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OpenView to start blocking decoders that are outside South Africa

OpenView decoders blocking

Popular free-to-air satellite TV provider OpenView which offers a range of channels like eTV, SABC, France 24 and more is going to be blocking decoders that are outside South Africa. Chatter of this surfaced on WhatsApp and we reached out to Openview to verify the messages that were circulating and this is the response we got:

Currently Openview has a license to only operate in South Africa. Meaning, we are not authorized to extend our service outside the borders of the Republic of South Africa. We are hoping to expand to other African countries at a later stage, but at this point we are more focused on growing our South African Viewership.  For now we have taken a decision to block decoders being used outside our legal jurisdiction.

OpenView

So it looks like if you are in Zimbabwe and you have an OpenView decoder you will soon be cutoff if you haven’t already. This is will definitely affect a number of households in Zimbabwe who have OpenView as their primary source of entertainment and news.

Fortunately, there is an alternative that doesn’t require a decoder but you’ll need to have an internet connection if you want to continue enjoying OpenView in this way and you can find a link to that below:

How to watch OpenView TV shows for free without the decoder

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63 thoughts on “OpenView to start blocking decoders that are outside South Africa

  1. how are they going to block decoders? i mean, it is a satellite service afterall isnt? they cant really just narrow the coverage to just rsa

  2. So isnt there any other free to air decoder available in our region. That is besides the kwese. Back then we used to have wiztech and philibao.

  3. Lies you just need to upgrade your decoder if you have an old NDS decoder and buy decoder which is 2-3 years with newer tech PVR Supported

  4. Guys why does openview decide to cut us people who are out of SA. House of Zwide barely has a month and they cut us off😭😭😭

  5. And that is the only reliable source of intertainment in Zimbabwe so far, How can they be so wicked, after all it’s their business growing beyond borders.

    1. I don’t have a tv so i have to ask: Do they have advertising targeting regional markets? If they don’t, then it makes sense to drop us coz there’s no money in it for them. And I’m willing to bet they either anticipated or actually had some governments come sniffing for some kind of licensing or fines behind the scenes.

        1. No, they don’t make money from selling decorders. The cost is actually subsidized. Still, it’s a once off minor payment. They make money from selling ads.

  6. If expanding is part of their future plans why not just do it now. Im willing to bet that 3 quarters of their users is made up by us the pple they want to cut off majority of South africans afford DSTV
    They shuld just do it now we really need this EPL is about to start.

  7. Haaaaaaaaaa.There’s no other decorder that can offer free fun channels like OV did.It’s a shame that they are cutting us off.

  8. Why cant we look Elif now in our telephones with internet connection? We have to pay for the data and now for Elif to watch it

  9. Qell as of yesterday 9/08/2021 we had our decoder blocked and we are living in Natal KZN.. after getting the E04 error to authorise our decoder again adter 5 years of use.. did the authorisation (yes and having to Pay for the service at R1.50/60sec) and an hour later got signal again.. 6 hours later same thing. E04 to authorise, redid authorise ussd and yes paying again… still waiting for signal to come back..

    This should be taken to legal as they are not allowed to “disconnect” a perfectly working decoder and force you to purchase a New decoder after promising 1 payment for access for life… (or until they need more money)…

  10. Sounds like a fund raising tactic. Usually they verify by using a SA number to SMS their activation gateway. This SMS is charged a bit higher than normal. So, if they force everyone to reactivate they easily raise thousands and thousands of rands.

  11. Can I just get my money back I don’t need their decoder anymore. Why did they leave it in the first place to be in other surrounding nations. Their working capital increased significantly and now they want to cut everyone. Nonsense.

  12. There is no way for them to know the decoder is outside of sa. I activated multiple devices for my relatives in zim, while i myself I’m based in sa.

  13. As a South African I saw many foreigners purchase the device to use in their country, now it is unfair that you block them, I think that the units be returned for full refund.

  14. As a South African I saw many foreigners purchase the device to use in their country, now it is unfair that you block them, I think that the units be returned for full or just leave unblocked

  15. Ov decoder got no GPS to track its current location . As long uri pa satellite footprint kuwona chete unless wa communicater navo pa WhatsApp platform yavo using a foreign # vanoku blocker

  16. They have made millions of Rand by selling those to foreigners, how can they be so wicked to cut the services, only a minority of South Africans needs those. If they cut,they will also run a loss in terms device sales.

  17. This aint fair,foreigners contributed to their growth.Everytime they celebrated of the many users they now got,those numbers also included those foreigners.we are buying the stuff they are advertising on OV contributing to their economy.ngavambomira izvozvo nxaa!

    1. Actually they can because according to the Broadcasting Commission it is illegal to be viewing SABC in Zimbabwe as it would be for them to view Ztv in South Africa without the proper agreed documentation or proper rights

  18. Its like openview is produced in spain and owned by Leo Messi now everything that is close to messi is taken out,my life wont be the same imagine without viewing Bundesliga,Laliga,Epl,Dstv mxm ngeke phela kudlaliwe ngathi la when they say once off payment bebesitshoni abasnike phela izimali zethu

  19. well obvious they had to say something formal coz they had been asked. otherwise they are well aware of decorders outside SA and they are making a Killing. When profits drop maybe thats when they may say bring and top up and we give you another decorder. like what they did on GoTV

    1. actualy you are right ,,this is a good time for KWESE to bounce back , the biggest problem that stopped KWESE ( among other reasons ) was that some time after launch pakabva parambidzwa payments in USD if you remember ,, remember paJoina nekuDSTV kuchizara nevanhu vaibhadhara in forex, so now KWESE needed USD to pay for tv rights to foreighn programs… DSTV could survive after later it was allowed to pay USD via the banks

  20. This website is owned by morons. They are not blocking openview for viewers oitside SA but they are blocking old decorders. You just need a new decorder which is upgraded then you are sorted whether in Zim o SA. Even those in SA with old decorders will be blocked

  21. Kkkkk there is an alternative to free on air. Only that most Zimbos do not know it have been using it for the past 6 months.

  22. Kunonyuka zvimwe takabva kure nazvo musatya ma Zimbos tinovaba5a muswe chete tisu anhu acho Havana ma guts anotidarika takambo introduce sei kuti kune open view kkkkkkkk

  23. dont worry team.free to air will never die.even after blocking their openview.we satellite technician have the technical knowledge of tracking free to air satellite and veiw for life without worries.there are alot of good content besides openveiw.engage satellite technicians and enjoy the benefits of of free technology.
    viva fta.viva free veiwership

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