Cable TV
SitiCable East eyes 2 lakh broadband connections by FY16
KOLKATA: SitiCable East, a cable TV multisystem operator (MSO), which launched ‘SitiBroadband’ two years ago, aims to reach two lakh homes in the eastern region including West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar and Assam by the end of current fiscal 2015-16. It should be noted that the MSO, at present, provides broadband services to more than 60,000 homes.
Additionally the company will also be looking at creating awareness about its broadband services via a campaign. “We shall inform prospective customers through various activities. We will organize BTL activities and let people know through our distribution network and we shall put up hoardings sooner,” said Siticable Kolkata director Suresh Sethiya.
“We have already invested in broadband. In a digital addressable era, broadband and VAS will become an important differentiated offering. We are upbeat about our penetration and growth in eastern region as our combo pack will be a value addition,” he added.
Last year, when it was launched, the MSO had a cable customer base of around 12.5 lakh in West Bengal. SitiCable was eyeing 10 per cent of the cable connection for SitiBroadband by providing a combo pack and value addition to the customers in the first year.
Sethiya expressed interest in developing it as a second major revenue source as it has more direct control over customers and the company can explain about the service as well.
An Ethernet cable carries the broadband signals between modem, router, computer, and other wired Internet-capable devices.
Namit Dave a cable analyst said that broadband and value-added services, which suppressed revenue streams so far will get a major boost as the country advances towards the complete era of digitisation of cable TV. The MSOs are rolling out packages on a major scale.
While another analyst said that broadband is a very good business now with less investment and promising higher revenue, SitiCable will thread a new path in a big way.
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.
