ShowMax, Vodacom offer internet TV service

Subscribers get unlimited access to a catalogue of TV shows, movies, kids shows and documentaries. New content will be added weekly.

This new service is optimised for lower data consumption, on smartphones and tablets, and is billed directly to a Vodacom account with no need for a credit card.

© Karolina Grabowska via Pixabay

Chris Savides, head of ShowMax Africa said, “ShowMax Select is all about making internet TV even more accessible. We designed Select to be viewed on mobile devices, with multiple options for managing data consumption.”

As the cost of smartphones and tablets continues to fall, more South Africans are being connected and can access internet TV services such as ShowMax. A major barrier, however, is the fact that many services require payment via credit card. This excludes the majority of the population who do not have a credit card.

“Internet TV services should be accessible to everyone, not just the lucky few who have credit cards. By partnering with Vodacom, we have made it simple to charge both ShowMax Select and ShowMax Premium directly to your Vodacom account, no credit card needed.”

To reduce data consumption, ShowMax Select has been optimised for viewing on smartphones and tablets. Subscribers have the choice of three different streaming video quality settings. The default level is standard definition which uses almost 40% less data in comparison to the default setting on ShowMax Premium.

As with ShowMax Premium, ShowMax Select gives subscribers the ability to download shows to smartphones and tablets to watch offline, choosing from four different file sizes. Using the most data-efficient setting, downloading a 20-minute TV show will require approximately 80MB. Subscribers not wanting to use mobile data can also download shows via Wi-Fi. Up to 25 shows can be downloaded at any one time.

The cost of the service is R49, while the existing ShowMax service is R99. To subscribe to the service, go to www.showmax.com/vodacom.