ShowMax, the Multichoice owned TV streaming service has officially launched in Uganda. It might be a surprise given the service has been readily available to all and sundry since 2016 but it is now official, Showmax is here.
What is Showmax?
Showmax is a TV streaming video-on-demand service akin to Netflix and is available across a wide range of devices and form factors like smart TVs, laptops, smartphones, gaming consoles, and the like. What however differentiates it’s from the rest is it’s big catalog of African content and somewhat exclusive international content and live TV content like and sports in some markets that you can hardly find anywhere else.
Related: Internet TV streaming service is now live in Uganda
Showmax officially launching during this COVID-19 period is no surprise given the spike in usage of similar services, owing to the pandemic. Streaming on the go at one’s convenience is part of “the new normal” as it has come to be called, with most consumers moving online services due to social distancing.
Also Read: Showmax registers 50% increased viewership during lockdown
Pricing
Showmax will have two tiers in Uganda. A mobile-only plan Showmax Mobile at UGX 14,000 and a standard tier, Showmax Standard at UGX 28,000 payable via Visa, MasterCard and PayPal. However, this is exclusive of mobile data or internet as these are paid for separately by the subscriber.
For DStv Premium subscribers, the service will be free to them as multichoice is treating it as an add on included on their subscription. An official announcement is yet to be made in Uganda though, but this is the case with a host other markets where Showmax has an established presence, that Uganda has joined.
“MultiChoice Uganda is pleased to launch Showmax in Uganda to enable us offer our customers a range of TV entertainment options, especially at a time as this while being cognizant of the current times when families are together,” adding that, “New subscribers will receive a two week trial period when they first initiate the service. In addition, there will also be an announcement when, to thank our Premium subscribers for their continued commitment to us, the service will free as a values added service for them, Joan Semanda Kizza – Multichoice Uganda’s PR and Communication Manager.
ALSO READ: What is ShowMax Pro?
The perks
New subscribers are given a 14 days trial period and they can cancel at will since no contract is involved, the service carries no ads and allows subscribers to download content for later viewing. Pricing is also in Ugandan shillings, so subscribers won’t be at the mercy of the exchange rate that keeps fluctuating based on market conditions.
To address data constraints, Showmax also offers;
- Adaptive bitrate streaming that monitors connection speeds and automatically adjusts video stream resolution to avoid buffering
- Download functionality to save up to 25 TV shows and movies in total to Android and iOS smartphones and tablets for viewing offline
- User-selectable download quality to limit data usage
- User-selectable streaming quality to limit data usage
- Automatic size reduction of static pictures delivered to mobile devices
