Cable TV
CableLabs certifies two DOCSIS* 1.1 modems and qualifies two CMTS
In what is seen as an industry first, the US cable industry on 27 September awarded certification status to DOCSIS* 1.1 cable modems, adding to the industry’s family of interoperable high-speed devices. The advancements that come with DOCSIS 1.1 are tactically and strategically critical to cable providers.
Two companies, Texas Instruments and Toshiba, achieved certification status from CableLabs – a research and development consortium of cable television system operators representing North and South America – for modems that comply with specifications for DOCSIS 1.1, a company release states.
Two companies, Arris and Cadant, gained qualification status for their DOCSIS 1.1 cable modem termination systems (CMTS). DOCSIS stands for Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification.
The 1.1 modems are compatible with existing DOCSIS 1.0 equipment and will be compatible with modems that will be certified under future versions of DOCSIS, such as the recently announced DOCSIS 2.0.
Strategically, DOCSIS 1.1 opens a technological doorway to augmented revenue streams for cable providers. It does so by enabling the existence of high-speed Internet service tiers, via techniques known as data fragmentation and quality of service (QoS). Those two techniques allow cable providers to deliver high-speed Internet services simultaneously over the same plant – and in a path parallel to – core video services.
Equipment built to comply with the DOCSIS 1.1 specification becomes the foundation for expanding the list of advanced cable services offered by cable providers. Overall, DOCSIS 1.1 enables cable operators to deliver twice the level of functionality while reducing operating costs by half, the release states.
In the same announcement, CableLabs, announced it had bestowed certification stations on 29 DOCSIS 1.0 modems. This includes units from Accton, Ambit, Askey, Asustek, CastleNet, Correlant, Ericsson, High Speed Surfing, LG Innotek, Lynksys, Motorola, Panasonic, Samsung Electronics, Scientific Atlanta, SMC Networks, Terayon, Thompson, Toshiba, Turbocomm, and Zoom. One new 1.0 CMTS, manufactured by Motorola, was qualified as well.
To date, 178 DOCSIS 1.0 modems have received certification status and 24 CMTS have been qualified by CableLabs. New silicon from two additional sources, Correlant and Terayon, were included in modems certified in this wave.
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.
