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Digitisation: STB deployment tardy in 3 of the 4 metros
MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: The deployment of set-top boxes (STBs) in three metros is dismal, indicating that the sunset date of 31 October for switching off analogue cable in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai under the first phase of digitisation will be a herculean task.
Mumbai looks the most prepared with 50 per cent of cable TV homes already having digital STB installations. But Delhi and Kolkata seem to be struggling with the rate of STB installations around 25 per cent while Chennai is way behind.
Installation of STBs in cable TV homes is the most crucial precondition for digital switchover of cable television. The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has, thus, been constantly reviewing the preparedness of the industry for the digital switchover.
A review by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has revealed that in Mumbai city there is an estimated requirement of 3.485 million STBs and so far 1.707 million have been installed.
The MSO-wise installation of STBs in Mumbai is as under:
| National level MSOsHathway | 616,000 |
|---|---|
| Den | 140,000 |
| Digicable | 257,000 |
| IMCL | 477,000 |
| WWIL | 50,000 |
| Independent MSOs | 169,000 |
“If the progress stays so sluggish, how will the government be able to force digitisation by 31 October? Things have to improve or we shall possibly be headed for another deadline extension,” a media analyst said.
Another headache for the Ministry is the absence of agreements between the broadcasters and the multi-system operators (MSOs). No deal has been signed so far, making it difficult for the cable operators to sell digitisation to their subscribers. MSOs and independent cable operators will also have to prepare channel packages, making them attractive for consumers to buy.
The completion of negotiation and the signing of interconnection agreements between the channel aggregators/ broadcasters and MSOs is one of the prerequisites for implementation of digital switchover.
The Ministry has been constantly coordinating with the stakeholders of the cable television industry, namely, broadcasters, MSOs and local cable operators (LCOs) to ensure that the deadline of 31 October 2012 is met and TV viewers in the four metro cities are in position to have the pleasure of experiencing digital broadcast without any interruption.
Fortnightly meetings of the Task Force are being held with all the stakeholders to take constant stock of the progress and to chalk out the measures to address emerging concerns.
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Inshorts Group chief Deepit Purkayastha joins IAB video council for Southeast Asia and India
The co-founder and chief executive of the short-form content platform has been inducted into the IAB SEA+India Video Council, giving India a stronger voice in shaping digital video frameworks
NOIDA: India has long been the world’s most chaotic, multilingual and mobile-first digital market. Now, one of its most prominent short-video executives is getting a seat at the table where the rules are written.
Deepit Purkayastha, co-founder and chief executive of Inshorts Group, has been selected as a member of the IAB SEA+India Video Council for 2026. Run by the Interactive Advertising Bureau, the council brings together senior leaders from Southeast Asia and India to shape standards, best practices and measurement frameworks for the fast-evolving video and digital advertising ecosystem.
The timing is pointed. According to the IAMAI-Kantar Internet in India Report 2025, over 588 million Indians are now consuming short-video content, with growth increasingly driven by rural and non-metro audiences. India’s active internet user base has crossed 950 million, with 57 per cent of users now coming from rural markets. Yet the frameworks that govern how video consumption is measured and monetised were largely designed for single-language, Western markets and have struggled to keep pace with the scale, diversity and complexity of India’s digital landscape.
Purkayastha is no stranger to these debates. He already serves on the AI Council at Marketing and Media Alliance India and as co-chair of the Digital Entertainment Committee at the Internet and Mobile Association of India. His induction into the IAB SEA+India Video Council extends that influence into the global video standards arena.
Inshorts Group sits squarely at the intersection of these forces. Its flagship product, Inshorts, India’s highest-rated short news app, reaches 12 million active users with 60-word news summaries. Its sister platform, Public App, reaches 80 million monthly active users across more than 700 districts and 12 languages, serving communities that most global platforms barely register.
Purkayastha said the opportunity was about building something more representative. “India today sits at the centre of the global video ecosystem, but the frameworks that define how value is created and measured have not always kept pace with the realities of our market,” he said. “Being part of the IAB SEA+India Video Council is an opportunity to contribute to a more representative and future-ready approach, one that accounts for diversity in language, context, and user intent.”
As a council member, Purkayastha will contribute to shaping regional standards across video advertising, measurement and platform governance, with a focus on frameworks that are native to India’s multilingual, mobile-first ecosystem rather than imported from global benchmarks designed elsewhere.
For years, India has been content to play by rules written for other markets. Purkayastha’s induction is a signal that it is done waiting to be consulted and ready to start writing them.
