Showmax subscribers residing outside of Africa are on the verge of losing access to the streaming platform owned by the MultiChoice Group. This change will leave them unable to enjoy their favorite shows through Showmax. However, some customers have expressed their frustration over what they consider to be a premature disconnection.
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For instance, a South African residing in the UK recently took to Twitter to voice her dissatisfaction when her Showmax app presented a lock screen, preventing her from using the service. Numerous comments followed, with users abroad expressing their anticipation of losing access to Showmax. What seemed to particularly irk users was the timing of the disconnection, as it appeared to be out of sync with what they had previously been informed by the MultiChoice subsidiary.
A notice on the Showmax website dated October 2, 2023, indicated that “as of December 1, 2023, Showmax will no longer be available outside of sub-Saharan Africa.” This strategic decision aimed to concentrate the business’s focus on the African market, according to a MultiChoice spokesperson.
Users were most concerned that they had been billed for the current month despite their access to the platform being revoked. A Showmax user named @mamiperez_ expressed her frustration: “My problem is the fact that they said they are discontinuing it in December but we can’t access our accounts and they still took money from us.” MultiChoice, however, clarified that they have not terminated the subscriptions of paying Showmax customers.
Initially, MultiChoice declined to provide a comment on the matter, but later issued a statement. It clarified that the Showmax diaspora service would cease at the end of November, and new subscriptions outside of Africa had not been available since October 2, 2023. The company encouraged customers experiencing issues to contact their support channels for assistance in resuming their streaming experience.
MultiChoice is diligently working on launching Showmax 2.0, expected before the end of the group’s fiscal year in March. The new Showmax will be available in 44 markets in sub-Saharan Africa, with further details regarding access in some African countries to be disclosed soon.
