Cable TV
IMCL bucks the sentiment, says it is ready for CAS
MUMBAI: Even as several factions in the cable and satellite industry are rueing CAS and try to defer 14 July, Hinduja-run MSO IndusInd Media & Communications, has announced that it is all ready to roll out CAS from its headends by the deadline date.
“We have finalised arrangements for all the vital components required for implementing CAS successfully: the system, digital headends, subscriber management systems (SMS), billing systems, IT backbone, call centers and HR are all finalised. Our vendors are world-class; hence we are confident of being able to provide our viewers with cost-effective and enhanced services,” says IMCL COO Rajiv Vyas. “Our marketing plans for the Set Top Boxes (STB’s) will include several consumers friendly initiatives like, early-bird schemes, installment schemes, rental schemes, etc., catering to every segment of the demand. Our viewers should look forward to the experience of having control over their viewing experience as well as the exposure to several value-added services.”
He adds: “We have also checked the suitability of the equipment and its technology for Indian conditions. We are focused on satisfying our viewers, irrespective of whether they are pay TV (PTV) or only free to air (FTA) channel subscribers. We also got the ISO 9001 quality certification recently, becoming the only media company in the country to do so, to facilitate our objectives of delivering top-quality services through our digital delivery systems, thus enhancing the over-all viewing experience. We aim to set international standards in terms of performance and customer satisfaction.”
The MSO had earlier announced that it had signed on with Nagravision, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kudelski, as its CAS technology supplier. Under the agreement, Nagravision is to CAS-enable InCable headends on a turnkey basis, right from the CAS software for encryption of PTV Services (including the CAS System) to smart cards for deployment of digital STBs in India to integrating it with the compression system/digital headend as well as the SMS, billing system etc. The MSO had also said that it had zoomed in on the digital headend supplier, SMS and billings system vendors. This apart an ERP package was being installed bringing into its fold the scenario under CAS and call centre was being set up. Additionally, the workforce had been strengthened with 60 employees being hired.
Points out Vyas: “As the leading Indian MSO, we are pleased that our arrangements for CAS will allow our consumers to enjoy several value-added services like access to the Internet, Video-on-Demand, E-mail, SMS, Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP), Gaming, Electronic Program Guide (EPG), Pay-Per-View, Mobile Messaging and Internet advertising.”
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.
