Cable TV
Need to regulate cable TV pricing: CUTS Survey
MUMBAI: Cable TV prices need to be regulated as consumers have no freedom to switch their operators and face frequent hike in subscription charges, according to a survey conducted by a group of consumer organisations in the country led by CUTS.
The survey findings reveal that seven out of 10 households interviewed do not have option to change their cable operator, and 80 per cent of these households faced a hike in subscription charges at least once in the last one-year. The survey is based on responses of more than 1500 representative respondents from the four metropolitan cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.
The survey was conducted by CUTS in Delhi and Kolkata, CAG in Chennai and CGSI in Mumbai. The project was supported by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, under their consumer welfare fund.
“In an industry where there is a virtual monopoly at the consumers’ end, the survey identifies a crying need to regulate prices and ensure proper service standards at local level,” says CUTS secretary general Pradeep S Mehta and CAG legal coordinator in Chennai Bharath Jairaj.
The Cable TV sector is a seller’s market and the consumer is merely a puppet in the hands of operators, the survey says. Though 70% cable TV subscribers received more than 50 channels, most of these (83%) usually watch less than 15 channels. Thus consumers are made to pay for more than 35 channels, which they do not watch.
Eighty percent households covered by the survey pay between Rs 150-300 as monthly cable subscription charges. Maximum respondents (38 per cent) pay between Rs 150-200, followed by 24 per cent paying between Rs 200-250 and 20 per cent paying between Rs 250-300 per month. Importantly, there is not much difference in the subscription charges paid by consumers in lieu of the number of TV sets owned by them.
Kolkata with average monthly subscription charge of Rs 175 is the least expensive metro, followed by Chennai (Rs 187), Mumbai (Rs 247), and Delhi (Rs 253).
The survey reveals that most respondents (96 per cent) have heard of CAS. However, in terms of acceptance of the system, there is variation across metros. Majority of respondents in Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai are not in favour of accepting CAS and advance fear of increase in monthly rentals as the main reason for their response. On the other hand, majority of respondents in Mumbai, in particular those paying monthly subscription charge of Rs 200 and above favour CAS and expect that CAS would reduce the monthly rentals. Most respondents do not want an increase in their monthly cable bills, if CAS is implemented.
Moreover, variation in perception of respondents across metros regarding post-CAS monthly subscription charges highlights the poor awareness with respect to CAS. In fact, lack of information about different aspects of transition to the CAS regime has been one of the main reasons for failure of CAS in its first attempt.
“Trai is soon going to come out with its recommendations on Cable TV services. Given the experience with implementation of CAS, it is imperative that whatever system is proposed by Trai, there is full clarity and mass awareness of consumers, in order for any proposed system to succeed”, the consumer activists suggests.
The survey also looked at the mode of procuring the set-top boxes. While majority of respondents in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata expressed their preference to buy, majority of respondents in Chennai prefer to rent a set-top box. Sixty-seven percent respondents do not mind advertisements during TV programmes. In contrast, only three out 10 respondents are willing to pay more if advertisements are removed from TV programmes.
CUTS has prepared a Draft Cable TV Bill and is organising a one-day seminar in New Delhi on 18 October to deliberate on a consumer friendly cable TV system.
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.
