I&B Ministry
Independent cable operator to install CAS over his network
NEW DELHI: Amidst the prevailing confusion on conditional access, comes a claim from an independent cable operator in Delhi that he is ready to deploy CAS over his network.
He also claims that at present a survey is being carried out amongst his cable subscribing base of approximately 6,000. “My equipment for CAS is in place as is the subscriber management system,” claimed Vikki Chowdhry, owner of Home Cable Networks and the president of National Cable & Telecom Association.
Chowdhry said that an investment of one million rupees has already been made on servers and other head-end equipment until now.
According to Chowdhry, the technology for CAS has been supplied by a Singapore-based firm called SPL, which also does R&D work in this field. The company would also be supplying the digital boxes.
Chowdhry, who services cable subscribers in some of the upmarket residential areas of Delhi, feels that SPL is designing a chip from his network that would enable tracking of time spent by a cable subscriber on each channel accessed at the home end. “If this technology is successfully implemented, the firms doing the ratings might as well shut shop,” he claimed.
Currently 10 channels are ready to be put on Home Cable’s network through CAS. Chowdhry is trying out a business plan to sell the digital boxes to subscribers that may cost slightly over Rs 3,000 to a consumer. But unless the consumer buys the boxes, the monthly rent for the box would be around Rs 180, he said.
How serious is Chowdhry? He claims that a form has been sent out amongst some of his subscribers to list out their preferences where various channels are concerned.
I&B Ministry
MIB cancels registrations of 114 MSOs in compliance crackdown
Total active MSOs now 756 after 1,159 exits since early 2025.
MUMBAI- MIB just pulled the plug on 114 more cable operators because when the regulator says “cut the cord,” it really means cut the cord. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has cancelled the registrations of 114 multi-system operators (MSOs) for non-compliance, denial of security clearance and suppression of critical information, continuing its year-long clean-up of India’s cable distribution ecosystem.
As of 28 February 2026, the total number of registered MSOs has fallen to 756 after 1,159 operators exited the market through cancellations, voluntary surrenders or lapsed licences. This follows a similar exercise in the previous year when, as of 31 March 2025, around 1,045 registrations had expired, been surrendered or cancelled, bringing the count down from higher levels to 845 before the latest round.
The sustained contraction signals a structural shift toward a more organised, compliant sector. Regulatory scrutiny has intensified on operational transparency, adherence to licensing norms and security clearances, effectively weeding out smaller or non-compliant players.
Industry observers view the moves as a deliberate push toward consolidation, where only operators meeting strict standards remain active. Additional rejections of over 14 applications last year on grounds such as non-payment of dues and suppression of information further underscore the ministry’s stricter stance.
In India’s cable TV landscape, where channels once multiplied faster than viewers could count them, MIB is quietly rewiring the entire grid, one cancellation at a time until only the cleanest signals survive.
