Cable TV
Virgin Media reports lowest cable customer churn in Q3-2014
BENGALURU: Virgin Media Inc (Virgin Media), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Liberty Global plc (Liberty Global) and a leading cable operator in the United Kingdom (UK) reported lowest ever annual customer churn in Q3-2014 (Quarter ended 30 September 2014), since Virgin Media was formed in 2007 at 14.9 per cent as compared to a churn of 15.3 per cent in Q3-2013. This churn record has contributed to cable customer growth more than doubling to 35,000, the highest quarterly customer additions since Q4 2012, says the company.
Note: Currency mentioned in this report is ? or British Pound
The company’s selected results for Q3-2014 say, ‘The number of subscribers to each of our cable products increased, with 88,000 organic RGUs (revenue generating units) added y-t-d (nine month period ended 30 September 2014 or 9M-2014) , including 70,000 in Q3, compared to declines of 16,000 and 7,000 in the respective prior year periods. This can be partially attributed to the successful launch of our “Big Bundles” in Q2 2014, which offer combinations of our cable products and resulted in the acquisition of more double- and triple-play customers than during the same period last year. Average Monthly Revenue per Customer Relationship increased 2 per cent to ? 48.98 year-over-year.’
Virgin Media reported 2.3 per cent growth in revenue in Q3-2014 at ? 1046.8 million from ? 1022.8 million in Q3-2013. 9M-2014 revenue grew 1.7 per cent to ? 3145 million from ? 3092 million in 9M-2013.
Four segments contribute to Virgin Media’s revenues – ‘Cable Subscription’, ‘Mobile Subscription’, ‘Business’ and ‘Other’
Television subscription revenue in Q3-2014 fell 3.3 per cent to ? 234.7 million from ? 242.6 million in Q3-2013. Y-t-d, television subscription revenue fell 1.5 per cent to ? 717.9 million from ? 728.6 million in 9M-2013.
Overall cable subscription revenue includes revenue from television, internet and telephony. Cable subscription revenue for the quarter grew 3 per cent to ? 724.5 million form ? 703.6 million in Q3-2013. Within cable subscription, internet revenue grew 19.8 per cent to ? 259.8 million in Q3-2014 from ? 216.9 million in Q3-2014. Telephony subscription revenue fell 5.8 per cent to ? 230 million in Q3-2014 from ? 244.1 million in Q3-2014.
For 9M-2014, cable subscription revenue increased 3.3 per cent to ? 2188.9 million from ? 2119.0 million in 9M-2013. Internet revenue in 9M-2014 grew 16.2 per cent to ? 756.2 million from ? 650.7 million in 9M-2013. Telephony revenue for 9M-2014 fell 3.4 per cent to ? 714.8 million from ? 739.7 million in 9M-2013.
Virgin Media says that it is the first provider of all four broadband, TV, mobile phone and home phone services in the UK. The Company’s cable network – the result of multi-billion pound private investment – delivers ultrafast broadband to over half of all U.K. homes, with speeds of up to 152 Mbps, as well as market-leading connectivity to thousands of public and private sector organisations across the country.
Virgin Media says that it has developed UK’s most advanced interactive television service, and was the first to offer HD TV and access to connected services through the set-top box to millions of British households. It also launched the world’s first virtual mobile network and is one of the largest fixed-line home phone providers in the country.
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.
