ShowMax, Vodacom Introduces Affordable New TV Service With Strong Local Content

by Staff Writer

Vodacom finally joins the bandwagon for on-demand television.

The Vodafone-owned mobile phone firm and ShowMax have teamed-up to provide a new TV service available on smartphones and tablets. The new service with a strong focus on local content is optimised for lower data consumption on smartphones and tablets and is billed directly to a Vodacom account with no need for a credit card.

ShowMax Select is a new internet TV service designed for use on smartphones and tablets.

ShowMax Select has more than 10 000 TV show episodes and movies including local hits like Isibaya, Shaka Zulu, Binnelanders and Dineo’s Diary.

On top of that, the service features international favourites like Teen Wolf, Merlin, The Driver and Line of Duty. More than half of the content on ShowMax Select is local. New content will be added weekly.

This service, priced at R49 per month, gives subscribers unlimited access to a comprehensive catalogue of TV shows, movies, kids shows, and documentaries.

“ShowMax Select is all about making internet TV even more accessible. It’s half the price of our existing ShowMax Premium service with a strong focus on local content. We designed Select to be viewed first and foremost on mobile devices, with multiple options for managing data consumption,” said Chris Savides, Head of ShowMax Africa.

As the cost of smartphones and tablets continues to fall, more and more South Africans are getting connected and can access internet TV services such as ShowMax. A major barrier, however, is the fact that many services require payment via credit card. This excludes the majority of the population who don’t have a credit card.

ShowMax Select service was launched in Kenya in October last year and the company is bringing the concept to SA – it’s a mobile-first product, costs R49 (existing ShowMax service is R99), and is much more focused on local content

To subscribe to the service, visit www.showmax.com/vodacom.