Cable TV
Why Assam cable operators are going on strike?
MUMBAI: It was in September that the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) sent out its first circular, making it mandatory for cable operators in the state to pay Rs 25 per electric pole per month, with the deadline being 7 October. However, the cable operators had requested APDCL to lower the rate as they would earn revenue from many other service providers who are using the electric poles as well.
But all their efforts seem to have gone in vain as the APDCL seems unconvinced on the issue. After reviewing the request made by the operators in October, while APDCL has reserved its views on the other parts of Assam and lower Guwahati, it has asked the operators in Guwahati Metro to pay Rs 25 per electric pole every month starting 15 January.
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The decision which was taken in a meeting held on 17 December is set to affect more than 250 cable operators providing cable TV service in Guwahati Metro area. The operators represented by Greater Guwahati Cable TV Operators’ Association (GGCTOA) general secretary Md Iquebal Ahmed were asked to file a confirmation letter accepting the fee module.
However, while they didn’t follow what they were asked to, around 100 cable operators met on 19 December to discuss the issue and have decided to switch off cable TV signals today from 4 pm – 9 pm.
Apparently, GGCTOA held a press conference on Sunday and made an announcement about the same.
The operators in Guwahati Metro area have refused to pay Rs 25 per pole per month. “Though we have been told that the electric poles will be given exclusively to us and that we can even give it to advertisers to put up hoardings, or collect revenue from the broadband or telecom operators who are also using the pole, but this is all verbal. Nothing has been given to us in writing,” informs Ahmed.
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There are approximately 2.8 lakh electric poles in Guwahati Metro area, of which around 1.8 lakh poles are being used by the cable operators. The matter is currently being handled by APDCL Lower Assam division CGM commercial P. Buzarbauah. “We need a written agreement of all that has been proposed in the meeting. When we asked for it, we were asked to sign the letter first. But, how can we be sure that whatever has been said will be followed later,” he says.
Also the APDCL has given no clarity on who will be collecting the money from the operators and also the advertiser who uses the electric pole to put the hoarding. GGCTOA has also requested the APDCL to directly deal with operators to collect the fee. “We had asked them to sign an agreement with each cable operator, so that they can directly be made responsible for payment or non-payment of the fee. But, the APDCL is passing the buck on to us,” informs Ahmed.
“According to what the body has proposed, it is GGCTOA which will need to collect the pole fee from operators and submit it to APDCL. But how am I responsible if say of the three operators who are using the pole for laying cable wires, two pay the electric pole usage fee, while one doesn’t? So we are demanding that the APDCL signs an agreement with operators directly and not hold us responsible,” he adds.
After waiting for almost two months, while decision is still pending for other regions of Assam, Guwahati Metro region cable operators are surely unhappy. “We even plan to meet Assam Industries & Commerce, Power (Electricity) and Public Enterprises minister Pradyut Bordoloi and also chief minister Tarun Gogoi in order to resolve the issue,” concludes Ahmed.
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.
