DStv Dish Relocation in Sandton: Moving House Without Losing Signal
DStv dish relocation in Sandton is one of the most common jobs we handle, because moving house without losing signal takes more than unbolting the dish and screwing it back up at the new place. The satellite dish has to be remounted securely, re-pointed to within a fraction of a degree, and re-cabled to your decoder before you will see a picture again. In this guide I explain exactly what relocation involves, what it costs, and how to keep your DStv account and Explora working through the move.
Whether you are moving between homes in Bryanston, adding a dish at a new flat in Rivonia, or simply shifting the dish to a better wall on the same property, the process is broadly the same. We have relocated hundreds of dishes across Sandton, and the households that plan the move a few days ahead almost never have downtime in front of the TV.
What DStv Dish Relocation Actually Involves
Relocation is a full re-install, not a simple lift-and-shift. When we take a dish down at your old address, the alignment is lost the moment the bracket leaves the wall, so the whole system has to be set up again at the destination. A proper relocation covers five steps: safely removing the dish and bracket, mounting a new bracket on a wall or roof with a clear line of sight to the north-eastern sky, fitting the dish and LNB, running fresh RG6 coaxial cable to your decoder, and re-aligning the dish to the satellite until the signal reads above 80%.
The line of sight matters more than anything else. DStv in South Africa broadcasts from the Intelsat satellites parked at 68.5 degrees East, so the dish must have an unobstructed view in that direction. A wall shaded by a new neighbour's double-storey, a large tree, or a boundary wall can make a spot that looked fine completely unusable. Part of what you pay a professional for is picking the mounting position that will still work in five years, not just today.
Moving House: Transferring Your DStv Without Losing Signal
Your DStv subscription travels with your smartcard and account, not with the dish, so moving house does not mean starting a new contract. You keep the same account and the same decoders. The physical dish and cabling, however, usually stay behind with the property, which is why most people book a relocation or a fresh installation at the new home rather than trying to move the old hardware.
Here is the sequence I recommend for a smooth move:
- Before the move: photograph how your decoders are cabled so the same setup can be rebuilt quickly.
- Decide on the dish: if the new home already has a dish and cabling, we often only need to realign and reconnect. If not, we install a new one.
- Book the installer for moving day or the day after so you are not waiting a week for a picture.
- After connection: send a refresh from the MyDStv app, or dial 011 289 2222, so your subscription authorises on the reconnected decoder.
If your signal does not return after reconnection, the cause is almost always alignment or a cabling fault rather than your account. Our DStv troubleshooting guide walks through the checks, but a relocation done by an accredited installer should hand you a working system on the day.
What DStv Dish Relocation Costs in Sandton
Relocation pricing depends on how much of the system has to be rebuilt. Moving a dish a few metres on the same property is at the lower end; a full install at a new home with fresh cabling and a new bracket costs more. The ranges below are our own indicative Sandton prices and include labour, realignment, and a signal test. We always give an upfront quote before starting, with no hidden call-out surprises.
| Job | What it includes | Indicative price |
|---|---|---|
| Same-property dish move | Remove, remount on a new wall, realign, signal test | R650 – R950 |
| Full relocation to a new home | New bracket, dish fitted, fresh RG6 cabling, realignment | R850 – R1,500 |
| Realign an existing dish only | Re-point and re-skew a dish already mounted at the new address | R450 – R700 |
| Additional TV point | Extra cable run to a second or third room | R350 – R650 |
For a brand-new home with no dish at all, the cost sits closer to a standard fresh installation. Our DStv installation price guide breaks that down in detail if you are starting from scratch rather than relocating existing equipment.
Can You Move the DStv Dish Yourself?
You can, but I would not recommend it for a rooftop dish, and here is the honest reason: alignment is unforgiving. The dish must point at the satellite to within roughly a degree in both direction and tilt, and the LNB has to be skewed to the correct angle for your area. Most people who move a dish themselves get a weak, unstable signal that drops out the first time it rains, then call us to redo it anyway. Add the risk of working at height on a Highveld roof and the saving disappears fast.
Where DIY is reasonable is a ground-floor or low wall-mounted dish that you are shifting a short distance, if you own a satellite finder meter and are comfortable on a ladder. Even then, budget time to fine-tune the signal. If the dish is on a double-storey roof, or you cannot get a stable reading above 70%, it is safer and quicker to book a professional realignment than to spend a Saturday chasing signal.
Relocating the Dish on the Same Property
Not every relocation is a house move. Plenty of our Sandton call-outs are homeowners who want the dish shifted on the same property, usually because a renovation, a new carport, or a growing tree has blocked the line of sight, or because they want the ugly dish off the front elevation. Moving a dish to a rear or side wall is straightforward as long as the new position still sees the north-eastern sky, and we run new cable neatly to keep it tidy.
The same visit is a good time to add a TV point in another room or set up a second decoder. If you want to watch different channels in the lounge and bedroom off one subscription, we can configure an Extra View setup while the dish is already down. Combining the jobs into one call-out saves you a second labour charge.
What About Change of Ownership?
Change of ownership is a different process from relocation, and people often confuse the two. Relocation is physical, moving the dish and decoder. Change of ownership is administrative, transferring the DStv account into a different person's name, for example when you take over a subscription or hand yours to a family member. If you are simply moving house and keeping your own account, you do not need a change of ownership at all, just a relocation of the hardware.
If the account name does need to change, MultiChoice handles that through their support channels rather than through your installer. You can start the process on the DStv support page or by contacting MultiChoice directly. We take care of the dish and decoder side so you can watch the same day, and you sort the account details in parallel.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do with my DStv when moving house?
Keep your smartcard and decoder, and book a dish relocation or fresh install at the new home. Your subscription stays on your account, so you do not need a new contract. The old dish and cabling usually stay with the property, and an installer sets up and realigns a dish at the new address, ideally on moving day so you avoid downtime.
How much does it cost to move a DStv dish in Sandton?
A same-property dish move costs roughly R650 to R950, and a full relocation to a new home with fresh cabling runs about R850 to R1,500 in Sandton. Realigning a dish that is already mounted at the new address costs less, from around R450. We quote upfront after confirming the mounting position and how much cabling is needed.
Can I move my DStv decoder to another house myself?
Yes, the decoder and smartcard move with you and simply plug in at the new home. The catch is the dish: it must be remounted and precisely realigned to the satellite before the decoder shows a picture. Moving the decoder is easy, but getting stable signal at the new address is the part most people book an installer for.
Can I reposition the satellite dish myself?
You can for a low, easily reached dish if you have a signal meter and are steady on a ladder, but alignment is precise work. The dish must point at the Intelsat satellites at 68.5 degrees East to within about a degree, with the LNB skewed correctly. Rooftop dishes are safer left to a professional, both for accuracy and for working at height.
How long does a DStv relocation take?
A straightforward relocation takes about one to two hours, from removing the dish to a signal test above 80%. A full install at a new home with fresh cable routing can take a little longer, especially if the tidiest cable run is not the shortest. We aim to leave every job with a clean signal reading and a working picture before we pack up.
Book Your DStv Dish Relocation in Sandton Today
Moving house or just shifting the dish to a better spot? Our accredited installers relocate and realign DStv dishes across Sandton, including Sandhurst, Bryanston, Rivonia, Morningside, Sunninghill, Fourways, Lonehill, and Woodmead, often on the same day. Call us on 077 454 4032 or send a WhatsApp to book your relocation, and see our full range of DStv services or request a quote online and we will get back to you within the hour.
Need Help with Your DStv?
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