Openview USSD Code

Last verified: 2026

Quick Answer

The official Openview USSD self-service code in South Africa is *120*6843*1#.

Dial it from any network (Vodacom, MTN, Telkom, Cell C) to manage your Openview set-top box. The USSD menu will activate a new decoder, clear on-screen error codes such as E04, E06, Error 20, Error 200 or Error 69, and reset a parental control PIN. Standard mobile network USSD rates apply. If the USSD service is down, the Openview WhatsApp number is 082 966 6429, and Openview customer care answers on 0861 696 843.

What the Service Is and Who Can Use It

The Openview USSD self-service menu is an automated text tool built by Platco Digital for Openview decoder owners. Openview is free-to-air satellite TV with no monthly subscription fee, so this USSD service has nothing to do with bill payments or renewals. It exists to fix decoders.

Who Can Use It

• New Openview Customers: Anyone setting up a newly installed decoder for the first time.
• Existing Owners: Viewers hitting channel blockage, activation errors, or a scrambled signal after a power cut or bad weather.
• Parents and Household Members: Anyone who has forgotten the parental control PIN.

Requirements Before Dialling

• A mobile phone, feature phone or smartphone, with or without data.
• Your Openview Decoder Serial Number / STB Number, on the sticker underneath the decoder or on the box.
• Your area Postal Code.
• TV and decoder switched ON and tuned to Channel 100.

How to Access the Service

Before You Start

1. Check the satellite dish is properly connected to the decoder’s LNB-IN port.
2. Switch on the TV and the Openview decoder.
3. Tune to Channel 100 and stay there for the whole process. This matters more than it sounds.

Verified Step-by-Step Process

1. Dial the Code: Open your dialler, enter *120*6843*1#, and press call.
2. Select Menu Option: Pick the action you need:
   • Option 1: Activate Set-Top Box
   • Option 2: Clear Error Codes
   • Option 3: Reset Parental Control PIN
3. Provide Location Details: Enter your 4-digit postal code when prompted.
4. Select Specific Error (if clearing errors): Choose the option matching the exact error code on your TV screen, for example E04/E06, 20/200, or 206/69.
5. Enter STB Number: Key in your Openview STB number carefully and submit.

Confirmation or Expected Result

• On Your Phone: A USSD confirmation reading “Process completed. Please wait 5–10 minutes for the error message to be cleared”, or an activation confirmation.
• On Your TV: Leave the decoder on Channel 100 for 5 to 10 minutes. The error banner clears and the picture returns, after which you can change channel.

Recovery Route: Still blocked after 15 minutes? Pull the decoder’s power cable for 10 seconds, plug it back in, check the LNB dish connections, and try again.

Fees, Limits, Eligibility, and Processing Times

Common Problems and Troubleshooting

Code, Session, SIM, or Account Errors

• “Connection Problem or Invalid MMI Code”:
  • Check you typed *120*6843*1# exactly.
  • Make sure you have R1 to R2 airtime, because USSD dialling needs an airtime balance on a prepaid line.
• “Session Timed Out”:
  • The menu closes fast. Write your STB number and postal code down before you dial, not while the session is open.
• Error message keeps showing on the TV:
  • Errors E04 / E06 / 20 / 200: Signal sync loss. The decoder has to stay on Channel 100 during activation.
  • Error 69 / Access Denied: Needs a re-authorisation refresh through option 2 on the USSD menu.
  • “No Signal” or E52: A physical dish or cable fault, often a dish shifted by wind or rain. No USSD code can fix a disconnected cable or a misaligned dish.

When the Service Has Changed or Is Unavailable

If the USSD route is down for network maintenance, do not keep retrying and burning airtime. Switch to the WhatsApp or phone options below.

Official Alternatives

When USSD is unavailable or too slow, these are the official Openview channels:

1. Openview WhatsApp self-service:
   • Save the Openview WhatsApp number, 082 966 6429, to your contacts.
   • Send “Hi” or “Activate” and follow the prompts. Openview activation WhatsApp requests run through this same line.
2. Official Openview web portal:
   • Visit openview.co.za for help FAQs and decoder guides.
3. Openview customer care:
   • Dial 0861 696 843 to speak to an agent during business hours.

Related service codes for TV and money transfers:

• Payment USSD Codes
• DStv USSD Code
• Foneyam USSD Code
• Mukuru USSD Code
• Blu Voucher USSD Code
• Send Money USSD Codes

Safety and Privacy

• No financial details required: Openview is free. An official Openview USSD menu, WhatsApp bot, or support agent will never ask for card numbers, a CVV, banking PINs, or a transfer.
• Avoid unofficial technicians: Enter your STB number into official channels only. Never hand voucher PINs or banking details to a social media page offering to activate channels for a fee.
• Scam reporting: Anyone claiming to be Openview and asking for payment to clear a standard error code is running a scam. Hang up and report it through the official contacts above.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the current Openview USSD code?

The official self-service USSD code is *120*6843*1#. It opens a menu for clearing decoder errors, resetting PINs, and activating a new decoder.

What is the Openview WhatsApp number?

082 966 6429. Save it as a contact, send “Hi” or “Activate”, and follow the automated prompts. It handles the same activation and error-clearing jobs as the USSD menu, which makes it the better route when you have data but no airtime.

How do I reach Openview customer care?

Call 0861 696 843 during business hours to speak to an agent, or message the WhatsApp line for self-service outside those hours.

Which customers or account types can use it?

Any Openview set-top box owner in South Africa, from any prepaid or contract line, as long as the phone holds a small airtime balance for standard USSD charges.

What tasks are available in the menu?

• Decoder / set-top box activation
• Clearing on-screen error codes (E04, E06, 20, 200, 206, 69)
• Resetting the parental control PIN
• Finding authorised installers

What should I do if the Openview USSD route does not work?

If the USSD code fails or times out, message 082 966 6429 on WhatsApp to clear your error codes, or call Openview customer care on 0861 696 843.