Cable TV
Fiber optics market worth US$ 5 bn by ’21, A-Pac largest
MUMBAI: Fiber optics global market by cable type is estimated to be valued at USD 3.13 billion in 2016, and is projected to reach US$ 5 billion by 2021 expanding at a CAGR of 9.8%.
The global Fiber Optics Market has a large number of players; however the market is led by some of the major players, such as Corning Inc. (U.S.), Prysmian Group (Italy), AFL Global (U.S.), Finisar Corporation (U.S.), Leoni AG (Germany), YOFC (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. (China), Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd. (Japan), Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. (Japan), Optical Cable Corporation (U.S.), and Hitachi Cable Ltd. (Japan), among other.
Asia-Pacific is projected to be the largest market for fiber optics from 2016 to 2021. Factors contributing to the market growth in this region are the rise in demand for the Internet from emerging countries, growing industrialisation, and the growing telecom industry. These factors, along with the upcoming infrastructure projects in energy, transport networks, institutional sites, and residential projects are expected to drive the fiber optics market across various applications in the region. Large-scale investments along with the increasing standards of living provide opportunities for infrastructure development, and are thus expected to lead to the high growth of the fiber optics market.
A report “Fiber Optics Market by Cable Type (Single mode, and Multi-mode), Optical Fiber Type (Glass and Plastics), Application (Telecom, Premises, Utility, CATV, Military, Industrial, Sensors, Fiber Optic Lighting, Security, Metropolitan) – Global Forecast to 2021” has been published by MarketsandMarkets.
Rising end-use applications such as telecom, CATV, premises, and sensors are driving the market for fiber optics. Along with these, increasing demand from Internet applications such the Internet of Things, over-the-top content, and video streaming are also driving the market.
Cable Antenna Television (CATV) segment to be the fastest growing market for fiber optics: The CATV segment is projected to be the fastest growing application from 2016 to 2021, owing to its rapid growth in the Asia-Pacific. Factors such as rising disposable incomes; changing consumer preferences towards the use of high definition content; flexible government taxation policies; rapid technological advancements in products & product offerings, by major international and domestic players, at competitive prices; are a few of the major factors driving the market for the CATV application.
Single mode cable type projected to account for the largest market share: Single mode optical fiber is estimated to have accounted for the largest market share in 2016 and is projected to continue to lead throughout the forecast period. Efforts to increase the penetration of telecom services in the emerging nations of the Asia-Pacific are attributed to the increasing demand for single mode cable in the region.
Glass optical fiber type to be the fastest growing optical fiber type in fiber optics market: Glass optical fiber type is projected to exhibit the fastest growth from 2016 to 2021. Factors such as rapidly expanding telecom applications in emerging economies, efforts being taken by governments of various economies to increase network connectivity, and changing consumer preferences are expected to drive the fiber optics market.
Asia-Pacific to be the largest market for fiber optics.
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.
