Cable TV
NDMC is first civic body to provide HD cable TV service
MUMBAI: New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) has become the first civic body to provide high-definition cable television services to residents of Lutyens' Delhi from mid-February. The municipal body has entered into a partnership with Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd and telecom company Oneott Intertainment to provide the service.
According to media reports, NDMC will provide HD satellite TV service through the underground optic fibre network. In select NDMC areas, MTNL is providing high-speed internet and voice facility through the FTTH technology. Apart from over-the-top services like Netflix, YouTube, television channels can now be accessed also. However, users have to take the MTNL-NDMC internet connection to enjoy all the services together on any screen.
"We can't offer rates below those decided by the Telecom Authority of India (TRAI) for implementation from 1 February, but we assure users they will be marginally over that," MTNL CMD Pravin Kumar Purwar said but he assured the cost would be "reasonable”.
The headend-in-the-sky (HITS) technology is also being employed along with FTTH to enable a smooth service which would not be hampered by sun or rain outage. Along with signing a MoU with MTNL, the civic body signed an agreement with leading HITS service provider Nxt Digital too.
Earlier in 2017, NDMC entered into a partnership with MTNL to offer internet connectivity through Wi-Fi service in public places and FTTH services. NDMC chairman Naresh Kumar said that success of the earlier project encouraged them to utilise the same facility for providing cable TV services.
“By 15 February, we will start publicising the service and holding camps to invite applications from subscribers for commercial connections,” he added. The services will be initially offered in Connaught Place and its neighbourhood on a pilot basis.
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.
