What’s next for DStv after Showmax?

Canal+ has revealed plans to replace Showmax with its own streaming platform.

MultiChoice confirmed earlier this month that it is discontinuing the Showmax streaming service.

The Canal+ app will eventually replace Showmax across Africa, while some of Showmax’s features will move to DStv Stream in the meantime.

“They plan to roll out Canal+ in a few months from now,” confirms TV and entertainment critic Thinus Ferreira.

He says there is no date yet as to when Showmax will cease streaming.

“When they finally pull the plug on Showmax, all that content will, for the time being, be moved to DSTV stream and then eventually to their own Canal+ app."

ALSO READ: Canal+ pulls the plug on loss-making Showmax - what next for DStv subscribers?

Ferreira explains that Canal+ already has a partnership with Netflix in other French-speaking regions of Africa and says they are looking to extend that partnership.

"At the moment, if you are a Canal+ subscriber in North Africa, you get Netflix bundled with your package...and they are looking to extend that to English-speaking Africa as well."

The announcement came as the company reported another drop in DStv subscribers.

Changes are underway to improve subscriber numbers, Ferreira said.

"They're going to simplify packages... cheaper packages and cheaper decoders, all to try and lift the subscriber numbers they lost."

Around 500,000 customers left the platform in the past year.

ALSO READ: Showmax curtain call: What it means for streaming of local stories

To listen to Ferreira in conversation with 702's Gugs Mhlungu, use the audio player below: