DSTV
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
WTF! 
All these PM's bouncing around, cause me a little concern about the longivity of our alternative sources.
Guys, get a grip on it! There are countless other ways to source this information without plastering it all over a freely available and anonymous (as in who are you sending it to) website.
We've killed the gossip on other products, how about this one as well?
Look out foot, there's a bullet coming....
All these PM's bouncing around, cause me a little concern about the longivity of our alternative sources.
Guys, get a grip on it! There are countless other ways to source this information without plastering it all over a freely available and anonymous (as in who are you sending it to) website.
We've killed the gossip on other products, how about this one as well?
Look out foot, there's a bullet coming....
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
From: Crawley, Surrey
DSTV in Dubai
This has been covered before but found no solid contacts. I would like to have DSTV in Dubai if it's still available. ........heard some mumbo jumbo about the signal being switched off or it being illegal.
Any help would be appreciated.
Any help would be appreciated.
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,181
Likes: 1
From: any town as retired.
top of my head
I assume this is the African service, as the info I can find suggests.
The footprint might just cover UAE.
Thus when you know the satellite, and orbital position, get a local installer to try to receive the signal, then he should be able to supply a unlocked box, (usually need internet connection).
problem solved, I hope
glf
The footprint might just cover UAE.
Thus when you know the satellite, and orbital position, get a local installer to try to receive the signal, then he should be able to supply a unlocked box, (usually need internet connection).
problem solved, I hope
glf
Just heard from my contact in Cape Town DSTV plan to close down the 'C' band service in May/June.
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 180
Likes: 3
From: BNE
@ Desert Aviator
Can you ask your contact for more info to elaborate? I have a direct line to a friend (a director) in Mnet, but I don't know if he'll tell me anything (if it's going ahead it'll be sensitive info for the moment)
Closing C Band is a big issue, because all of Africa (excluding S. Africa) runs on C Band....
If Mnet have made an agreement with satellite operators to shift to Ku Band, then it's entirely possible they will close C Band. But this undertaking costs tens of millions of dollars to achieve (and I don't believe Mnet have that funding to hand right now...)
@Gulfstreamaviator
The dish size for Mnet here is min. 1.8 meter dia.
Can you ask your contact for more info to elaborate? I have a direct line to a friend (a director) in Mnet, but I don't know if he'll tell me anything (if it's going ahead it'll be sensitive info for the moment)
Closing C Band is a big issue, because all of Africa (excluding S. Africa) runs on C Band....
If Mnet have made an agreement with satellite operators to shift to Ku Band, then it's entirely possible they will close C Band. But this undertaking costs tens of millions of dollars to achieve (and I don't believe Mnet have that funding to hand right now...)
@Gulfstreamaviator
The dish size for Mnet here is min. 1.8 meter dia.
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: dubai
My card has been disconnected as I was in there DTH
-direct to home data base for 6 years.
Jhb told me that all C band cards will be off on 31/5/10
C band cards registed in a C band country will work
untill then. I do not know if the signal will still be on
PAS7/10.
-direct to home data base for 6 years.
Jhb told me that all C band cards will be off on 31/5/10
C band cards registed in a C band country will work
untill then. I do not know if the signal will still be on
PAS7/10.
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Bahrain
DSTV
Gone ...official , just renewed my card , cut off 31st of May ....anyone know where they are going ? will all the SAFA's in the Gulf surely alternative . Remember the C band signal is for most of Africa too.....I heard they may be switching Satellite providers ...or is it the OSN monopoly flexing ?
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 180
Likes: 3
From: BNE
@Spark189,
If you were in their DTH database, as a South African based customer (with a registered South African address) then yes, the card will be discontinued as of 31 May 2010.
@Bighaji
OSN has nothing to do with this. I have inside knowledge which I cannot reveal. But OSN cannot interfere with the Mnet footprint directly. It may be that OSN has requested Mnet to change to Ku Band (to negate the large footprint that C Band has over Ku Band and thus eliminate the footprint 'bleed' into the Middle East) but Mnet can/may/will refuse due to financial constraints in changing to Ku Band.
@ Halas
Ku Band (at this time) is the main broadcast platform for South Africa and Zimbabwe. All Zimbabwe customers will have to change their old C Band cards to Ku Band eventually. This was started many years ago (2000 if I recall correctly) but it was never really enforced due to the Ku footprint not reaching the northern areas of Zimbabwe. But, due to transponder re-positioning, the Ku footprint has been improved considerably and thus Mnet are now changing all Zimbabwe subscribers to Ku Band.
I re-iterate to all: changing from C Band for the rest of Africa will take millions of US dollars and will not be done overnight. If Mnet are indeed changing to Ku Band, then there will be shed-loads of chatter on all Mnet based chat forums about this impending change - long before it actually happens.
DSTV are still broadcasting to Africa on PAS7/10 and the footprint still reaches the Middle East.
Sun activity (when the sun, PAS 7 satellite and your dish are all aligned for a few minutes in the mornings) will affect your signal.
If you were in their DTH database, as a South African based customer (with a registered South African address) then yes, the card will be discontinued as of 31 May 2010.
@Bighaji
OSN has nothing to do with this. I have inside knowledge which I cannot reveal. But OSN cannot interfere with the Mnet footprint directly. It may be that OSN has requested Mnet to change to Ku Band (to negate the large footprint that C Band has over Ku Band and thus eliminate the footprint 'bleed' into the Middle East) but Mnet can/may/will refuse due to financial constraints in changing to Ku Band.
@ Halas
Ku Band (at this time) is the main broadcast platform for South Africa and Zimbabwe. All Zimbabwe customers will have to change their old C Band cards to Ku Band eventually. This was started many years ago (2000 if I recall correctly) but it was never really enforced due to the Ku footprint not reaching the northern areas of Zimbabwe. But, due to transponder re-positioning, the Ku footprint has been improved considerably and thus Mnet are now changing all Zimbabwe subscribers to Ku Band.
I re-iterate to all: changing from C Band for the rest of Africa will take millions of US dollars and will not be done overnight. If Mnet are indeed changing to Ku Band, then there will be shed-loads of chatter on all Mnet based chat forums about this impending change - long before it actually happens.
DSTV are still broadcasting to Africa on PAS7/10 and the footprint still reaches the Middle East.
Sun activity (when the sun, PAS 7 satellite and your dish are all aligned for a few minutes in the mornings) will affect your signal.
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 69
Likes: 0
From: Everywhere
Thanx for insight Dawg, but you assuming that the change from C-band will not happen overnight so we can go ahead to get DSTV till it does ? 
Don't want to set up for DSTV then sometime in the not-so-distant future smack in the middle of Isidingo omnibus get switched off
Nway from what l understand eventually the footprint for PAS 7/10 for the Mid East will be cut off. Or am l assuming too
Don't want to set up for DSTV then sometime in the not-so-distant future smack in the middle of Isidingo omnibus get switched offNway from what l understand eventually the footprint for PAS 7/10 for the Mid East will be cut off. Or am l assuming too
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 180
Likes: 3
From: BNE
@Bonga
If Mnet are thinking of changing to KU Band, they will advertise extensively on C Band (Mnet Africa) that "...an impending move to Ku Band will happen on 'x' date... so please can all subscribers go to their nearest Mnet office and change out their smart cards before 'x' date...."
Has anyone seen this advertised yet on Mnet Africa? I bet the answer is a resounding No.... SO - go ahead and get setup if you want.
Get the picture? (no pun intended!)
Edit: Just been sniffing about the internet and I found out that PAS7/10 has been renamed IntelSat 7 (IS 7) and IntelSat 10 (IS 10) respectively. The satellite provider does provide Ku Band services which can be seen here FlySat Intelsat 7/10 (IS-7/10) @ 68.5° East and here (with a better view) http://www.intelsat.com/flash/covera...lay=map&spot=3 so it is possible that Mnet may move to Ku Band at some point.
But as I said above, there will be a media campaign by Mnet long before the change to Ku Band....
If Mnet are thinking of changing to KU Band, they will advertise extensively on C Band (Mnet Africa) that "...an impending move to Ku Band will happen on 'x' date... so please can all subscribers go to their nearest Mnet office and change out their smart cards before 'x' date...."
Has anyone seen this advertised yet on Mnet Africa? I bet the answer is a resounding No.... SO - go ahead and get setup if you want.
Get the picture? (no pun intended!)
Edit: Just been sniffing about the internet and I found out that PAS7/10 has been renamed IntelSat 7 (IS 7) and IntelSat 10 (IS 10) respectively. The satellite provider does provide Ku Band services which can be seen here FlySat Intelsat 7/10 (IS-7/10) @ 68.5° East and here (with a better view) http://www.intelsat.com/flash/covera...lay=map&spot=3 so it is possible that Mnet may move to Ku Band at some point.
But as I said above, there will be a media campaign by Mnet long before the change to Ku Band....
Last edited by Desert Dawg; 28th March 2010 at 13:56.