The year has been a tough one, no doubt, and the months spent in lockdown mode has shown us one or two things about entertainment. The huge data cost and speed requirements of getting entertained online got many running back to the pay-TV option which is cheaper and provides an equally wide array of options.
As far as pay-TV entertainment is the topic of discussion in Nigeria, there are just two contenders, StarTimes and MultiChoice (with its DStv and GOtv variant offerings). Each of these options provides equally entertaining channels and contents, but the big question is, at what cost?
READ: StarTimes Vs GOtv: Which is cheaper and richer in content?
While they all stream good programmes, DStv presents the most expensive subscription plans, while giving a cheaper option in its GOtv plans. StarTimes on the other hand is targeted at providing quality content to the average Nigerian at affordable prices. For the purpose of this article, let us do a comparison of the GOtv Jolli bouquet and the StarTimes Basic bouquet.
READ: Pay-as-you-view: Startimes, Multichoice in a tussle for the Nigerian market
Cost:
The GOtv Jolli offering comes at a cost of N2,460 monthly for 68+ channels, while StarTimes Basic bouquet is purchased at N1,700 monthly with almost 80 channels. StarTimes equally offers weekly and daily options for its subscribers so that with as little as N160, a subscriber can access all of the channels available on the basic bouquet in a day. As at yet, GOtv does not have any weekly or daily subscription plans that allow users to pay as they use.
READ: Faced with competition, DSTV is finally considering Pay-As-You-Go for its Nigerian customers
Entertainment:
For entertainment, both packages have local and foreign movies and news channels for subscribers.
GOtv Jolli has 5 Africa Magic channels – Family, Epic, Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa; and two ROK channels 2 and 3. There is however a downside to this. Most of the movies and series streamed on Africa magic channels to the GOtv Jolli subscribers have already been streamed weeks or months earlier on DStv higher bouquets, but this may not matter much to its subscribers.
READ: How to watch UEFA Europa League, La Liga, NBA, all sports without owning Pay-TV decoder
StarTimes Basic package has AMC Movies, PBO TV, Area Ten, Wakaati TV; five Yoruba channels – ST Yoruba, Nigbati, Kaftan Yoruba, Orisun TV and NTA Yoruba; Isi Mbido (Igbo); and Hausa channels – Arewa 24, ST Dadinkowa, Farin Wata and NTA Hausa.
On the foreign scene, GOtv Jolli subscribers get Hollywood movie channels, TNT Africa and M-Net Movies 4; StarTimes Basic has ST Zone and TNT Africa.
READ: Between Amazon, TikTok and Netflix; a battle for souls of streaming patrons
Telenovelas:
Both have an almost equal amount of telenovela and Bollywood content. When it comes to Bollywood, both have StarLife channel; GOtv Jolli has Zee World and B4Umovies; while StarTimes Basic has Zee Cinema. The catch for StarTimes is that some of these content is dubbed in local languages like Waaris, an Indian series dubbed in Yoruba and Hausa. Having seen the wide acceptability of this, StarTimes recently added another Bollywood series, Razia Sultan, equally dubbed in Yoruba and Hausa.
READ: Between Amazon, TikTok and Netflix; a battle for souls of streaming patrons
News Channels:
Both have BBC News, NTA Parliament, Al Jazeera, TVC News, and NTA 24 News; Arise News and CNN are on GOtv Jolli while Stv News 24, CGTN and a current affairs channel, Human Rights TV (Brekete Family) are on StarTimes.
Kiddies:
Let’s go to kiddies’ content. Both brands have Nickelodeon and Jim Jam, but Jolli also has PBS Kids, Davinci Kids and Disney Junior, while StarTimes Basic has Toonami, ST Kids, Cbeebies, NTA Knowledge and Pineapple TV for children to enjoy. So GOtv Jolli has 5 kiddies’ channels while StarTimes Basic has 7.
Sports:
When it comes to sports, you can watch several Europa League matches, UEFA Nations League, The Emirates FA Cup and La Liga matches, and a dedicated channel for combat sports like Wrestling, Kick Boxing, MMA and Boxing. StarTimes Basic Bouquet also has ESPN that shows Basketball (NBA), EFL (The English Football League) and many other sports related content on StarTimes Basic Bouquet; on GOtv Jolli, you can watch GOtv Boxing, WWE, UEFA Nations League and few EPL matches.
Conclusions:
It is safe to say that despite paying less for the StarTimes Basic package, one would be getting more value for it, and a wide variant of programs and content suitable for all members of the family. Another plus for StarTimes is that it has the StarTimes ON app which can be used to watch programs on the go with your phone irrespective of location. Subscribers can successfully connect one decoder to three mobile devices and watch wherever they might be. GOtv is yet to have such an app which would help subscribers stream live, although DStv subscribers have the DStv NOW.
StarTimes also allows non-subscribers to stream from the app and without owning a decoder. For instance, sports lovers can watch all live matches showing on StarTimes on a weekly subscription of N400 only. While GOtv is taking its time to adopt this flexible option, StarTimes stays two steps ahead, giving customers flexibility and much more quality content on the go, for less.
Some features which MultiChoice has restricted to upper bouquets on DStv are available on StarTimes, and much more affordable too (E,g, streaming content online at no extra cost). With the current situation, probably not many Nigerian families are willing to spend too much on monthly pay-TV subscriptions even though they still want the best entertainment options and StarTimes makes this possible with its affordable plans, daily and weekly subscription options, and an app that allows you stream even without a decoder.
If you ask me to choose between GOtv Jolli and StarTimes Basic, it’s StarTimes Basic Bouquet for me. What about you?
Written by Bola Aina
I subscribe Startimes 10 times before GoTv once even though I had a GoTv decoder years before discovering Startimes.
This is good, but I still want to chip in my own idea. Of what benefits is it to have 80 channels or 100 channels that I can’t view more than one at a time. I will surgest DSTV or any of them should make it optional for me to choose the channels I want to view and charge me according to my selection. It is not good when u pay for what are not going to watch on your TV. They should look into that.
Good analysis, if you want to enjoy more of startimes go for STARSAT. The problem with most Nigerians is that they behave gregariously.They only do what they see others doing.DSTV Apart from UEFA Champions League and EPL, nothing again. I have been using startimes for the past six years and no regrets .
Startimes beats Gotv in comparative analysis. I guess only those who want to throw their money to the dogs will subscribe for N2460 almost all they can get at N1700.
I had to do a swap , have someone my gotv decorder and received a startimes decoder in return. On the startimes app , I can change my bouquet to make me watch stations that my present sub doesn’t cater for . I get more value for my money on startimes
Startimes is better.
Fantastic analysis star times basic is the best
The problem with star time is that you can’t find their dealers everywhere unlike Gotv that’s sold in almost all every street
Gotv has really disappointed me
Bad services at a high cost.
Gotv or mulitchoice as a company is ripping us off in Nigeria, I remember when gotv started you got value for your money early this year I still paid 1900 and got satisfaction to an extent but now it has been raised to 2460 and you still can’t watch anything interesting. I am a victim and hope startimes won’t follow suite cos I plan to get it.
Is better to choose startimes as gotv has refused to understand the current situation of the country and the world.
I will dump their decorder for startimes come 2021.
Nice write up but when it comes to experience, quality content and value for money, GOtv has it any day.
I used StarTimes for a few years because of this same affordability 80+ programmes they offer( Not like I can watch all channels at the same time). It was the worst decision I ever made.
-Content Quality Zero
-Picture quality Zero.
I had to switch because it became very embarrassing. Abeg I’d pay that extra N750 any day for quality, amazing contents and definitely peace of mind.
Instead of paying for reviews and increasing channels that people never actually watch. Please focus on improving your content and program quality.
For me I will still go for GOtv because of the quality of content. The Africa Magic channels, ROK channels as well as MNet movie channels. These are better content for me than what startimes offers. Also the quality of programming on GOtv can’t be compared to StarTimes. GOtv any day, any time.
I’ll definitely pick GOtv Jolli over StarTimes anytime and any day!
Startimes is better
Startimes is better