Astro’s satellite TV service is shutting down in Brunei after 22 years in operation

Kristal Astro has announced that it is shutting down in Brunei after 22 years in operation. Kristal Astro is Brunei’s pay TV service which is a joint venture between Kristal Sdn Bhd and Malaysia’s Astro Televsion Network System (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Astro Malaysia Holdings Sdn Bhd.

According to its official notice, Kristal Astro will permanently cease operations on the 31st March 2022 at 11:59pm. The statement mentions “considering the fast changing technology trends causing huge shifts in consumer preferences towards digital media consumption, we have come to a fork in the road that calls for us to make this difficult decision. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.” The service was launched in Brunei on 24th January 2000 and it uses the same satellite-based set-top-box as Astro Malaysia.

Existing Kristal Astro customers will lose access to the pay TV service starting from 31st March and they will be contacted by Kristal Astro representatives soon. According to the FAQ, the deposit will be returned back to customers and it may be used to cover any unpaid balances. Customers can choose to receive the refund by cheque or direct transfer to their bank account.

Customers can appoint a representative to act on their behalf but they must issue an authorisation letter along with a signed photocopy of the owner’s IC/passport as well as the original IC/passport of the representative. The refund will be processed with a minimum of 30 working days.

Customers who have bought a new set-top-box after 1st April 2021 will be offered compensation. For new registrations, Kristal Astro will compensate BND 12.92/month for 12 months, while trade-in customers will be compensated BND 8.75/month for 12 months.

Kristal Astro customers that have paid for an annual subscription will also get a refund for their remaining credit balance. The FAQ also states that customers are not required to return their set-top-box and satellite dish in order to get the refund. For more info, customers can contact Kristal Astro via WhatsApp at 8816888 or by phone call at 8350327 or 8350329.

Satellite TV services are slowly being overtaken by the rise of streaming providers. In Malaysia, Astro aims to be an aggregator of digital streaming services by partnering with various platforms such as Disney+ Hotstar, Netflix, HBO Go and TVB Anywhere+. To diversify its service offering, Astro wants to be a major fibre broadband player in Malaysia and they have signed an agreement with Telekom Malaysia (TM) to offer home broadband services via TM’s nationwide HSBB network.

To move away from satellite technology, Astro has also launched its Ultra Plug & Play box which uses internet to deliver live TV and video on demand content. This allows a more seamless and reliable viewing experience without being affected by bad weather. The option to stream via internet instead of satellite is also extended to Ultra and Ulti box users.

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