Pay television service provider, MultiChoice Kenya Limited has raised its DStv prices by up to six percent, marking the third time in a year it has adjusted its rates upward dealing a blow to the entertainment budgets of households and businesses.

The firm, which is a subsidiary of MultiChoice Group Limited has already notified customers of the new rates, with the DStv Premium package set for the biggest price jump to Sh10,500 from Sh9,900 effective April 1 while the Compact Plus package will cost Sh6,500 from Sh6,200.

The current package prices that consumers are paying now came into force on August 1 last year. MultiChoice Kenya had also increased the DStv charges on April 1, 2023.

The new prices for the DStv package add pain to homes that are battling increased pressure on their spending power while businesses are recording a rise in operational costs due to higher taxation.

“Dear DStv customer, please be advised of the DStv subscription adjustment to Sh2,000 per month on your Family package from April 1, 2024,” the firm said in one of the notices.

Consumers on the DStv Lite will pay Sh700 from Sh600 while those on the Family package will pay Sh2,000 from the current Sh1,850.

The Compact package will now cost Sh3,700 per month from Sh3,500 that consumers have been paying since August last year.

The only package that has not been impacted by the latest price review is the Access package where customers will continue to pay Sh1,300 per month.

MultiChoice Kenya did not give reasons behind the latest price review but the firm last year attributed price increments to increasing costs of businesses and depreciation of the shilling against the dollar.

The higher prices are likely to halt the firm’s efforts to grow customer numbers from the 13 million subscribers (in Africa excluding South Africa) recorded at the end of September last year.