(Business in Cameroon) - Early this year, pay-TV operator Canalsat lowered the prices of some of its packages in Cameroon. These include the "Access" and "Evasion" packages, which now cost XAF5000 and 10,000 respectively, instead of XAF5500 and 11,500 in 2020. "The rebate does not apply to the Evasion+ (XAF22,500 monthly) and Tout Canal (XAF45,000) packages," explains an internal source at the company.

Last year, the operator increased its prices because of a provision in the 2020 finance law (it introduced a 12% tax, representing excise duties, on digital audiovisual program packages), but it was the only pay-TV operator to do so.

Various sources see this rebate (which brings prices to the levels they were before prices rose in 2020) as a consequence of the competition led by Chinese Startimes that recently entered the market. Indeed, with its packages ranging between XAF5500 and 10,000 and decoders sold at XAF5,000, Startimes has attracted many Cameroonians in recent months, maybe because of the novelty effect.

BRM