A decade ago, GOtv appeared on the scene of digital pay TV in Nigeria and has since transformed it with technologically advanced, easily accessible, affordable and customer-friendly packages for millions of Nigerians nationwide. Currently available in over 50 cities across 26 states of Nigeria, GOtv boasts of the widest digital terrestrial television (DTT) reach in Nigeria despite only being here 10 years.
Foremost on its agenda since inception is offering excellent customer experience, which is evident in its numerous tech innovations, self-service options, content quality, decoder functionality and quality, among others.
In line with its agenda of ensuring the best customer experience while pushing Nigeria’s transition from analogue to digital transmission, GOtv began operations in 2011 with the DVB-T2 decoder—a second-generation technology regarded as one of the most advanced broadcast infrastructures globally and approved by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) as the standard for digital television broadcasting. GOtv was the first DTT provider in Nigeria to use this infrastructure.
Asides from delivering a higher number of channels—20 per frequency when compared to DVB-T1 technology which allows 12 channels per frequency—DVB-T2 technology gives access to free-to-air channels on the expiration of one’s subscription and delivers a far superior digital, audio-visual quality, all for the viewing pleasure of its customers at extremely affordable rates.
GOtv also has an Enhanced Decoder Notification (EDN) function which keeps subscribers abreast of information such as number of viewing days left before the next payment, latest special offers and discounts, campaigns, information on new content and upcoming celebrations to improve their viewing experience.
Tech innovations such as the MyGOtv app allows customers to use several self-service options to quickly resolve issues such as clearing error codes, checking account balance, subscription renewal, package change, etc., without having to physically visit a GOtv office.
Other self-service platforms by GOtv to resolve issues instantly for improved customer experience include the *288# USSD code; payment options such as mobile money services and bank apps; GOtv’s social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram) and the GOtv website; and toll-free numbers 09085330333 (9mobile),08139842260 (MTN), 07080630900 (Airtel), 08117930333 (GLO) which connect subscribers via phone calls to customer care representatives.
Furthermore, in line with the company’s customer-centric tradition and policy, GOtv has launched several campaigns and packages at discounted prices since the COVID-19 pandemic in January 2020 as the organization constantly looks to cushion the lingering economic effect of the coronavirus on its subscribers.
It started with the ‘We’ve Got you’ offer just around the lockdown period and it ran from April 20 to June 30, 2020. Active and disconnected GOtv subscribers enjoyed discounts and got upgraded to the next viewing package when they paid the fee of their current package with some customers enjoying up to 75% discounts with their families during the lockdown.
The “Max For Less” campaign which ran from 14th, January – 31st, March 2021 allowed subscribers on GOtv Jolli and Jinja upgrade and enjoy GOtv Max at a discounted price of N2,999, instead of N3,600 per month. Mid-way through that in February 2021, there was a major price splash campaign which saw GOtv decoder, GOtenna with GOtv Jolli package subscription drop to N6,900 from N8,400.
Also in the first half of 2021, GOtv Nigeria initiated a reward campaign tagged ‘GOtv Awoof Promo’ where GOtv Max subscribers got a chance to win N100,000 for school fees, N50,000 cash prize, N10,000 shopping vouchers, N5,000 fuel vouchers and free airtime all in a bid to lessen the financial burdens of its subscribers in a financially challenging climate.
In its usual way of keeping the family bond together with top quality entertaining content, on the 1st of November, GOtv brought more lifestyle and entertainment channels/content on DStv to its GOtv subscribers this festive season through a brabroughtnd-new package known as GOtv SUPA. Some of the channels included in the new GOtv SUPA package are: Honey, Africa Magic Urban, WWE, TL Novelas, Novela Magic, ROK, KIX, Nick Jr and NickToons.
Speaking of quality content over the years, GOtv has provided millions of households with entertaining, informative and educative content across different sectors of the economy including sports, music, movies, business, fashion, etc. We cannot speak about GOtv’s first-class content delivery without highlighting the quartet of its Turn Up Friday, Owambe Saturday, Hallelujah and Ramadan pop-up channels— the last two having been introduced in 2020 during the lockdown to keep GOtv’s subscribers physically entertained while being nourished spiritually.
The Turn Up Friday show availed GOtv subscribers the opportunity to party from the comfort of their homes following the restriction on social gatherings at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The show aired for 10 weeks with DJs and musicians playing trending songs for viewers to vibe and dance to.
Similarly, the Owambe Saturday show brought the weekend owambe lifestyle experience to viewers in their homes with live band performances every weekend while viewers shared video clips of themselves on social media dressed up in different traditional attires and dancing to the live band. This also lasted for 10 weeks.
While Fridays and Saturdays were for partying, Sundays were for religious activities, hence the Hallelujah and Ramadan pop-up channels. With religious gatherings also banned during the pandemic GOtv gave its customers an opportunity to worship from home. For Christians, the Hallelujah pop-up channel was a mixture of praise and worship sessions, sermons, choir ministrations, prayers and more from different Christian denominations; while the Ramadan pop-up channel included Ramadan-focused lifestyle, movies, talk shows, music, kiddies’ programming and daily calls to prayer.
This section will not be complete without mentioning the GOtv Boxing Night, an event that has revived the comatose boxing sector in Nigeria, having produced Nigeria’s first Olympic medal in 1964. In addition to bringing football action from top European leagues and top international sporting actions across the globe to its viewers at an affordable price, GOtv, on the home front, launched the GOtv boxing night in 2014 and has since hosted and aired some of the biggest bouts on the continent including a world boxing fight for the viewing pleasure of its customers. The event has also produced some of the best boxers on the continent who are now African Boxing Union and International Boxing Federation titleholders.
