Uganda has an estimated 6-7 million TV sets. If we estimate each household owning a Television to have an estimate of 5 people living together, that’s about 30 million Television viewers.
Of the 6-7 million TV sets, only about 300,000 are hooked to Pay TV stations according to the latest Stats from Uganda Communication Commission(UCC). That’s a mere 5% Television sets currently able to receive digital TV services. That means the remaining 95% are watching TV with Free-to-air (FTA) channels as opposed to subscription-based Pay-per-view(PPV) channels.
Free-to-air (FTA) channels
But what are Free-to-air (FTA) channels? These are TV (and radio) channels that are broadcasted in clear unencrypted format. In other words, you don’t need special equipment requiring subscription model in order to view or listen to the broadcasted content. Just your TV and an antennae for the case of analogue TV or a Free-to-air decoder for Digital TV.
Pay-per-view (PPV) channels
Pay-per-view (PPV) channels are entirely the opposite of FTA channels. PPV channels are encrypted by Pay TV providers who supply their customers with special decoding equipment or decoders that unscramble the encrypted TV signals. This usually requires subscribers to pay a monthly subscription fee to Pay TV provider before they can view the content.
Digital Pay TV Providers in Uganda
Currently there are 5 operational Digital Pay TV providers in Uganda and they include Multichoice’s satellite TV service DSTV Uganda and its Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) cousin GoTV Uganda. DSTV requires viewers to have a satellite Dish and a decoder while Go TV only expects users to have a decoder to watch TV. Startimes Uganda has a similar model. They have StarSat which is their satellite service and a Startimes DTT service which only needs a decoder. The other providers are Zuku and AzamTV Uganda which are both digital satellite TV providers. Lastly, Simba TV, a merger between Kampala Siti Cable Ltd (KSCL) and TVNXT, provides not just digital TV services but also Internet.
Pay TV providers in Uganda also offer Free-to-air channels. However, they are only active when your subscription hasn’t expired. Should your subscription expire, you won’t be able to watch them apart from UBC.
List of Free-to-air channels in Uganda
Free-to-air channels include UBC, WBS, NTV, NBS, Lighthouse TV, Record TV, Capital, Bukedde TV, BTN TV, Bunyoro TV, EATV, Family TV, Top TV, Kakira Sugar TV, Channel 44, Top TV, Urban TV, Northern TV, and TV WA. These channels will continue to be free even after the migration from analogue to digital broadcasting. But you’ll need a Free-to-air decoder to access them if you are not subscribed to any of the Pay TV providers.
Related: Top channels on satellite combo decoder
List of Free-to-air decoder vendors in Uganda
UCC has licensed a number of companies to sell certified digital DVB-T2 decoders or Set-top-boxes to the public. They include Trans-African Container Transport, Syscorp International, Brivid, Icomsys Africa and World Technologies among others. See the table below for the entire list.
| Company Name | Contacts | Brand |
|---|---|---|
| SINKA DIGITAL LTD | Maendeleo House 6th Floor Suite P.O Box 15372-00100 Nairobi 0772331586 pmugabe1@gmail.com | FLAME-SAT |
| MA STORES | Ma Stores Yamaha Centre Plot 34, Luwuum Street, Kampala, Uganda 0772440075 0772433682 mks@yahoo.com | TECHNOSAT |
| KONKA ELECTRONICS | Konka Electronics Forest Mall P.O Box 35696 Kampala, Uganda 0777649830 | KONKA |
| GMAX ELECTRONICS LTD | GMAX Electronics Ltd P.O. 73633, Kampala Energy center Nakasero market street shop no. L2-22 Tel: +256772910843 mutumbahassan@yahoo.com | STARGOLD |
| GMAX ELECTRONICS LTD | GMAX Electronics Ltd P.O. 73633, Kampala Energy center Nakasero market street shop no. L2-22 Tel: +256772910843 mutumbahassan@yahoo.com | GOLDMAX |
| GMAX ELECTRONICS LTD | GMAX Electronics Ltd P.O. 73633, Kampala Energy center Nakasero market street shop no. L2-22 Tel: +256772910843 mutumbahassan@yahoo.com | GMAX |
| M.K. MUHUMBU IMPORTERS | M.K. MUHUMBU IMPORTERS Plot 39, Luwum Street P.O. Box 8320, Kampala +256 414 251066 +256 702 406518 | ARKIE STAR |
| TROPICAL BUSINESS LINKS | Tropical Business Links P.O BOX 3478 KAMPALA 0758001806 0723640723 | SONAR |
| TROPICAL BUSINESS LINKS | Tropical Business Links P.O BOX 3478 KAMPALA 0758001806 0723640723 | NANO |
| ATTIC COMPANY LTD | ATTIC COMPANY LTD Royal Plaza, shop 15 Luwum street, Kampala-Uganda +256 772 404256 +256 759 498 765 | NANO |
| URBAN TECHNOLOGIES (U) LIMITED | Urban Technologies Uganda Limited P.o Box 324245 Kampala +256704366265, 0774366265 123poka@gmail.com | URBAN TECH |
| VEGA HOLDINGS LIMITED. | Vega Holdings Limited P.O. Box 118 Nateete, Kampala Plot 960 Makamba Road Tel: +256 702380098 vegahlng@gmail.com | LUCKY STAR |
| SSENTIKO ELECTRONIC SERVICES (U) LTD. | Nansana, Kampala, Uganda 0779657301 0705451603 ssentikohenrytv@yahoo.com | M-TECH |
| SKY-WORTHS LTD. | P.O Box 163 Kampala, Uganda 0703664233 senopaul@sky-worths.com | SKYWORTHS |
| F.T AGENCIES | Plot 7 Nasser Road. P.O Box 8162, Kampala, Uganda 0787287292 sewaphphi@yahoo.com | NEXT |
| SIMBA TELECOM | Plot 15 Aki Bua Road, P.O Box 9421 Kampala, Uganda. 0312351500 | ORION |
| SATELLITE OPTIONS | Kampala, Uganda 0752611110 0794496199 0776240240 info@satelliteoptions.co.ug | CRYSTAL VIEW |
| CMJ HOLDINGS (U) LTD. | P.O Box 75020 Clock Tower Kampala, Uganda 0788330314 cmuzawula@hotmail.com | HOTPOINT |
| WIDESTAR DIGITAL (U) LTD | 2nd floor Madhvani Building, Plot 99/101, Buganda Rd, P.O Box 23725, Kampala +256 750 80 2910, +256 392 968 129 geoffreyk8@gmail.com | FENIX |
| WIDESTAR DIGITAL (U) LTD | 2nd floor Madhvani Building, Plot 99/101, Buganda Rd, P.O Box 23725, Kampala +256 750 80 2910, +256 392 968 129 geoffreyk8@gmail.com | DIGITAL+ |
| WIDESTAR DIGITAL (U) LTD | 2nd floor Madhvani Building, Plot 99/101, Buganda Rd, P.O Box 23725, Kampala +256 750 80 2910, +256 392 968 129 geoffreyk8@gmail.com | WISDIGI |
| MAC VIVA GLOBAL HOLDINGS LTD | Seeta Plaza, Jinja Rd, Seeta trading Centre, Mukono Municipality, P.O Box 4023, Kampala, Uganda +256 779 111 365 isaacmugerwa1@gmail.com | BEST-DIGITAL HD |
| BIT TECHNOLOGIES (U) LTD | Aggrey House Building, Plot 84 Kinawataka Road, Kireka, P.O Box 74504, Kampala, Uganda +256 706 600 218 +256 783 000 753 stmpagi@bituganda.com | HDMISAT |
| URI TRADING COMPANY | Plot 680, Kyaliwajjala Kampala Mr. Moses Mugulo 0783432330 Mr. Abraham 0782085381 ebrahone@gmail.com Mugulom2000@yahoo.com | DIGITAL LIFE TV |
| GREEN POWER SOLUTIONS | Shop F1-8, Nalubwama Arcade Plot 27, Ben Kiwanuka Street 0701 831 889 0781 702 221 Mr. Abdul Mbabazi 0701831889, 0781702221 sales@GreenPower.ug 0701 831 889 0781 702 221 | GREEN POWER |
| SPACE DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY LTD | P.O Box 70679, KAMPALA, UGANDA Mr. Talemwa Edwin 0752 522 424 0752 949 738 | SPACE DIGITAL |
| ROISE DE CLASSE (U) LTD. | Bbunga Ggaba Rd, Tel: 0782 511 033, Tel: 0701 126 713 | EUROSTAR |
| VISUAL CONSULTS (U) LTD | Yamaha Centre, shop no. LC50 +256 700 107 516 ohwayo@yahoo.co.uk | SMASH (T2 603) |
| VISUAL CONSULTS (U) LTD | Yamaha Centre, shop no. LC50 +256 700 107 516 ohwayo@yahoo.co.uk | SMASH (T2/S2) |
| ICOMSYS AFRICA LTD. | UMA Show Ground - Lugogo Opp. UMA Head Office P.O.Box 4650 Kampala,Uganda +256 784 445 063 icomsysafricaltd@gmail.com | GOSPELL (GTR-GN1346) |
| ICOMSYS AFRICA LTD. | UMA Show Ground - Lugogo Opp. UMA Head Office P.O.Box 4650 Kampala,Uganda +256 784 445 063 icomsysafricaltd@gmail.com | GOSPELL (GN1349A) |
| BRIVID UGANDA LTD. | Oasis Mall Basement, P.O Box 23101, Kampala +256 758 882 211 brividkla@gmail.com | DIMILA |
| TRANS-AFRICAN CONTAINER TRANSPORT LTD | P.O. Box 40292, KAMPALA T: +256-39-2966303 F: +250-503436 +256 702 510133 +250 788 301110 +250 788 352997 mubaraq.iga@gmail.com | TACT |
| EWORLD TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED | Colline House – Opp Nic house. Pilkington Road. P.O Box 12031, KAMPALA +254 20 2582964 +254 724 799755 john.kimondiu@eworldtech.co.ke inet@eworldtech.co.ke | HBOX |
| KAGADI TECHNICAL SERVICES | P.O Box 5998, Kampala +256 772 881715 , +256 779 032674, +256 772 580055 krespokitugwanidde@yahoo.com | KADET |
| KAGADI TECHNICAL SERVICES | krespokitugwanidde@yahoo.com | TV-WALKER |
Price of Free-to-air decoder in Uganda
Widestar Digital (U) Ltd, one of the approved vendors has Free-to-air decoders going for a price of UGX 165,000 and includes outdoor antenna. Brivid Uganda Ltd located at Oasis Mall Basement is selling their decoders at a slightly higher price of Ugx 180,000. Startimes Light decoder also gives you access to Free-to-air channels and goes for a price of only UGX 80,000. Those who get the Light decoder will have to pay an additional UGX 41,500 which entitles them to up to 7 months of digital TV on the Nova bouquet or package. However, should their subscription expire, they can still access Free-to-air channels.