Cable TV
Den Networks and Wipro join hands for enhancing customer experience
MUMBAI: Multi system operator (MSO) Den Networks is not only expanding its business, but with that is looking at enhancing customer experience as well. And with this, the MSO has entered into a strategic partnership with information technology giant Wipro. The alliance aims at accelerating Den Networks’ evolution from being a B2B organisation to a B2C one.
The strategic partnership will empower Den Networks’ customers with seamless connectivity and integration. Through this decade-long alliance, the MSO will be able to provide its customers, local cable operators (LCOs) and partners with real time efficient services, thereby ensuring continuous engagement and zero downtime. The initiative will also help Den Networks to streamline the deployment of its next generation services and provide quicker service activation, accurate rating and billing and excellent customer service.
“As the industry continuously evolves, it is imperative to drive innovations for an enhanced customer experience. This initiative will help us connect better with our customers, and meet operators’ demand for quicker and accurate dissemination of a variety of services, thereby driving increased loyalty, adoption and efficiency. We are looking at automating our backend processes as a part of this deal, to provide a seamless subscriber experience and build customer loyalty,” said Den Networks COO M.G. Azhar.
According to the agreement, Den Networks can offer SMS and BSS user friendly solutions, which allows cable operators to deliver more personalised and sophisticated services to cable and broadband subscribers at sharply improved delivery time.
“We are delighted to be chosen as a strategic partner for Den. Wipro will leverage its extensive experience in business and technology transformation, combined with platform-driven integrated delivery of IT to ensure we deliver a robust, flexible and scalable infrastructure to help Den do business better,” added Wipro Infotech chief executive Soumitro Ghosh.
The cloud based platform will use a highly extendible patented model that consolidates all subscriber, product, service and infrastructure based operational data, allowing operators to reliably and rapidly create and manage a wider range of residential and business products that deliver increased operational efficiency and a greater user experience.
“This partnership will enable both the companies to meet the changing needs of the customer, providing them with more choices and market solutions, using a blend of onboard and cloud-based distributed analytics. Our user-centric architecture and expertise in the broadband & cable space will help DEN Networks engage with customers at a deeper level,” concluded Wipro senior vice president and business head-global communications Anil K. Jain.
Cable TV
Hathway Cable appoints Gurjeev Singh Kapoor as CEO
Leadership change comes as cable TV faces shrinking subscriber base and modest earnings pressure
MUMBAI: Hathway Cable and Datacom has tapped industry veteran Gurjeev Singh Kapoor as chief executive officer, marking a leadership pivot at a time when India’s cable television business is under mounting strain.
Kapoor will take over from Tavinderjit Singh Panesar, who is set to retire in August after a long innings with the company. Panesar, chief executive since 2023, has held multiple leadership roles at Hathway, including his latest stint beginning in 2022.
Kapoor brings more than three decades of experience in media and entertainment. He most recently led distribution at The Walt Disney Company’s Star India business, now part of JioStar. His career spans television distribution and affiliate partnerships, with stints at Sony Pictures Networks India, Discovery Communications and Zee Entertainment.
Panesar, with over three decades in the industry, has worked across strategic planning, distribution and business development in media, broadcasting and manufacturing. His past associations include ESPN Star Sports, Star India, Apollo Tyres and JK Industries.
The transition lands as the cable sector grapples with structural disruption. Traditional operators are losing ground to streaming platforms, while telecom and broadband players tighten the squeeze with bundled offerings.
An EY report estimates India’s pay-TV base could shrink by a further 30 to 40 million households by 2030, taking the total down to 71 to 81 million. The slide follows a loss of nearly 40 million homes between 2018 and 2024, a contraction that has already wiped out more than 37,000 jobs in the local cable operator ecosystem.
Hathway’s numbers reflect the strain. The company reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 93 crore for FY25, down from Rs 99 crore a year earlier. Revenue inched up to Rs 2,040 crore from Rs 1,981 crore. As of December 2025, it had about 4.7 million cable TV subscribers and roughly 1.02 million broadband users.
Kapoor steps in with a familiar brief but a shrinking playbook. In a market where viewers are cutting cords faster than companies can reinvent them, the new chief executive inherits a business fighting to stay plugged in.
