DStv in 2026: What It Is, the New Packages and Where It Plays

A word on who is writing. Vivimate is a general IPTV subscription for US and Canadian homes, and it doesn't carry DStv, SuperSport or any MultiChoice channel. This page describes DStv's own service only, from DStv's and MultiChoice's pages, which we read on November 10, 2026and link throughout. DStv's South African package store loaded only its title for us, so the prices come from DStv's dated news articles. Confirm on DStv's site before you pay.

The short answer for readers in North America

Many people who look up DStv from the US or Canada grew up with it, or have family in South Africa paying for it. The first fact to know is DStv's own. Its FAQ "What is the DStv Stream App?" says a subscriber traveling in another African country with DStv can stream the same channels as at home, but that in any other country "there will be no content available" because its content rights don't allow it. The country FAQ puts the app in all African countries that offer DStv by satellite, and adds that what you can watch depends on your package and the country where the subscription is held.

DStv even has an on-screen code for the situation: E43, "The channel you want to watch is not available for your country." We don't suggest ways around those territory rules. Rights to sport and shows are sold country by country, and whoever holds them in the US or Canada is a separate question from DStv.

Who runs DStv

MultiChoice's companies and brands page describes DStv as a sub-Saharan African video entertainment company owned by MultiChoice, launched in 1995 and delivered "via satellite, online and mobile apps". The same page lists sister brands: SuperSport, which it presents as Africa's top sports broadcaster; M-Net, founded in 1985 and offering content in nearly 50 countries; and GOtv, which operates in 8 African countries. The MultiChoice home page now opens with the news that MultiChoice Group has joined the global media group Group CANAL+.

The new DStv packages for 2026

On September 8, 2026, DStv published the lineup that took effect in South Africa on September 17: new names, revised channel lists, a dedicated sport package, a new Movies & Series package and new prices. Every package has two monthly prices, one for watching on a decoder and one for DStv Stream.

Two notes from the same article. The R799 DStv Premium decoder price needs a 24-month contract, includes the Access Fee and is arranged through DStv's call centre; without the contract it's R979. And EasyView, with more than 35 channels for R30 a month, carries on unchanged. Our page on DStv packages and prices goes through both price columns, screens and switching in detail.

The shape matters more than the names. Starter and Select are the general-entertainment base. Above Select the road forks: DStv Sports adds the dedicated sport channels, DStv Movies & Series adds M-Net's film and drama channels, and the two cost about the same. DStv Premium sits over all of it, and DStv says Springbok rugby, Formula 1, golf, tennis and motorsport stay exclusive to it for now. Which channels sit in each tier is on our DStv channels list.

Where the old package names went

If your family's account still says Compact, that's the name it had before the change. DStv migrated subscribers automatically, and its package guide dated September 17, 2026 spells out each move:

DStv's package article tells migrated customers they won't pay more for the new package. DStv Movies & Series is the only package with no old equivalent.

Decoder or DStv Stream

The choice is between hardware at home and an app. DStv's FAQ "What is DStv Stream?" calls DStv Stream the brand for its streaming-only subscriptions, watched "without the need for a decoder". Its September 17 guide says each package comes either way. Three practical differences follow from DStv's pages:

• Price. DStv Stream is cheaper on four packages, by R40 to R180 a month, and the same on DStv Movies & Series.
• What you pay for besides. A decoder needs a dish and installation; DStv Stream needs internet access and data, which DStv says the app requires.
• Screens. DStv's pages give different counts for how many screens can play at once, so check the account before planning on two.

Our DStv Stream guide covers the app, the supported devices and its earlier name, DStv Now.

Outside South Africa

The rand figures belong to South Africa. DStv sells in other African countries with their own currencies and prices, and its September article said changes elsewhere would be announced once confirmed. Its Nigerian streaming page now says the new packages launched in most African markets on November 5, 2026. We didn't check each country, so use DStv's site for the one where the subscription is held.

Our other DStv guides

• DStv packages and prices: both price columns, the DStv Premium contract, screens per package and how to switch.
• DStv channels list: the channels DStv names in each package and the new channel numbers.
• DStv Stream: the app-only subscription, its devices, screens and the DStv Now rename.
• DStv error codes: E16, E48-32, E04 and the rest, in DStv's own words.
• SuperSport on DStv: DStv's sport channels.
• DStv self service: managing an account without a call.
• DStv app and Catch Up: watching shows after they air.
• DStv BoxOffice: DStv's movie rentals.
• DStv Explora Ultra: DStv's recording decoder.
• DStv and Showmax: how the two subscriptions combine.

Where Vivimate fits

Vivimate is not DStv, doesn't resell it and isn't a way to watch it. It's a separate IPTV subscription priced in US dollars, and we don't promise any South African channel, league or show. If you're in the US or Canada and want live TV for the rest of your viewing, the 24-hour free trial needs no card and lets you search the guide yourself before paying. Plans are prepaid with no auto-renewal: 1 Month for $19.99 ($31.98 for two devices), 3 Months for $29.99 ($47.98 for two devices), 6 Months for $39.99 ($63.98 for two devices) and 12 Months plus 2 free for $69.99 ($111.98 for two devices). A first purchase has a 7-day refund window when a service problem you report can't be fixed, as our refund policy explains. IPTV as a technology is legal; what matters is the seller's rights, as our page on whether IPTV is legal sets out. We don't publish the rights agreements behind our channels.

Sources

All read November 10, 2026.

• DStv news: New DStv Packages: Everything changing, dated September 8, 2026
• DStv news: How to choose the right DStv package for you, dated September 17, 2026
• DStv help: What is DStv Stream?, What is the DStv Stream App?, Which countries is the DStv App available in? and error code E43
• DStv Nigeria: DStv Streaming
• MultiChoice: home page and companies and brands

Couldn't read: DStv's South African package store (only its title loaded), and package prices for African countries other than South Africa.