Broadband
Asianet Selects Cisco Technology to Deliver Next Generation Broadband
MUMBAI: Asianet today announced that it has selected Cisco to deploy DOCSIS 3.0, a next-generation cable broadband network which is a key component of the Cisco IP NGN architecture. This technology increases upstream and downstream speeds to Asianet broadband customers by offering speeds of up to 300 Mbps per subscriber. DOCSIS 3.0 will help Asianet to achieve ultra-high speeds and will help enable the multi-service operator (MSO) to deliver more content over existing networks. The deployment of DOCSIS 3.0 will also allow Asianet to offer broadband services with bandwidth far superior to that of mobile Internet service providers.
In today’s video-led Internet community, a superior HD video experience on cable TV as well as on broadband has become absolutely imperative. Asianet and Cisco are working together to offer this enhanced video experience to the end consumer. The introduction of DOCSIS 3.0 is also expected to change the business dynamics for Asianet in Kerala, as the state observes Phase III of cable digitalisation. With the deployment of this technology, Asianet will be uniquely positioned to offer an immersive video experience on the same coaxial cable that delivers its high-quality digital video.
DOCSIS 3.0 technology will help enable Asianet to offer fiber-equivalent speeds on its HFC (Hybrid Fiber Coaxial) networks at an economical price. While GPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Network) is capable of providing 100 Mbps to each home, the cost of building and maintaining a GPON-based fiber network is much more expensive and skilled than with an HFC network. DOCSIS technology allows cable operators to reuse their existing cable plants to offer broadband services by upgrading them to two-way networks.
As the largest cable TV and Internet service provider in Kerala, India, Asianet has plans to fast-track the deployment of DOCSIS 3.0 modems to deliver an impressive Internet surfing experience to its 200,000 subscribers. The company is one of the early adopters of DOCSIS 3.0 and is offering its cable TV consumers an unrivalled broadband experience and revolutionary consumer entertainment.
Supporting Quotes: Mr. G. Sankaranarayana, President and Chief Operating Officer, Asianet Satellite Communications Ltd: “Today’s consumers are evolving and demanding more from their cable service providers. We decided to renew our strategies and offerings with a focus on delivering compelling customer services. We are already seeing a lot of appetite for our new offerings in the market and will be the first MSO to offer speeds of up to 50 Mbps per subscriber in the state, in the first phase, followed by 100 Mbps service in phase 2. We needed a technology that could help us deliver superior customer experiences and help us in being a class apart from the competition. And Cisco was our obvious choice, given the depth of understanding it has of the pay-TV and broadband infrastructure business.”
Mr. Sandeep Arora, Regional Manager, Service Provider, Cisco India & SAARC: “Our engagement with Asianet has the potential to transform the cable and broadband industry in Kerala. Asianet will be delivering a differentiated experience to its subscriber homes by enabling high-speed broadband beyond 100 Mbps on the same cable as digital broadcast channels. Considering the highly competitive and fragmented broadband market, this deal propels Asianet to the pinnacle of the industry in the region. Our IP Next-Generation Network (IP NGN) architecture helps enable convergence of networks and services, providing an immersive experience to cable subscribers. Asianet is getting ready to deliver the connected life to consumers, addressing their immediate needs while laying the foundation for rapid deployment of next-generation services.”
Broadband
Tejas Networks names Arnob Roy as MD and CEO, overhauls top leadership team
The Bengaluru-based telecom gear maker reshuffles its entire top team even as quarterly revenue collapses by 83 per cent
BENGALURU: Tejas Networks is changing the guard at the top, and doing so at speed. The Bengaluru-headquartered telecom equipment maker has elevated Arnob Roy as managing director and chief executive officer, effective April 15, 2026, for a term running through to August 3, 2028, and in the same breath announced new appointments across operations and finance. The timing is pointed: the company is navigating one of the roughest patches in its recent history.
Roy steps up from his role as executive director and chief operating officer, a position he has held since March 2019. He brings more than three decades of experience in the high-technology sector across research and development, operations, and sales. His predecessor, Anand Athreya, resigned last year citing personal reasons and was relieved on June 20, 2025, leaving a gap at the top that has now been formally filled.
The numbers Roy inherits are sobering. Tejas posted a net loss of Rs 211.3 crore in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2026, a near-194 per cent widening year on year from Rs 71.8 crore in the same period a year earlier. Revenue for the quarter collapsed 82.6 per cent year on year to Rs 333 crore, down from Rs 1,907 crore. EBITDA swung to a loss of Rs 118.2 crore against a profit of Rs 121.5 crore a year ago. The culprit is not hard to identify: Tejas has derived the bulk of its revenue from BSNL’s fourth-generation network project, delivered as part of a Tata Consultancy Services-driven consortium, and that roll-out is now winding down.
Roy, speaking during a post-earnings conference call with analysts, was candid about where the company has been. “The BSNL 4G network went live across 100,000 sites. We deployed our largest indigenous router networks in the country through the BSNL MAN network, as well as in the BharatNet Phase 3 network,” he said, adding that Tejas had also successfully rolled out its 400G and 800G DWDM equipment in domestic and international markets, and continued the deployment of what it describes as the world’s largest satellite IoT network through its vehicle tracking system solution.
The pivot to new revenue streams is already under way. Tejas has partnered with Japan’s Rakuten Symphony and NEC Corporation to push deeper into international markets, with several Open Radio Access Network trials ongoing, one of which concluded recently. The company is also diversifying across equipment categories and geographies to sustain momentum as the BSNL chapter closes.
To prosecute that strategy, Roy needs a full team around him. Preetham Uthaiah has been appointed chief operating officer, moving up from his current role as vice president of product management for wireless products at Tejas Networks. Uthaiah brings nearly 30 years of global experience spanning engineering, product management, and business development across India and the United States. Before joining Tejas Networks, he served as executive vice president of product management, marketing, and strategy at Saankhya Labs, and held senior roles at Tech Mahindra on both sides of the Atlantic. He holds an MBA from Arizona State University and a degree in electronics and communications from Karnatak University.
On the finance front, AVS Prasad has been approved as chief financial officer, effective May 16, 2026, succeeding Sumit Dhingra, who has resigned. Prasad, currently serving as finance controller at Tejas Networks, brings over 27 years of experience within the Tata Group across telecom, aerostructures, and defence. A company secretary and cost and management accountant by training, he has spent more than 15 years in senior finance roles including CFO and financial controller positions, with expertise spanning corporate finance, treasury management, regulatory compliance, internal audit, and governance.
New chief executive, new chief operating officer, new chief financial officer — all installed in a single move, at a moment when the company’s largest revenue source is drying up and the next chapter remains unwritten. Tejas Networks has placed its bets. Now it has to deliver.
