News Broadcasting
100 million mobile TV broadcast subscribers by 2010: In-Stat study
MUMBAI: Research recently conducted by In-Stat suggest that by 2010 end, mobile TV broadcast subscribers worldwide will reach 102 million, a giant leap from 3.4 million in 2006.
The market research firm stated that for cellular networks to deliver content that millions want to watch simultaneously requires much greater bandwidth than is currently available, thus, carriers are turning to mobile TV broadcast networks, which have a much lower cost per bit for video delivery.
According to an official release, recent research by In-Stat found the following:
– There are positives and negatives to each standard, but each has a vendor eco-system behind it to enable deployment today.
– 2005 was the year of the first deployments, with ongoing trials in many parts of the world.
– Mobile carriers, mobile TV network operators, and content providers will soon be testing business models to determine what mobile phone subscribers are willing to pay to watch and what advertisers are willing to pay to reach them.
In-Stat analyst Michelle Abraham says, “The greatest challenge for mobile TV broadcast operators is to acquire the spectrum necessary to offer services. Spectrum availability may determine which of four standards is chosen, and also impacts the business case for the deployment of a network.”
The research, “Mobile TV Broadcasting Now Out of the Gate” covers the worldwide market for mobile TV services. It includes forecasts for mobile broadcast TV subscribers, average revenue by subscriber and revenues by region through 2010. It also contains analysis of competing mobile broadcast technologies and current deployments and trials, adds the release.
In related research, In-Stat’s January 2005 consumer survey found that over one in eight respondents expressed an interest in purchasing mobile video services even though those services were not yet available. Interest in mobile video outpaced all other applications such as gaming, downloadable music and broadcast music.
This research is part of In-Stat’s Multimedia Broadband Service, which provides a worldwide, comprehensive perspective of multimedia broadband markets, analyzing cable, video-over-DSL, DBS, and IPTV services, and digital terrestrial broadcast. It examines subscribers, business models, industry agendas and key cross-market combatants, the release adds.
News Broadcasting
Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
