Cable TV
GGCTOA to pay Rs 3.5 lakh to APDCL as electric pole fee
MUMBAI: After months of headbanging over the issue of electric poles, the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) seems to finally have a respite. After an order from the Guwahati High Court on 29 January, the Greater Guwahati Cable TV Operators Association (GGCTOA) has decided to pay Rs 10 as the electric pole usage fee for the month of February to APDCL. It was decided today at a meeting held in Guwahati.
“We have resolved to pay the bill of APDCL in compliance to the High Court order,” says GGCTOA general secretary Md Iquebal Ahmed. The payment will be made by 25 February. “This is an interim arrangement as we do not want any contempt of court,” adds Ahmed.
Recently, APDCL fulfilled the demand of GGCTOA as they gave them the data of electric poles used by cable operators in the city. A survey conducted by APDCL revealed that 8,287 electric poles are used by cable operators in Guwahati electric division of North, 6,136 electric poles in central division, 8,311 electric poles in the south Guwahati, 7,275 poles in east division and 3,268 poles in the west division, the total tally coming up to 33,277.
While GGCTOA has agreed to pay for now, they have written to APDCL for a clarity on the number. “We have been given random figures of the five zones. We need clarity on the area where the poles are being used by cable operators. Also, data on the number of electric poles used by each cable operator needs to be specified,” informs Ahmed.
To ensure smooth collection of payment, GGCTOA has come up with a temporary arrangement. “We are short of time and thus have asked the multi system operators (MSOs) to collect 12 per cent extra revenue from the local cable operators. We cannot collect it from the LCOs and so we have roped in the MSOs,” he informs.
The association has to pay Rs 3.5 lakh for using close to 33,000 poles for a month. “Every LCO will be given a payment receipt by the MSO which will be issued in the name of GGCTOA. Also, the MSO will get a payment receipt from us,” says Ahmed, who feels that this process will ensure clarity on payment. “If any MSO collects extra money from any LCO, we will be able to track it through the receipts generated from our end and will ensure that it is refunded,” he adds.
However, in the letter sent to APDCL, the cable operators association has questioned the basis of making GGCTOA responsible to collect the electric pole fee. “We have around 250 LCO members who are operating in their own capacity and utilizing the poles, without any information sharing regarding the infrastructure. So holding GGCTOA responsible is incorrect,” says Ahmed, who has appealed to APDCL on billing the operator directly and on the actual number of poles he uses.
The association which is currently gearing up to collect the electric pole fee as ordered by the High Court will approach the court again on 28 February if APDCL doesn’t respond to its letter. While on its part, the Association will make the payment on 25 February.
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.
