The arrival of the world’s largest streaming movie and TV provider has been met with excitement coupled with a lot confusion . Just how does Netflix work? Is it cheaper compared to other competing TV and movie providers that we already have?
Well, I will break the costs of having a just a DSTV subscription versus a broadband (fiber) network plus a Netflix subscription. This will help you decide which option best fits your needs.
Let’s compare DSTV, the leading TV content provider in Kenya versus Zuku the leading broadband ISP (whom also have TV services under their Triple Pay umbrella). There are a few things to note:
- Coverage – Zuku currently only provides broadband internet service in selected locations in Nairobi and Mombasa, while DSTV’s coverage is much larger across the nation.
- Premier League – DSTV is the only licensed provider of Barclays Premier League coverage in this region. If this is important to you, then you have no choice but to subscribe to the DSTV Premium bouquet that provides full BPL coverage (KES 9,400). The DSTV Compact Plus bouquet only offers 2 live games per weekend. The only other way to legally watch BPL content on the web is through subscribing to your team’s online club membership and then accessing the content there (though often delayed for several days). Examples of this are ArsenalTV, Chelsea TV or MUTV etc.
The key advantage of DSTV (other than BPL coverage) is that the provides shortly after they are shown in the United States. For example, if you follow the Scandal series, it will be aired on DSTV just an hour later. As DSTV is the incumbent provider, they have done an incredible job in securing rights for content that is unavailable on other providers.
NOTE: Kenyan DSTV Subscribers can access DSTV content online however it’s to prudent you check if your favourite movies and series mostly run on Zuku + Netflix or DSTV. For KES 1000 bob a month you can subscribe to Netflix!
The key advantage of Netflix is having great, top tier content available to you wherever you have an internet connection. Thus if you wanted to watch an episode of Jessica Jones on your morning commute, the Netflix app affords you that flexibility. However one must note that streaming video consumes data rapidly, thus it is recommended that you use an unlimited and fast connection. Also note that Netflix does not offer offline viewing. It is strictly a streaming platform.
TV Bouquet Name | DSTV | ZUKU | |||||||
COMPACT | COMPACT PLUS | PLUS | 10MPS | 20MPS | |||||
TV Bouquet Cost | 3750 | 6400 | 9400 | 4099 | 5299 | ||||
Internet Package | n/a | n/a | n/a | Unlimited | Unlimited | ||||
Netflix Access Package | n/a | n/a | n/a | BASIC | STARDARD | PREMIUM | BASIC | STARDARD | PREMIUM |
1000 | 800 | 1200 | 1000 | 800 | 1200 | ||||
3750 | 6400 | 9400 | 6299 | 6099 | 6499 | ||||
Installation | 10200 | 10200 | 10200 | 4500-7500 (dependent on location) |
The difference between Netflix offers;
Channel Comparison
Have a look at the different channels offered on Zuku versus DSTV.
- Local Content Channels
DSTV Compact Plus | Zuku Premium |
KBC TV | KBC |
NTV | NTV |
KTN | KTN |
CITIZEN | Citizen |
K24 | K24 |
Kiss (KE) | |
EBRU | |
QTV | |
Kass TV | |
UBC | |
3Stones TV | |
NBS Uganda | |
Clouds TV | |
WBS | |
Njata TV | |
Lolwe TV | |
Inooro TV | |
GBS |
- Movie Channels
DSTV Compact Plus | Zuku Premium |
Dish (Interactive Channel) | Zuku Entertainment |
M-Net Action | Zuku Movies Max |
Universal_Channel | Zuku Movies Max +2 |
Studio Universal | Zuku Movies Action |
Zuku Movies Action +2 |
- Movie (African Content) Channels
DSTV Compact Plus | Zuku Premium |
Africa Magic | AMC |
Africa Magic Plus | Zuku Nolly |
Africa Magic Hausa | |
Africa Magic Yoruba | |
Africa Magic Swahili | Zuku Swahili Movies |
- Sports Channels
DSTV Compact Plus | Zuku Premium |
Super Sport Blitz (Updates Channel) | Zuku Sports HD |
Super_Sport_9 | Zuku Sports |
Super Sport 9 East | Eurosport News |
Select Sports | MCS International |
ESPN | Kombat Sports |
ESPN Classic | MBC |
Super Sport 7 | Fox Sports |
Super Sport 10 (EPL Live) | Fox Sports 2 |
Trace Sport Stars |
- Entertainment Channels
DSTV Compact Plus | Zuku Premium |
M-Net Series | AMC USA |
Magic World Africa | ShortsTV |
Sony Entertainment Television | AMC Series |
BET | BET |
BBC Entertainment | FX |
E! Entertainment | E! Entertainment |
Zone Reality | Fox Entertainment |
Sony Max | Zuku Novella |
e.tv Africa | EATV |
RAI |
- News & Commerce
DSTV Compact Plus | Zuku Premium |
BBC World | BBC World News |
CNN | MSNBC |
Al Jazeera | Al Jazeera (English) |
NDTV | Fox News |
CCTV News | CCTV News |
CNBC_Africa | Sky News |
Bloomberg | Bloomberg |
NN24 | TVC News |
CNC World | i24 News (English) |
Euronews (English) | |
DW-TV | |
Press TV | |
NHK World |
- Documentaries Channels
DSTV Compact Plus | Zuku Premium |
CCTV-9 | CCTV 9 Documentary |
Discovery World | Zuku Life |
Discovery ID | Viasat Nature |
National Geographic | Viasat Explore |
National Geographic Wild | Viasat History |
Viasat Crime | |
Nat Geo Gold | |
Discovery Science |
- Lifestyle Channels
DSTV Compact Plus | Zuku Premium |
Style_Network | Fine Living Network |
Fashion TV | TLC |
Food Network | Fashion One HD |
Discovery TLC | Luxe.TV HD |
Ginx TV |
- Religious Channels
DSTV Compact Plus | Zuku Premium |
One Gospel | Hope TV |
TBN | Emmanuel TV |
Rhema Network | EWTN |
Daystar | God TV |
Kingdom Africa | Family TV |
Islam Channel | Fashion One |
EWTN Global Catholic Network | Inspiration TV |
Inspiration TV | Peace TV |
TV Mundial | Kaaba |
Ahlulbayt TV | |
Hope International | |
Alerth Alnabawi |
- Kids Channels
DSTV Compact Plus | Zuku Premium |
Cartoon Network | Zuku Kids |
Boomerang | Smile of a Child |
Disney | BabyTV |
Disney XD | Duck TV |
Nickelodeon | Nickelodeon |
KIDCO | JimJam |
Disney Junior | |
Mindset Learn |
- Music Channels
DSTV Compact Plus | Zuku Premium |
Channel O | One Music |
Trace TV | Kiss |
Afro Music | Kerrang! |
Sound City | MTV Base |
I Concert | iConcerts |
B4U Music | VH1 |
Box | |
Smash Hits | |
Magic |
- Foreign Language Channels
DSTV Compact Plus | Zuku Premium |
NHK | Al Jazeera (Arabic) |
France 24 (Arabic) | |
France 24 (English) | |
RTPi | TV5 Monde Afrique |
TV Brazil | France 24 (French) |
TV5 Monde | I24 French |
Dubai TV | |
Abu Dhabi TV | |
CCTV4 | CCTV-4 (Chinese) |
CCTV F | Vox Africa |
Conclusion
The best person to make a conclusion between Zuku and Netflix versus DSTV is you, the user. You will need to assess your needs and budget and determine which option works for you.
Tech Weez.
Oyaro Clinton