ITV

Category: Multi System Operators

  • AT&T, Comcast, Charter and Dish Network emerge among top cable, satellite and telco pay-TV operators

    AT&T, Comcast, Charter and Dish Network emerge among top cable, satellite and telco pay-TV operators

    MUMBAI:  AT&T (IPTV + Satellite), Comcast    (Cable), Charter (Cable), Dish Network  (Satellite), Verizon (IPTV), Cox (Cable), and Altice (Cable) have emerged as the top seven cable, satellite and telco pay-TV operators in the third quarter this year.

    FierceCable has tallied a look at the third-quarter earnings season, ranking the top satellite, cable, and telco pay-TV operators and studying their performance through key metrics, including average revenues per user (ARPU) and subscriber growth.

    Top US Pay TV Service Provider Metrics Q3 2016 (ranking by subscribers)
    Rank   Platform Subscribers (millions) Net Adds ARPU*
    1 AT&T IPTV + Satellite 25.292 -3,000 $118.09
    2 Comcast Cable 22.428 32,000 $148.47
    3 Charter Cable 16.887 -47,000 $80.81
    4 Dish Network Satellite 13.643 50,000 $89.44
    5 Verizon IPTV 4.673 36,000 n/a
    6 Cox Cable 4.146 3,000 n/a
    7 Altice Cable 3.598 -41,000 $117.80

     

    Source- Fierce Cable

    Meanwhile, satellite, cable, and telecommunications-based subscription video services lost 430,000 customers in the third quarter, according to SNL Kagan, giving the industry a loss of 1.3 million subscribers. The research firm’s count for the third quarter is lower than the 486,000 estimate given by MoffettNathanson analyst Craig Moffett last week. UBS experts sent analysis of the overall video industry in the United States, showing losses and gains in the past few years in this space. The firm said that it estimated that the pay TV subscribers base of U.S. multichannel including Sling TV,  dropped by 0.6 per cent year over year in the third quarter, similar to the drop in both the first quarter and the second quarter.

    MoffettNathanson experts said the overall subscriber declined in the pay-TV space in the last 10 years. Dish Network’s Sling TV service has affected the trend, the experts said. Experts said that Charter, Comcast, and other cable companies are scoring over telco providers such as Verizon and AT&T as also on satellite providers such as Dish Network. In the broadband internet space, UBS experts marked impressive performance of Comcast and Charter against Verizon and AT&T.

    According to Firece Cable, in the third quarter, around 94,000 pay-TV customers were lost by cable operators, SNL Kagan said. This was still the sector’s best performance in 10 years.  AT&T’s decision to give priority to the growth of DirecTV generated 323,000 new subs for the platform in the third quarter, offsetting huge losses for Dish Network in satellite. In the 12-month period ending 30 September, SNL Kagan calculated that Dish Network’s Sling TV added 925,000 customers.

  • AT&T, Comcast, Charter and Dish Network emerge among top cable, satellite and telco pay-TV operators

    AT&T, Comcast, Charter and Dish Network emerge among top cable, satellite and telco pay-TV operators

    MUMBAI:  AT&T (IPTV + Satellite), Comcast    (Cable), Charter (Cable), Dish Network  (Satellite), Verizon (IPTV), Cox (Cable), and Altice (Cable) have emerged as the top seven cable, satellite and telco pay-TV operators in the third quarter this year.

    FierceCable has tallied a look at the third-quarter earnings season, ranking the top satellite, cable, and telco pay-TV operators and studying their performance through key metrics, including average revenues per user (ARPU) and subscriber growth.

    Top US Pay TV Service Provider Metrics Q3 2016 (ranking by subscribers)
    Rank   Platform Subscribers (millions) Net Adds ARPU*
    1 AT&T IPTV + Satellite 25.292 -3,000 $118.09
    2 Comcast Cable 22.428 32,000 $148.47
    3 Charter Cable 16.887 -47,000 $80.81
    4 Dish Network Satellite 13.643 50,000 $89.44
    5 Verizon IPTV 4.673 36,000 n/a
    6 Cox Cable 4.146 3,000 n/a
    7 Altice Cable 3.598 -41,000 $117.80

     

    Source- Fierce Cable

    Meanwhile, satellite, cable, and telecommunications-based subscription video services lost 430,000 customers in the third quarter, according to SNL Kagan, giving the industry a loss of 1.3 million subscribers. The research firm’s count for the third quarter is lower than the 486,000 estimate given by MoffettNathanson analyst Craig Moffett last week. UBS experts sent analysis of the overall video industry in the United States, showing losses and gains in the past few years in this space. The firm said that it estimated that the pay TV subscribers base of U.S. multichannel including Sling TV,  dropped by 0.6 per cent year over year in the third quarter, similar to the drop in both the first quarter and the second quarter.

    MoffettNathanson experts said the overall subscriber declined in the pay-TV space in the last 10 years. Dish Network’s Sling TV service has affected the trend, the experts said. Experts said that Charter, Comcast, and other cable companies are scoring over telco providers such as Verizon and AT&T as also on satellite providers such as Dish Network. In the broadband internet space, UBS experts marked impressive performance of Comcast and Charter against Verizon and AT&T.

    According to Firece Cable, in the third quarter, around 94,000 pay-TV customers were lost by cable operators, SNL Kagan said. This was still the sector’s best performance in 10 years.  AT&T’s decision to give priority to the growth of DirecTV generated 323,000 new subs for the platform in the third quarter, offsetting huge losses for Dish Network in satellite. In the 12-month period ending 30 September, SNL Kagan calculated that Dish Network’s Sling TV added 925,000 customers.

  • DEN divests further 25 per cent from Delhi Dynamos

    DEN divests further 25 per cent from Delhi Dynamos

    MUMBAI: Indian cable TV major DEN Networks is increasingly getting itself out of the sports den it had gotten itself into earlier. Today, the Sameer Manchanda-promoted SN Sharma-run Goldman Sachs-backed multisystem operator (MSO) informed the BSE that it had divested another 25 per cent equity from its sports initiative DEN Sports in favour of Wall Street Investments.

    The latter represents the business interests of the UAE-based entrepreneur Dr Anil Sharma-run GMS group. GMS is a world major buyer of ships for recycling.

    The price at which the equity stake has been transferred was not disclosed to the stock exchange, but Wall Street Investments holding in DEN Sports has gone up to 80 per cent equity while DEN Network’s has fallen to 20 per cent. DEN Sports controls 100 per cent of DEN Soccer which manages the Indian Soccer League Delhi-franchise owning Delhi Dynamos F.C.

    Wall Street Investments, on its part, has received Registrar of Companies permission to change the name of the two firms to Delhi Sports and Delhi Soccer. And DEN Networks also gave the name change the go-ahead following a board meeting.

    Earlier this year, DEN Networks had lopped off 55 per cent of its stake in DEN Sports to Wall Street Investments at a price of Rs 43.32 crore.

    The cable TV firm has been under pressure from its investors to get back to business basics and monetise better the cable TV digitisation process that India has been going through over the past three years. It rehired co-founder SN Sharma from Reliance Jio as the CEO to get its house in order.

  • DEN divests further 25 per cent from Delhi Dynamos

    DEN divests further 25 per cent from Delhi Dynamos

    MUMBAI: Indian cable TV major DEN Networks is increasingly getting itself out of the sports den it had gotten itself into earlier. Today, the Sameer Manchanda-promoted SN Sharma-run Goldman Sachs-backed multisystem operator (MSO) informed the BSE that it had divested another 25 per cent equity from its sports initiative DEN Sports in favour of Wall Street Investments.

    The latter represents the business interests of the UAE-based entrepreneur Dr Anil Sharma-run GMS group. GMS is a world major buyer of ships for recycling.

    The price at which the equity stake has been transferred was not disclosed to the stock exchange, but Wall Street Investments holding in DEN Sports has gone up to 80 per cent equity while DEN Network’s has fallen to 20 per cent. DEN Sports controls 100 per cent of DEN Soccer which manages the Indian Soccer League Delhi-franchise owning Delhi Dynamos F.C.

    Wall Street Investments, on its part, has received Registrar of Companies permission to change the name of the two firms to Delhi Sports and Delhi Soccer. And DEN Networks also gave the name change the go-ahead following a board meeting.

    Earlier this year, DEN Networks had lopped off 55 per cent of its stake in DEN Sports to Wall Street Investments at a price of Rs 43.32 crore.

    The cable TV firm has been under pressure from its investors to get back to business basics and monetise better the cable TV digitisation process that India has been going through over the past three years. It rehired co-founder SN Sharma from Reliance Jio as the CEO to get its house in order.

  • 30 MSOs got provisional licences in Oct, taking total to 1033

    30 MSOs got provisional licences in Oct, taking total to 1033

    NEW DELHI: With 30 more multi-system operators (MSOs) getting provisional registration in October, the total has risen to 1033 with just around seven weeks to go for switching off analogue signals and completion of digital addressable system for cable television around the country.

    While the total of provisional licences as on 31 October went up from 774 to 804, the number of permanent licences (10 years) remained static at 229.

    The Information and Broadcasting Ministry today released the list of 42 MSOs – as against 29 MSOs at the end of September — licences of which had been cancelled and cases closed. In addition, there are four cases — Godfather Communication Pvt. Ltd of Amritsar, Kal Cables Pvt Ltd of Chennai, Digi Cable Network (India) Pvt Ltd of Mumbai, and Intermedia Cable Communication Pvt. Ltd of Delhi — in which high courts stayed the cancellation orders in petitions filed by these MSOs.

    The number of cancellations or cases closed has gone up by 15 since 2 June this year. Most of the other cases in the list of cancelled registrations had failed to get security clearance from the home ministry. However, there are cases of many MSOs holding provisional licences not completing certain formalities relating to shareholders and so on.

    According to the latest list up to 31 October 2016, the areas of operation of four MSOs (two each in the permanent and provisional list) have been revised or corrected after 30 September 2016. Of the new licencees, two — Enyes Network Communication Private Ltd of Tamil Nadu and Satcom Satellite Network of Mumbai – have got pan-India licences.

    The other new registrations after September 2016 include the states of, or specific districts in, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Punjab.

    With the home ministry directive about doing away with security clearances for MSOs not being communicated in writing to the MIB, the pace remains slow.

    The permanent licence issued to Kal Cable of Chennai had been cancelled on 20 August 2014, but this cancellation was set aside by Madras High Court on 5 September the same year. However, Kal Cable’s name continues to be in the cancelled list – presumably because the cases are still pending.

    In the last meeting of the DAS Task Force, it was revealed that though there were a reported 6000 MSOs in the country but only a handful of them had come forward to register.

    Also read:  MSOs finally cross 1000 as pan-India DAS deadline nears

  • 30 MSOs got provisional licences in Oct, taking total to 1033

    30 MSOs got provisional licences in Oct, taking total to 1033

    NEW DELHI: With 30 more multi-system operators (MSOs) getting provisional registration in October, the total has risen to 1033 with just around seven weeks to go for switching off analogue signals and completion of digital addressable system for cable television around the country.

    While the total of provisional licences as on 31 October went up from 774 to 804, the number of permanent licences (10 years) remained static at 229.

    The Information and Broadcasting Ministry today released the list of 42 MSOs – as against 29 MSOs at the end of September — licences of which had been cancelled and cases closed. In addition, there are four cases — Godfather Communication Pvt. Ltd of Amritsar, Kal Cables Pvt Ltd of Chennai, Digi Cable Network (India) Pvt Ltd of Mumbai, and Intermedia Cable Communication Pvt. Ltd of Delhi — in which high courts stayed the cancellation orders in petitions filed by these MSOs.

    The number of cancellations or cases closed has gone up by 15 since 2 June this year. Most of the other cases in the list of cancelled registrations had failed to get security clearance from the home ministry. However, there are cases of many MSOs holding provisional licences not completing certain formalities relating to shareholders and so on.

    According to the latest list up to 31 October 2016, the areas of operation of four MSOs (two each in the permanent and provisional list) have been revised or corrected after 30 September 2016. Of the new licencees, two — Enyes Network Communication Private Ltd of Tamil Nadu and Satcom Satellite Network of Mumbai – have got pan-India licences.

    The other new registrations after September 2016 include the states of, or specific districts in, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Punjab.

    With the home ministry directive about doing away with security clearances for MSOs not being communicated in writing to the MIB, the pace remains slow.

    The permanent licence issued to Kal Cable of Chennai had been cancelled on 20 August 2014, but this cancellation was set aside by Madras High Court on 5 September the same year. However, Kal Cable’s name continues to be in the cancelled list – presumably because the cases are still pending.

    In the last meeting of the DAS Task Force, it was revealed that though there were a reported 6000 MSOs in the country but only a handful of them had come forward to register.

    Also read:  MSOs finally cross 1000 as pan-India DAS deadline nears

  • Hathway rebrands in-house channels

    Hathway rebrands in-house channels

    MUMBAI: Hathway Cable and Datacom Limited has given a new dimension to some of its key channels through a rebranding move that includes new packaging and graphics of the five new channels launched earlier this year.

    Hathway CCC is now ‘CCC’, Hathway Movies & Hathway Entertainment is now H-Flicks 1 and H-Flicks 2, respectively, and Hathway Shoppee is now ‘H-Mart’ while H-Tube retains its identity with a new, trendy feel.

    Earlier this year, in April, Hathway launched four channels — DJAY, Lamhe, Home Theatre and Marathi Talkies followed by Divine during the Ganapati festival, thus, strengthening its portfolio of in-house channels. With this rebranding exercise, the platform now has a line-up of movies, music, spiritual and a consumer-centric channel which offers diverse content to its subscribers with the right mix of localisation.

    Commenting on the rebranding efforts, Hathway Cable and Datacom video business president Tavinderjit Panesar stated, “Our continuous efforts to streamline and create a robust portfolio of Hathway channels has seen another step forward with the refreshing of our key channels — CCC, Flicks 1, Flicks 2, H-Tube and H-Mart with the right degree of positioning and vibrancy. We firmly believe in making this as a true differentiator in the industry and build a value proposition for our subscribers.”

    All these channels will be available on a pan-India basis with Flicks 1 and Flicks 2 offering regional and local content for specific regions.

    With digitization and growing consumer demand, the cable segment sees a big opportunity in providing differentiated & value-for-money content. With this rebranding, Hathway now has a unique, potent offering of 10 major in-house channels available for its subscribers unlike some of its competitors.

  • Hathway rebrands in-house channels

    Hathway rebrands in-house channels

    MUMBAI: Hathway Cable and Datacom Limited has given a new dimension to some of its key channels through a rebranding move that includes new packaging and graphics of the five new channels launched earlier this year.

    Hathway CCC is now ‘CCC’, Hathway Movies & Hathway Entertainment is now H-Flicks 1 and H-Flicks 2, respectively, and Hathway Shoppee is now ‘H-Mart’ while H-Tube retains its identity with a new, trendy feel.

    Earlier this year, in April, Hathway launched four channels — DJAY, Lamhe, Home Theatre and Marathi Talkies followed by Divine during the Ganapati festival, thus, strengthening its portfolio of in-house channels. With this rebranding exercise, the platform now has a line-up of movies, music, spiritual and a consumer-centric channel which offers diverse content to its subscribers with the right mix of localisation.

    Commenting on the rebranding efforts, Hathway Cable and Datacom video business president Tavinderjit Panesar stated, “Our continuous efforts to streamline and create a robust portfolio of Hathway channels has seen another step forward with the refreshing of our key channels — CCC, Flicks 1, Flicks 2, H-Tube and H-Mart with the right degree of positioning and vibrancy. We firmly believe in making this as a true differentiator in the industry and build a value proposition for our subscribers.”

    All these channels will be available on a pan-India basis with Flicks 1 and Flicks 2 offering regional and local content for specific regions.

    With digitization and growing consumer demand, the cable segment sees a big opportunity in providing differentiated & value-for-money content. With this rebranding, Hathway now has a unique, potent offering of 10 major in-house channels available for its subscribers unlike some of its competitors.

  • Q3-16: Comcast Cable Communications division video numbers improve

    Q3-16: Comcast Cable Communications division video numbers improve

    BENGALURU: Comcast Corporation’s (Comcast) Cable Communications division (Comcast Cable, Cable) reported 8.8 percent increase in video revenue for the quarter ended 30 September 2016 (Q3-16, current quarter) as compared to the corresponding year ago quarter. The division reported video revenue at $5,591 million for Q3-16 as compared to $5,348 million in Q3-15.

    Overall, Cable Communications revenue which includes revenues from video, high speed internet, voice, business services, advertising and ‘other’ segments increased 6.9 percent y-o-y in Q3-16. The growth in revenue was driven by increase in high speed internet, business services and video revenues.

    Cable Communications reported revenue of $12,557 million in the current quarter while it was $11,751 million in Q3-15. Video revenue is the major contributor to Comcast’s Cable Communications segment, followed by high speed internet. Operating Cash Flow (OCF) from Comcast Cable Communications increased 5.5 percent y-o-y in the current quarter to $4,986 million from $4,726 million.

    Cable Communications Business Services revenue stream had the highest year-over-year (y-o-y) growth in Q3-16 among all the other streams at 15.5 percent (grew to $1,399 million from $1,211 million).  High speed internet revenue grew 8.8 percent y-o-y in Q3-16 to $3,405 million from $3,129 million.

    Overall, Comcast consolidated revenue also increased 14.2 percent y-o-y to $21,319 million in the current quarter as compared to $18,669 million. Q3-16 revenue includes $1.6 billion of revenue generated by the broadcast of the 2016 Rio Olympics, of which $1.2 billion was related to advertising revenue says Comcast. Excluding the Olympics, consolidated revenue increased 5.5 percent. Consolidated operating income increased 11 percent y-o-y in Q3-16 to $4,440 million from $4,001 million.

    Cable Communications segment subscription numbers

    Overall, Comcast Cable Communications reported a q-o-q (quarter-over quarter) addition of 216,000 customer relationships to 28.301 million in Q3-16. During the corresponding year ago quarter, customer relationships were 27.421 million with net additions of 166,000.

    Comcast Cable Communications closed the current quarter with 24.316 million video customers, an increase of 32,000 video customers from the immediate trailing quarter. High Speed Internet customers increased by 320,000 to 24.316 million, while Voice customers increased by 2,000 to 11.6413 million in the current quarter vis-a-vis the immediate trailing quarter.

    In Q3-16, single play customers increased by 72,000 to 8.488 million, double play customers increased by 141,000 to 9.54 million, triple play customers increased by 4,000 to 10.273 million as compared to the immediate trailing quarter.

    NBCUniversal (NBCU)

    NBCUniversal (NBCU) revenue increased 28.3 percent in Q3-16 to $9,178 million from $7,151 million in Q3-15. Revenue for NBCUniversal increased 22.5 percent, primarily driven by 2016 Rio Olympics revenue of $1.6 billion included in the Broadcast Television and Cable Networks segments.

    Cable Networks revenue in Q3-16 grew to $2,942 million from $2,412 million; Broadcast Television revenue increased 56.6 percent y-o-y to $3,087 million from $1,971 million; Theme Parks revenue increased 60.7 percent y-o-y to $1,440 million from $896 million.

    The segment saw 31.4 percent y-o-y increase in operating cash flow or OCF in Q3-16 at $2,146 million as compared to $1,633 million. OCF from Filmed Entertainment segment declined 6.1 percent) in Q3-16 to $353 million from $376 million.   OCF from Cable Networks in Q2-16 increased 7 percent y-o-y to $893 million from $835 million in Q3-15. OCF from Theme Parks increased 62.7 percent to $706 million from $434 million.

    Company speak

    Comcast chairman and CEO Brian L. Roberts said, ” “I’m pleased to report that our businesses generated double digit revenue and operating cash flow growth for the third quarter of 2016. Cable delivered solid operating cash flow growth coupled with great customer metrics, and has now added 170,000 video subscribers over the past twelve months. The Rio Olympics were the most profitable and successful games in our history, and demonstrated our ability to deliver an unparalleled entertainment experience through NBCUniversal together with Comcast Cable and the X1 platform. NBCUniversal reported operating cash flow growth of over 30%, benefitting from the Olympics, continued growth at our Theme Parks, and the theatrical success of The Secret Life of Pets this quarter. I’m proud of our consistent execution and excited about the opportunities ahead for Comcast NBCUniversal.”

     

  • Q3-16: Comcast Cable Communications division video numbers improve

    Q3-16: Comcast Cable Communications division video numbers improve

    BENGALURU: Comcast Corporation’s (Comcast) Cable Communications division (Comcast Cable, Cable) reported 8.8 percent increase in video revenue for the quarter ended 30 September 2016 (Q3-16, current quarter) as compared to the corresponding year ago quarter. The division reported video revenue at $5,591 million for Q3-16 as compared to $5,348 million in Q3-15.

    Overall, Cable Communications revenue which includes revenues from video, high speed internet, voice, business services, advertising and ‘other’ segments increased 6.9 percent y-o-y in Q3-16. The growth in revenue was driven by increase in high speed internet, business services and video revenues.

    Cable Communications reported revenue of $12,557 million in the current quarter while it was $11,751 million in Q3-15. Video revenue is the major contributor to Comcast’s Cable Communications segment, followed by high speed internet. Operating Cash Flow (OCF) from Comcast Cable Communications increased 5.5 percent y-o-y in the current quarter to $4,986 million from $4,726 million.

    Cable Communications Business Services revenue stream had the highest year-over-year (y-o-y) growth in Q3-16 among all the other streams at 15.5 percent (grew to $1,399 million from $1,211 million).  High speed internet revenue grew 8.8 percent y-o-y in Q3-16 to $3,405 million from $3,129 million.

    Overall, Comcast consolidated revenue also increased 14.2 percent y-o-y to $21,319 million in the current quarter as compared to $18,669 million. Q3-16 revenue includes $1.6 billion of revenue generated by the broadcast of the 2016 Rio Olympics, of which $1.2 billion was related to advertising revenue says Comcast. Excluding the Olympics, consolidated revenue increased 5.5 percent. Consolidated operating income increased 11 percent y-o-y in Q3-16 to $4,440 million from $4,001 million.

    Cable Communications segment subscription numbers

    Overall, Comcast Cable Communications reported a q-o-q (quarter-over quarter) addition of 216,000 customer relationships to 28.301 million in Q3-16. During the corresponding year ago quarter, customer relationships were 27.421 million with net additions of 166,000.

    Comcast Cable Communications closed the current quarter with 24.316 million video customers, an increase of 32,000 video customers from the immediate trailing quarter. High Speed Internet customers increased by 320,000 to 24.316 million, while Voice customers increased by 2,000 to 11.6413 million in the current quarter vis-a-vis the immediate trailing quarter.

    In Q3-16, single play customers increased by 72,000 to 8.488 million, double play customers increased by 141,000 to 9.54 million, triple play customers increased by 4,000 to 10.273 million as compared to the immediate trailing quarter.

    NBCUniversal (NBCU)

    NBCUniversal (NBCU) revenue increased 28.3 percent in Q3-16 to $9,178 million from $7,151 million in Q3-15. Revenue for NBCUniversal increased 22.5 percent, primarily driven by 2016 Rio Olympics revenue of $1.6 billion included in the Broadcast Television and Cable Networks segments.

    Cable Networks revenue in Q3-16 grew to $2,942 million from $2,412 million; Broadcast Television revenue increased 56.6 percent y-o-y to $3,087 million from $1,971 million; Theme Parks revenue increased 60.7 percent y-o-y to $1,440 million from $896 million.

    The segment saw 31.4 percent y-o-y increase in operating cash flow or OCF in Q3-16 at $2,146 million as compared to $1,633 million. OCF from Filmed Entertainment segment declined 6.1 percent) in Q3-16 to $353 million from $376 million.   OCF from Cable Networks in Q2-16 increased 7 percent y-o-y to $893 million from $835 million in Q3-15. OCF from Theme Parks increased 62.7 percent to $706 million from $434 million.

    Company speak

    Comcast chairman and CEO Brian L. Roberts said, ” “I’m pleased to report that our businesses generated double digit revenue and operating cash flow growth for the third quarter of 2016. Cable delivered solid operating cash flow growth coupled with great customer metrics, and has now added 170,000 video subscribers over the past twelve months. The Rio Olympics were the most profitable and successful games in our history, and demonstrated our ability to deliver an unparalleled entertainment experience through NBCUniversal together with Comcast Cable and the X1 platform. NBCUniversal reported operating cash flow growth of over 30%, benefitting from the Olympics, continued growth at our Theme Parks, and the theatrical success of The Secret Life of Pets this quarter. I’m proud of our consistent execution and excited about the opportunities ahead for Comcast NBCUniversal.”