Cable TV
MSOs to meet in Kolkata on gross billing
KOLKATA: Kolkata based multi-system operators (MSOs) mean business and how? Well! The fact that they have not been able to start gross billing in the city on the time as directed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI, they have decided to meet on 3 January and discuss the smooth rollout of gross billing in the KMA area.
“Since the local cable operators affiliated with us are not ready to distribute the bills thinking that this might make them delivery boys, we have called up the meeting to discuss on the matter and come up with ways to ensure that gross billing begins in Kolkata,” said a MSO.
Some last mile operators (LMOs) have decided to not allow gross billing in Kolkata DAS I area, said another MSO. “The billing system will bring transparency and organise the business but some operators are opposing it,” he said.
“We were prepared for a long time with the bills slated to be put up on the system. Since some MSO’s were not ready we had to wait,” said Siticable Kolkata director Suresh Sethia.
Sources on the condition of anonymity questioned that while a few MSOs like DEN Networks and Digicable among others have not yet started the package, how can they start the billing process?
While another source questioned how MSOs who have achieved around 70-80 per cent CAF submit compliance report for gross billing?
When the Cable Operators Digitalisation Committee of the Association of Cable Operators convener Swapan Chowdhury, was contacted, he said: “The government is putting pressure on the MSOs to start gross billing so that it can collect tax easily. No one is concerned about the operators.”
“We will not allow gross billing to start till all the issues like licensing conditions, unworkable revenue share model and agreement with the MSOs are resolved,” concluded a LCO.
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.
