam. Barely one week after the communications regulator warned Multichoice Tanzania Ltd against including free-to-air (FTA) Television channels on its subscription list, the latter has abided by the order and removed the stations accordingly.
In a statement released on 7 August, 2018, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) said it would suspend the license for Multichoice Tanzania Ltd for the latter’s continued carrying of the FTAs on its service despite holding a license that barred it from doing so.
“In exercising its powers, the authority hereby notifies the general public that it intends to suspend all the licenses issued to Multichoice Tanzania Ltd for failure to comply with the authority’s orders and failure to adhere to the license conditions including failure to exclude FTA Television channels from among its subscription list,” the TCRA said last week.
But in compliant with the directive, Multichoice Tanzania Ltd officially stopped airing the FTA channels on Sunday, August 12, 2018.
“In implementing the order from TCRA and the Minister for Works, Transport and Communication, Multichoice Tanzania Ltd has immediately suspended all the FTA channels, except TBC1, from its DStv decoders,” Multichoice Tanzania Ltd said in a statement.
According to the statement, the order also affects all Direct To Home (DTH) operators like DStv, Azam and Zuku.
This means that FTAs like Clouds TV, Chanel 10, TVE, Imaan TV and StarTV will not be available on DStv, Zuku and Azam decoders.
According to the statement however, DStv subscribers will continue to watch their favorite programmes including soccer through English Premier League, Spain’s La Liga, Union of European Football Associations (Uefa) Champions League and Italy’s Serie A on the DStv decoder.
On 15 June, 2015 TCRA renewed the National Support Services for Subscription Content Services by Satellite Licence for provision of support services for subscription content by satellite in Tanzania issued to Multichoice Tanzania Limited.
