Reply from Astro:



When will Astro increase the price of Sports Pack, that is something that is yet to be known. But it will happen as long they still playing on monopoly. Most of Astro customers still subscribed to Astro is mainly because of Sports content. If Astro does not have attractive Sports content, many of them would even terminate Astro.

Yes, thank you. The date for the price increase for Sports Pack is still uncertain and I DO have the same feeling that the increase will come soon. As long as there is monopoly, in my opinion, Ass-throw can do anything they want as long as people still continue to subscribe. Whether there is any effect when they increase the price, I can only guess that the number of terminations should not be enough to change things.

ADDITION
Oops, almost forgot. Even if eGG channel free preview ends on 30th June, I think there is only little effect because the Family Pack is "somewhat" available to most subscribers and therefore no additional charges. And I really do not know just how popular it is to all the Malaysian Gamers here. Maybe this channel have a huge following but a non-gamer like me is not interested because I got myself confused most of the time when I tried to watch it. I got when I watched the previous DOTA tournament, hehehe. Eventhough I am not into gaming, I think it is a good thing to continue this channel as it may promote a better acceptance of people in the e-gaming community as an e-Sport. The only thing that I am wondering is... why was there no dedicated channels that are based on IT and Computer Technology themes such as the very informative "Call For Help" show that was shown and then was cancelled by the show producers. I do not know whether such channels exist or not... and if available, neither do I know the reason why it is not launched till today. The best that have appeared that have any resemblance is the eGG channel. At least its better than nothing.

This post has been edited by jamesleetech: Jun 12 2016, 11:32 PM

haha i watch the last DOTA 2 international last year and it is intense like hell so eGG if it were 2 be ended then 2 bad

This post has been edited by skylinelover: Jun 13 2016, 06:33 AM

For multi room, dish need to change? any charges?

This post has been edited by zr125: Jun 13 2016, 11:20 AM

What can I say? It would be a waste to just throw the eggs away. Its better to be able to at least make an egg omelette or eggs benedict, better than having no eGGs at all.

Anyway, its great to have eGGs eventhough I always get headaches watching it... still trying to figure out who is attacking who and getting confused on what each game character can do... and I get even more "pening" when attack locations shown remain fixed only for a very short time and the view was shifted so fast making me really lost, hehehe. I was wondering how those young folks can follow the game so fast and still be able to understand what was going on.

I just hope the hens still continue to lay eGGs and as time goes by, I hope that different types of eggs can appear such as a 24 hours dedicated channel that have shows about the computer technology, modern gadgets or even about tips and tricks for Windows 10, Apple OSX, Android OS, etc etc. Lets have a bigger eGG situation.

Eh? What am I doing? Aiyo, I also request for a new channel. I am equally guilty as another young person who keeps on requesting for new channels but the difference is that I don't say "WILL", I only directly say "I hope", "I request" where I don't confirm anything in any of my request. Anyway, this last paragraph has absolutely nothing to do with you... just my rants here about that person whom I believe may still continue to "play games" with me... and I always have fun playing games with him so I will wait eagerly for it to come, if it comes. One of my specialty is playing such "word" games BUT unfortunately I will never be able to play any eGG games that always makes me , hehehehe.

http://www.brandembassy.com/blog/over-80-o...16-rio-olympics

This post has been edited by Qash-M: Jun 13 2016, 06:45 PM

Haha aiks

woah 24 channels

I'm NJOI user but i cannot watch Euro 2016 on Astro Arena for free, what will i do?

Click on the link below for the TV channels that NJOI viewers can watch...

http://www.astro.com.my/njoi/channels

From Ass-throw NJOI website...



You cannot do anything because Arena Channel 801 is NOT available for NJOI viewers.

Of course you can phone to Ass-throw request for this channel to be added to NJOI but I don't think they will listen loh.

Free no way maybe u hv to get a sports pass for RM104++ for PPV RM6 per match

This post has been edited by smileguy: Jun 14 2016, 06:37 PM

Pay a one time Special Pass of RM 104+ to watch Euro 2016 AND Rio Olympics 2016. Ass-throw call it "free" for Rio Olympics... I call it RM 52+ for Euro 2016 and RM 52+ for the Rio Olympics so... if anyone only want to watch Rio Olympics, that person MUST pay double for the Euro 2106 together.

really world champion of squeezers of all fkin time

Ass-throw deserve to make tons of money because they know how to be in a win-win situation so that viewers will always be lose-lose.

If people only want to watch Euro Cup 2016, Ass-throw is guaranteed to make money from Rio Olympics 2016...
If people only want to watch Rio Olympics 2016, Ass-throw is guaranteed to make money from Euro Cup 2016.

So... whichever way you choose, you must get both. NO such thing as... "I can only afford to watch Euro Cup 2016 and want to pay RM 52+"

After Euro 2016 ended, I suspect Ass-throw may throw out another Special Pass for Rio Olympics, maybe... mmm... RM 90+... more expensive than one single Euro 2016 because they have 24 dedicated channels, not 2 channels.

With Euro 2016 + Rio Olympics, Ass-throw kills 2 birds with just 1 stone.

Then, after Euro 2016 ended, Ass-throw kills a much bigger turkey with another smaller pebble sized stone for the Rio Olympics Pass.

Some people may think that they can save RM 52+ by not getting this 2 Sports Pass now, miss the Euro 2016 and just pay RM52+ when the Olympics Pass becomes available... BUT... people forgot that Ass-throw is very smart in money making tactics... Ass-throw may set the Olympics Pass at RM90+ so you only saved RM 14+ when compared to the 2 Sports Pass of RM 104+. We are smart but Ass-throw is much smarter.

In terms of business tactics, I LOST completely hands down. I MUST learn from Ass-throw on how to become filthy rich.

What a joke... I always laugh whenever any Ass-throw channels shows this message... "Subscribe to Euro 2016 now and get to watch Rio Olympics for FREEEEEEEEE!"

This post has been edited by jamesleetech: Jun 14 2016, 07:48 PM

It's available on it, but on Prepaid one.

Hehe... I know but I did not mention it because Low Li Hao clearly said ... "I'm NJOI user but i cannot watch Euro 2016 on Astro Arena for free, what will i do?"

Prepaid or any Sports Pass are both not "free" options so that's why I had replied earlier... "You cannot do anything because Arena Channel 801 is NOT available for NJOI viewers."

Unless Low changes his mind and decides to pay, then paid options are available.

New challenges with onset of technology
BY JAGDEV SINGH SIDHU

THE problems with paid and free-to-air TV stations are well documented.

Viewership is down and even the number of subscribers to pay TV stations have taken a hit. All of that means the outlook for the traditional TV media stations is challenging as over-the-top (OTT) players have stolen market share and viewers from traditional platforms.

One report highlights that trend where the 13 largest pay-TV providers in the US, representing about 95% of the market, lost about 385,000 net video subscribers in 2015.

According to the report which quotes Leichtman Research Group, the drop in subscribers of pay TV has been going down for the past 3 years when the industry lost about 150,000 subscribers in 2014 and 100,000 subscribers in 2013.

For satellite TV subscribers however, numbers are up in the US last year where Direc TV, a subsidiary of telco giant AT&T, saw an increase of 167,000 subscribers in 2015.

The challenges for the industry globally is not lost on Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd. The satellite TV provider lost 1,000 subscribers last year to 3.504 million and the challenge is now to not only arrest the decline but also get people to pay more for the services they provide. Astro has forecast average revenue per user to hit RM119 in 2020 from RM99 currently.

That net decline surprised analysts but they say the online shopping business, which Astro thinks will rake in RM350mil this year, and other services such as radio apart from its main TV subscriber business is what is giving some excitement to the stock.

While there is hope that Astro will deliver the financial numbers, the one knock on Astro since its listing in 2012 has been its share price. Listed at RM3 a share, Astro’s share price has for most of the time languished below that level.

Astro CEO Datuk Rohana Rozhan says the lacklustre share price performance was partly because the KLCI underperformed last year.

The KLCI was 3.54% down, while Astro’s shares were 0.5%.

“So in a way, we did better as 30% of our company’s shares is free float. We have really strong institutional, international and now local shareholders,” she says.

Analysts generally are favourable on the stock with many having a target price that is above Astro’s IPO price.

There is a suggestion that since most of the local buyers will be subscribers to Astro, there is an inherent prejudice towards the stock.

“The other problem is that there are macroeconomic headwinds which affects consumer sentiment,” says an analyst tracking the stock.

While the sell down of stocks on Bursa Malaysia saw a shift of investors of Astro stock, with local institutions holding more shares, Rohana says the one comfort investors have is the dividend that Astro pays. Astro was one of the top 10 companies that offered a high dividend payout ration, at 4.1%.

“I think we can safely say that we are a total return stock and even our dividends underpin a 4% yield.

“So, the share price would be a plus,” says Rohana.

Executing changes

What analysts are watching out for is how successfully Astro will make its transformation from a pure direct-to-home TV provider to an operator that delivers content through different channels.

With its satellite exclusivity coming to an end next year, Rohana says that is not an issue for the company.

“We’re less concerned about the satellite exclusivity, because none the challenges are coming through satellite anyway.

“Anywhere in the world, the real challenge is not coming from satellite, it is not DTH players who are disrupters,” she says.

Rohana points out that Astro is not the only company with a licence to deliver content as there are 11 other players who can do the same.

“All telcos are content providers also, everyone has that. But it goes back to content,” she says.

Astro’s investment in content development is huge as it plans to spend about half of its revenue to develop content by 2020. The current figure is 25%.

It spends nearly RM2bil in content every year, of which 25% is vernacular content that Astro owns the intellectual property rights. It sees content as a means to fight the disrupters to the industry.

One analyst who covers the stock says vernacular content is key in how Astro competes with other OTT players. “Vernacular content offers some shelter against competition that is predominantly English-based,” he says.

With competition coming from all corners, Rohana says the use of technology for reach is going to be important. Astro has an app for subscribers where content can be watched and also online delivery channels such as TRIBE that it will use to penetrate the Asean market.

“We are already in a global landscape because the global players are already here getting a share of the consumer wallet.

“The reality I think a lot of people sometimes forget, even we would like to forget, is that it’s no longer a protected environment. We are competing with global players with scale and pricing power.

“The reality is that all of us are competing in a global landscape so I think it’ll be business as usual but in a very disruptive market going forward,” she says.

The move to reach customers from beyond the set top box is what analysts say will be important.

“That is to prepare the company and to mitigate the impact of competition from external front,” says an analyst.

Astro Maya HD is one of Astro second Malay HD channel and NJOI first free Malay HD channel which is showing two free Malay SD channels, Astro Prima, Astro Oasis, one NJOI Prepaid channel, Astro Ceria and non-NJOI channel, Astro TVIQ. Unlike Astro Xi Yue HD is one of seventh Chinese HD channel and NJOI first free Chinese HD channel which is showing previously chinese programs from Astro Wah Lai Toi (local cantonese programmes only), Astro Quan Jia HD, Astro AEC, Astro Shuang Xing, Astro Hua Hee Dai and Astro Xiao Tai Yang.

looks like Astro rolled out a new software update for the PVR.

Please stop talking nonsense la. Sports is insanely expensive all over the world. It's not Astro's fault. You expect Astro to subsidise the cost for you? They are a profit making company. Don't want to pay their Euro or Olympics fee, then go mamak and watch la!

If you want to blame, then blame Euro, Fifa, IOC, etc for jacking up TV rights prices to insane levels. They are the real crooks here.