Dhiraagu Announces The Discontinuation of DhiraaguTV & DhiraaguPlay Service
Dhiraagu has solemnly announced the final decision reached by the company regarding the DhiraaguTV and DhiraaguPlay service following the announcement published last October. An amendment was brought to the Rebroadcasting Regulation (R-1/2022) in January 2022 which introduced a provision where it prohibits companies with foreign shareholders from providing rebroadcasting services in the Maldives.
This revision posed many difficulties for Dhiraagu to renew their Rebroadcasting License with the Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC)which expires on 29th January 2023. The company’s application to renew was rejected by the MBC and Dhiraagu has hosted discussions with several relevant authorities throughout the year to resolve the issue and continue its DhiraaguTV and DhiraaguPlay service in a fair and sustainable regulatory environment however, to no avail. This uncertainty surrounding the license has also hindered Dhiraagu’s growth plans and resulted in the company incurring losses as well.
Therefore, regarding the present regulatory challenges and considering the best interest of the company and its shareholders, the Dhiraagu Board of Directors has made the difficult decision to discontinue the DhiraaguTV and DhiraaguPlay service to avoid more loss in the future. In line with the Regulation, Dhiraagu must present a 30-day notice before discontinuing the service and hence, the company stated that 29th January 2023 will be the last date that customers can acquire the services. Dhiraagu extends its sincere apologies for the inconvenience this may bring to all its dedicated customers.
The company has always prioritized in finding a solution that will not deprive DhiraaguTV customers from having value added choices for a consistent and quality IPTV service regardless of where they are. As such, Dhiraagu has been in discussion with multiple parties who have expressed interest to provide rebroadcasting services. Following the discussions, it has come to an agreement to provide IPTV/OTT network as a service to the newly licensed rebroadcaster, SS Network Pvt Ltd, allowing customers to easily switch for the new rebroadcaster’s service. Further details will be communicated to customers in the coming weeks.
During the last 7 years, Dhiraagu has invested heavily in its DhiraaguTV network featuring 100 premium channels, expanding the service to 85% of national households across 95 islands. Dhiraagu conveys their gratitude to customers for their trust and support which has tremendously led to the success of DhiraaguTV.