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What to stream and the cheapest options this festive season

Johannesburg - Families looking to dodge bustling malls and shopping centres for the festive season, in favour of stay-at-home entertainment, can definitely find comfort in streaming content.

But with so many options and services to choose from, which is the right package that works for the whole family?

Gone are the days of people needing to wait for programmes that appeal to them - ShowMax and Netflix have made choosing what to watch a lot easier for the consumer. 

ShowMax, owned by Fin24 parent-company Naspers, offers limited TV shows and movies. However, very popular series from the very first episodes of the first season are available from the streaming service. 

The service also offers exclusive content and shows, and much of the shows and movies offered are tailored to a local audience.

US content service Netflix landed in South Africa little over a year ago with a soft launch which offered limited content. However, the company has since added to its local offering. 

The world’s most popular shows and movies are available from the service, with exclusive shows which have since become popular available on the service such as Narcos and Stranger Things

While both offerings are paid services - ShowMax costing R99 and free with a DStv premium subscription, while Netflix ranges from $7.99 (R107.98) to $11.99 (R162.04) - both still require a preferably strong and uncapped internet connection, especially for HD streaming. 

If you have internet but are not willing to fork out the extra monthly fee for streaming service, YouTube offers endless content, from funny animals to fails. 

However, key to any streaming service is internet. Luckily data has fallen and networks now have competitive offerings for consumers to be able to stream content online. 

Numerous fixed and mobile network operators are offering fibre-to-the-home in various areas around the country. It is advisable to check which service providers offer fibre in your neighbourhood, before deciding on the package. 

If fibre or a new internet connection seems costly or there isn’t fibre in your area, Telkom Mobile are offering the best package for the streaming of all mobile networks. 

Most recently, the network bolstered its competitive FreeMe packages which range from R99 to R999, offering free calls and big data packages with its Lit bundles. 

Telkom’s Lit bundles from 2GB bundles and upwards allow users to stream content from YouTube, ShowMax, Netflix, DStv Now and other services - without consuming data. 

Do you know of any competitive streaming deals? Tell us by clicking here.

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