Cable TV
Shanghai Telecom rolls out IPTV with Tandberg Television MPEG-4 AVC
MUMBAI: Tandberg Television in association with Siemens has provided the MPEG-4 AVC video compression solution to Shanghai Telecom and the Shanghai Media Group to enable the deployment of IPTV.
The Shanghai partnership was the first operation in China to secure an IPTV license and has been trialling its new digital television service since the summer of 2004. The service is delivering over 50 channels of content from providers such as CCTV and Shanghai Media Group, according to an official release.
“IPTV provides network operators with the opportunity to boost their ARPU and reduce their churn by enticing China’s 360 million TV viewers and 25 million broadband users away from traditional cable and satellite Pay-TV and offering them a fully interactive, on-demand TV experience. China can see the vast potential in digital television and we are working closely with our partners and our customers to build a next generation digital TV infrastructure,” says Tandberg Television China GM Geng Liang.
Tandberg Television’s video systems are designed to enable IPTV offerings to compete effectively with existing cable and satellite TV services and to add new revenue streams, through on-demand services and interactivity, states an official release.
The solution for Shanghai Telecom consists of a Tandberg Television standard definition MPEG-4 AVC head-end which provides bandwidth savings of up to 50 per cent on MPEG-2, and enables superior picture and sound quality. The Tandberg EN5930 encoder is ideal in IPTV deployments where the bandwidth limitations inherent with existing DSL platforms create a challenge for operators in providing a broadcast quality video service to their customers, the release adds.
“Tandberg Television is our video head-end partner of choice and we have collaborated on a number of IPTV deployments around the world. Our joint efforts have enabled operators to achieve rapid success in the TV market and Tandberg Television has consistently provided superior technology solutions and support. We are delighted to be working closely together on this groundbreaking project in Shanghai,” says China Home Entertainment Solution senior director Zhang Jian.
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.
