Cable TV
Ortel Communications launches free broadband for cable TV consumers
MUMBAI: Last mile owner (LMO) Ortel Communications, in order to strengthen its broadband base in Odisha, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh has introduced free broadband offer for its cable TV subscribers. This complimentary broadband service is part of the LMOs special value added service (VAS).
The service will be available in areas where Ortel Broadband is provisioned within its cable TV network.
The offer includes free data limit of 250 MB every month for a year, post which the subscriber will be charged a nominal fee for any usage exceeding the free data limit in a month. The plan also includes unlimited upload data offer. However, if the subscriber wants to migrate to any other existing Ortel Broadband plans, they can within the offer period of one year.
It can be noted that Ortel Broadband has already started offering mega speed broadband of 50 Mbps using DOCSIS 3.0 technology in select areas of Bhubaneswar.
The broadband segment revenue for the company grew 5.2 per cent to Rs 28.89 crore in FY-2015 from Rs 27.47 crore in FY-2014. Not just this, the operating profit from broadband segment grew a healthy 43.3 per cent to Rs 20.89 crore in FY-2015 from Rs 14.57 crore in FY-2014. Within this segment, internet connection fees grew 12 per cent in the current year to Rs 1.9 crore from Rs 1.7 crore in FY-2014.
The retail broadband average revenue per user (ARPU) for Ortel currently stands at Rs 356 as compared to Rs 373 in both FY-2014 and FY-2013. The broadband revenue generating unit (RGU) for the company stood at 58,519 in FY-2015.
Ortel Communications president & CEO Bibhu Prasad Rath said, “We are glad to launch free Broadband Combo offer to Ortel Cable TV customers. Our objective is to deepen our penetration into markets by making internet affordable and continuously delight our valued customers. We have been constantly adding value to our customers and this free broadband offer will be useful for those who are having limited download and unlimited uploads.”
“In addition, the company has already actively deployed DOCSIS 3.0 recently to deliver impressive internet surfing experience to its subscribers. With faster digitisation of Cable TV customers, we will be in a strong position to leverage the opportunity by offering combo plans of cable TV and internet connections,” he added.
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.
