Cable TV
TRAI: DAS-Bharatnet Digital India’s ‘Aadhaar’
NEW DELHI: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India chairman R S Sharma said that the country would gradually shift to a payment system using Aadhaar card instead of the various private pay systems or wallets.
He also mentioned that the implementation of Bharatnet will be faster and effective with PPP model, and further combined with Digital Cable Television System, India will reach a new level of digital connectivity.
At a seminar on “Demonetisation to Digital Remonetisation”, Sharma said that “Cost, Convenience, and Confidence are crucial factors for a successful Digital Payment System implementation in India.
In the meet organzed by FICCI, he said 1.1 billion people already have Aadhaar cards and the number was going up everyday.
Sharma said one of the nine pillars of TRAI in a report given early this year was to go cashless. This report which also refers to Unified Payment Interface (UPI) and Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) was already being implemented by banks.
The regulator was now working on a system of Aadhaar KYC (Know Your Customer) whereby any consumer could directly be able to use his Aadhaar identification to make payments. Electronic KYC is also in place.
He said that TRAI had given a paper about Aadhaar authentication system to UIDAI as early as October 2010 and said this is vital.
This involved three elements: What I know (my finger print or Iris), what I have (Credit or Debit Cards) and What I am (Biometrics).
Aadhaar interoperability was also suggested in 2010. Thus, the software for going cashless is in place but has to be implemented as both software and infrastructure are in place.
It was important for the finance sector to get integrated into the telecom sector in this regard.
Answering a question, he said that the systems have to be made simple so that everyone is able to understand and implement them.
Sharma highlighted the pillars of Digital India and mentioned the need of an effective Digital Infrastructure, and how availability and affordability of digital solutions formulates the base of Digital Remonetisation. The TRAI chairman highlighted how JAM Trinity creates a robust system within India, which further creates a digital inclusion with Aadhaar users across India.
Sharma recommended that in order to create a well operational and sustainable digital and cashless economy, it is vital to eliminate convenience charge by the banks. He firmly suggested that interoperable or interlinked digital wallets can additionally support the digital payment systems of India.
The meet was part of an ICT policy dialogue with the agenda to discuss the challenges and opportunities that lie before the ICT sector, government and the regulators following the demonetisation move.
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.
