Cable TV
Cable stringing deadline unrealistic: Karnataka MSOs
BANGALORE: With the one-month time given to MSOs to implement design guidelines issued by the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation (KPTC) about to expire, the Multi System Operators (MSO) argue that it would be impossible to adhere to the guidelines in the given timeframe and against the present set up.
“The KTPC’s design for stringing up of cables cannot be implemented at such a short notice. It’s too fancy and such standards should have been laid down at the initial stage itself,” opined an MSO.
“In many cases their low tension (LT) lines are too low, maintaining the clearances between the power lines and the cable wires and the cable wires and the ground would be impossible. The guidelines indicate that the cable wire must be at least 10 feet (3.05 meters) from the ground and at least 4 feet (1.2 meters) below LT wires; many of their LT wires are at only 10 feet from the ground. Also in many case, there is no room between the LT wires and the walls or other abutments to string the cables almost 7 feet (2 meters) from the pole,” the MSO added.
KTPC general manager (Technical) vide his circular dated 21 July has laid down guidelines for laying of OFC/co-axial cables on distribution network after the sad incident which claimed seven-year-old Anish’s life on 12 July when he came in contact with a loosely hanging ‘live’ cable wire.
Copies of the circular with guidelines with drawing and a checklist have reportedly been sent to a number of persons at all ESCOMs. The action taken for implementation of the circular guidelines and its execution will have to be furnished to the GM (Technical), KPTCL within 30 days of the issue of the circular.
Some of the guidelines in the circular specify the size of the messenger wire as 3.15 mm, 45 kg/sq. mm class GI wire, stating that cable tapping should not be done at the poles, but at-least 2 meters away from the poles. The minimum ground clearances have been specified as 5.8 metres across road and 3.05 metres along road. The communication/ TV cable wires should not run above power lines, they must always be below power lines. The clearance between the power line and messenger/cable wire has been specified as 1.8 metres when run under an 11KV line and 1.2 metres when run under a LT line.
In a separate development, Bangalore Electric Supply Company (Bescom) has re-iterated it’s threat to cut illegal cable wires from 19 August onwards. MSOs such as ICE1 and ICE2, among others, would be effected the most as per industry sources.
The Bescom had given cable operators time till 16 August to come up with proposals to help streamline the drawing of cables in the city. If the cable operators did not contact Bescom by 16 August Bescom would be forced to remove all illegally drawn cables and would not be responsible for any inconvenience caused to the public or to the illegal cable operators.
MUMBAI: When margins wobble, liquidity talks and in Q3 FY25-26, cash did most of the talking. Den Networks Limited closed the December quarter with consolidated revenue of Rs.251 crore, marginally higher than the previous quarter but down 4 per cent year-on-year, even as profitability stayed resilient on the back of strong cash reserves and disciplined cost control.
Subscription income softened to Rs.98 crore, slipping 3 per cent sequentially and 14 per cent from last year, while placement and marketing income offered some cheer, rising 15 per cent quarter-on-quarter to Rs.148 crore. Total costs climbed faster than revenue, up 7 per cent QoQ to Rs.238 crore, driven largely by higher content costs and operating expenses. As a result, EBITDA dropped sharply to Rs.13 crore from Rs.19 crore in Q2 and Rs.28 crore a year ago, pulling margins down to 5 per cent.
Yet, the bottom line refused to blink. Profit after tax stood at Rs.40 crore, up 15 per cent sequentially and only marginally lower than last year’s Rs.42 crore. A healthy Rs.57 crore in other income helped cushion operating pressure, keeping profit before tax at Rs.48 crore, broadly stable quarter-on-quarter despite the tougher cost environment.
The real headline-grabber, however, sits on the balance sheet. The company remains debt-free, with cash and cash equivalents swelling to Rs.3,279 crore as of December 31, 2025. Net worth rose to Rs.3,748 crore, while online collections accounted for 97 per cent of total receipts, underscoring strong cash discipline across operations, including subsidiaries.
In short, while Q3 showed signs of operating strain, the financial backbone remains solid. With zero gross debt, steady profits and a formidable cash war chest, the company enters the next quarter with flexibility firmly on its side proving that in uncertain markets, balance sheet strength can be the best growth strategy.
