Cable TV
Cable TV subscribers unhappy with raised subscription fees
KOLKATA: Indiantelevision.com has done a series of reports on the concerns of local cable operators (LCOs) and multi system operators (MSOs) around the process of digitisation.
However, what we haven’t touched upon yet is the response of city-based cable TV consumers to DAS, especially the 30 to 50 per cent increase in subscription charges over the past two months.
Cable subscribers in Barasat, Hooghly, Khardah, some parts of Salt Lake and northern Kolkata – regions that fall under DAS 1 – are learnt to be fuming over LCOs’ decision to randomly increase subscription rates.
So much so, some of them are refusing to pay subscription fees while others are willing to pay just the fees, sans the service tax and amusement tax components and without getting proper bills from the LCOs.
Cable Operators Digitalisation Committee of the Association of Cable Operators convener Swapan Chowdhury says: “Customers were expecting to get the bills and now, on not getting the bills, are upset. Some are not willing to pay even the monthly rental.”
Analyst Namit Dave feels customers who were used to paying on an average Rs 60 – Rs 90 during the analogue regime are uncomfortable shelling out higher viewing charges.
According to cable ops in Shyam Bazaar and north Kolkata, customers who used to pay Rs 120 per month are raising a hue and cry when asked to pay Rs 150 as monthly rental.
“We really do not know how to explain things and convince people,” said a cable operator.
Barasat resident Tumpai Das argued that the sudden increase of subscription fee from Rs 150 to Rs 280 was unjustified.
“The local cable operators have not added anything new in terms of quality in connection or channels. They have started collecting this amount for the past two months. If they are not controlled, soon they may hike again,” he rues.
“We are not being issued a valid bill. When we ask for a bill, they just write it in a white paper and issue it. If the cable operators are not controlled, they would fleece us to any extent. We would have no other option but to opt for DTH connection if they hike the charges further,” says a retired teacher from Hooghly.
Meanwhile, Cable Operators Sangram Committee general secretary Apurba Bhattacharya feels that going forward the situation is unlikely to change unless billing begins.
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.
