Event Coverage
IDOS 2014: MCOF’s vision for DAS phase III and IV
GOA: Maharashtra Cable Operators Foundation president Arvind Prabhoo has expressed complete dissatisfaction at the extension of the digitisation dates in phase III and phase IV. While the Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar has said that the delay in digitisation is because he is looking at indigenisation of set top boxes (STBs), Prabhoo feels that even before the Indian STB manufacturers come up with their quality boxes, the international vendors will start chipping in boxes, which will be over priced.
According to Prabhoo, the postponement also sends a signal that there is a dichotomy between the regulator and the industry. The MCOF president was expressing his views during the just concluded IDOS 2014 in Goa.
“The worst impact of this delay will be on the last mile owners (LMOs), who will now face stiff competition from the direct to home (DTH) players because they will now have almost a year or year and a half to start marketing their product,” informs Prabhoo.
The LMO, for Prabhoo is an entrepreneur “and we have been saying this since last year.”
Many LMOs have started realigning themselves at district level as well as state level. “The last mile owner has realised that alignment and realignment will happen and it is good for him. We know that a lot of LMOs, who have a good standing in the community will get funds for fellow LMOs,” opines Prabhoo.
He also highlights that a lot of technology solutions will be provided by LMOs, which will be much cheaper than what is currently available. “And if we adopt technology, I think it will become a great time for LMOs and independent headend operators.”
Prabhoo through IDOS 2014 has also requested the Telecom Regulator Authority of India (TRAI) chairman Rahul Khullar to open up the ISP licences for cable television owners. “It is after this that the broadband and digital India dream can materialise,” he says.
He opines that while the extension has been given, the challenge can be seen as an opportunity. He is aware of the challenges, considering the different demographics for phase III and IV markets. “There are almost 5000 headend owners; we might have to cut this down to maybe 50 headends. That’s going to lead to unemployment. Also revenue differentiation will be there,” he highlights.
Prabhoo disagrees with the perception that the ARPU is less. “There is going to be a viability concern because of transportation cost. We have requested the TRAI chairman to also allow us to use the national optical fibre system and subsidise rates. If that happens and cost of transportation goes down then these headends could be a viable proposition,” he says.
According to him, players who were earlier in the B2B space and have applied for a DAS licence, when they begin to expand in phase III and IV areas, they won’t have any legacy issues. MCOF claims to have helped the LMO and independent headend owner by tying up with telecom skills department to re-skill employees because digital era is different than their analogue culture. “We are revenue driven and not valuation drive. So, those who want to see actual revenues coming in, should partner with us,” says Prabhoo.
Learning from the mistakes of phase I and II, this time it will emphasise on data services. One of the major issues was about customer ownership and MCOF says that this will keep the ownership with the LMO with a fee based OSS and BSS services such as headend operation, billing etc. “We are looking at reducing a tier in the broadcaster, MSO, LMO, customer tier thus enabling lower MRP and much higher revenue share to the LMOs,” he concludes.
Event Coverage
Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026
MUMBAI: Riding high on the success of its blockbuster Mumbai debut, Anime India is accelerating its nationwide expansion with the announcement of Amazon MX Player as the co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the festival’s mission to deliver large-scale, accessible, and fan-first anime experiences across the country.
Scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the iconic Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will launch the first regional chapter of what is set to be a year-long, multi-city tour. As the curtain-raiser for the 2026 circuit, the Kolkata edition aims to fuse the energy of global Japanese pop culture with India’s fast-growing community of anime, manga, and pop-culture fans.
A household name in digital entertainment, Amazon MX Player brings unmatched reach and cultural relevance to the Anime India platform. With its expanding focus on anime and youth-driven content, Amazon MX Player’s involvement as co-presenting partner reinforces Anime India’s vision of making anime culture more inclusive breaking barriers of language, geography, and accessibility to connect with fans nationwide.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will showcase cosplay competitions, interactive zones led by the Indian Gunpla Community, India-39 Vocaloid Community, The Japan Curry, and Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Fans can join tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and more. Acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as guest of honour, appearing in panels and live sessions. Positioned as an immersive celebration of fan culture and industry collaboration, the Kolkata edition marks the beginning of Anime India’s nationwide expansion.
Sharing their perspective on the partnership, Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani expressed, “Anime in India has evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream cultural movement, driven by an increasingly engaged and passionate fanbase. At Amazon MX Player, our focus is on expanding access by bringing anime to audiences across the country for free and in multiple local languages. Our association with Anime India reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of anime in India and deepening connections with fans, while continuing to build Amazon MX Player as a trusted destination for free, high-quality entertainment.”
“Anime India Kolkata is a celebration of how anime has grown beyond entertainment into a powerful cultural and creative force. By bringing fans, creators, and industry leaders onto one shared platform, the festival is helping define the future of pop culture in India,” said Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta.
The debut edition of Anime India 2025 in Mumbai attracted over 29,000 fans, quickly cementing its status as a landmark celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Riding on this overwhelming response, the Kolkata chapter is projected to draw more than 40,000 visitors across two days, positioning it as one of the biggest anime conventions ever held in eastern India.
Anime India is focused on bringing together fans from across the country to create a truly pan-India celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese culture. With plans to expand into four key metropolitan hubs in 2026—east (Kolkata), north (Delhi), west (Mumbai), and south (Hyderabad)—the festival seeks to deliver globally benchmarked experiences while supporting and uplifting creators, artists, and fan communities throughout India.
