Cable TV
DAS Phase II MSOs get 29 November deadline for activating SMS
MUMBAI: The noose is tightening around those operating in digital addressable system (DAS) phase II areas. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today stated that MSOs have until 29 November 2013 – less than 10 days from today to complete the process of collecting the consumer application forms (CAFs) with information which includes the name, address, choice of channels and bouquets and entering the information into their subscriber management systems (SMS). They have been directed to have the SMS operationalised by then and also submit a compliance report.
The direction states that the SMS system has to comply with the digital addressable cable TV system requirements as mentioned in regulation 20 of the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable Services) Interconnection (Digital Addressable Cable Television Systems) Regulations, 2012, for ensuring efficient and error-free service to the subscribers by recording and providing individualised preferences for channels, billing cycles or refunds.
It is to be noted that the regulator had first on 26 April directed the MSOs to ensure that the SMS is operationalised and the signals of TV channels are transmitted to only those subscribers whose details such as name, address, choice of channel and bouquets etc are entered into the SMS. The MSOs were also directed to disconnect TV signals of the subscribers whose details were not entered into the SMS system and allow such subscribers to surrender their set top boxes. The MSOs had then been asked to furnish compliance report by 7 May.
Again on 19 July, the Authority convened a meeting of the MSOs operating in Mumbai, Kolkata and other 38 cities covered under DAS phase-II to review the progress of implementation of DAS, wherein the MSOs were asked to collect the CAFs, complete in all respects, including choice of channels/ services and enter the complete details of the subscribers in the SMS by 20 September. The regulator had even issued a letter on 23 July directing MSOs to ensure compliance and communicate the same to the LCOs and furnish the report in the given deadline. But with the MSOs failing to comply yet again, the regulator again held a meeting on 25 September with the MSOs to review the progress of implementation of digitization in DAS phase II cities. The MSOs in this meeting had requested for the extension of the deadline to 15 November. Once again, they slipped on that deadline.
With the new sunset date being set as 29 November, can we expect compliance or another extension?
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.
