ITV

Category: Cable TV

  • Top management revamp clears path for investment in IndusInd Media

    Top management revamp clears path for investment in IndusInd Media

    MUMBAI: IndusInd Media and Communications is finally set to get Rs 300 crore of investments from its promoter Hinduja Ventures, following a complete revamp of the top management at the multi-system operators with Tony D’silva as the new Managing Director and CEO.

     

    The board of directors of Hinduja Ventures today reviewed the performance of IndusInd Media and decided to go ahead with its planned investment in the company to grab acquisition and growth opportunities arising from digitisation of cable TV services.

     

     

    Hinduja Ventures, in a statement after the board meeting, said the investment is to take advantage of ‘several consolidation opportunities coming up in the digital environment’. The investment will also help IndusInd Media in expanding its customer base in the digital regions as well as spruce up its customer service.

     

     

    Hinduja Ventures has also decided to invest Rs 2 crore in its subsidiary Grant Investrade, which is spearheading its head-end in the sky (HITS) plans.

     

     

    IndusInd Media has planned several new services in the coming months such as broadband services, HD television, hybrid STBs for cable and internet and value added services for customers. The multi-system operator claims to have 8.5 million subscribers across 36 cities.

  • Meghbela Cable to seed 10 lakh STBs in West Bengal by December-end

    Meghbela Cable to seed 10 lakh STBs in West Bengal by December-end

    KOLKATA: Multi-system operator (MSO) Meghbela Cable & Broadband Services aims to seed 10 lakh set-top boxes in areas earmarked for digitisation in phase III and phase IV.

     

    The company has already installed around 1.26 lakh STBs in Kolkata city, where digitisation of cable TV services happened in phase I.

     

    Seeding of 10 lakh STBs will involve an expenditure of Rs 110 crore.

     

    While in areas which fall under DAS III and IV areas like Haldia, Bankura, Arambagh and Hooghly, the company has 10 lakh cable TV subscribers and the majority of them are on the analogue network.

     

    When asked about the source of funding for the 10 lakh STBs, Meghbela Cable Chairman, Indranil Bhattacharya, said 80 per cent of the cost of the STBs would come from the local cable operators (LCOs) who would be collecting the amount from their subscribers. The remaining 20 per cent would be arranged by Meghbela through loans from banks.

     

    “In DAS III and DAS IV areas, we have already started the digitisation process,” said Bhattacharya.

     

    “Our digital customer base is around two lakh now,” said Bhattacharya.

     

    “In phase III and IV, the company is looking at a market share of 8-10 per cent, which is achievable,” industry experts said.

     

    The company has four digital head-ends in different parts of West Bengal with more than 7,500 km of optic fiber and coaxial networks providing cable TV services. “With a plan to expand operations at Durgapur and Purulia, we are looking at two interconnected digital head ends in Kolkata,” he said.

     

    The company’s chairman further said the company apart from providing channel packages to the customers in Kolkata, did sign the revenue sharing agreements with LCOs and has raised the bill as per the packages chosen by subscribers from the month of August.

     

    Talking about the prospects in DAS III and DAS IV areas in the state, he said there is an opportunity to seed 1 crore STBs in the state by December 2014.

     

    Meghbela Digital TV Services currently offers 500 channels. It plans to expand its capacity to 781 channels going ahead.

     

    Meghbela Digital has been equipped with technical capability for providing services in digital form along with features like music on demand (MoD), video on demand (VoD), pay per view (PPV), STB supported gaming and electronic programming guide (EPG), he added.

     

    Talking about the company’s ISP business, he said the company offers services such as broadband, leased line, VPN etc.

     

    Industry experts said since Meghbela Digital has interconnected head-ends, it can easily make its affiliated LCOs serve customers well.

  • Bengaluru MSOs, ISPs to cough up Rs 300 crore as 15-year fee for cables laid

    Bengaluru MSOs, ISPs to cough up Rs 300 crore as 15-year fee for cables laid

    MUMBAI: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will soon have Rs 3 billion in its kitty. And how? The municipal corporation has after deliberations for over two months come out with a fee structure for laying of cables across the city by multi-system cable TV operators (MSOs) and internet service providers (ISPs).

     

    According to BBMP, MSOs and ISPs in the city have laid at least 15,000 km of cables. The move to levy a fee is to not only generate revenue, but also to ensure that the roads remain clean.

     

    MSOs and ISPs have to pay upfront Rs 200 per meter for three cable ducts as fee for a period of 15 years. In addition, MSOs and ISPs will have to pay Rs 100 per meter for every additional duct they use.

     

    Local cable operators (LCOs) have been exempted from paying a fee for laying cables.

     

    According to an official with a Bengaluru-based MSO, the BBMP has asked the 30 MSOs operating in the city to submit a letter accepting the terms and conditions set by the municipal corporation for laying cables. “This letter needs to be sent on an immediate basis. Those who accept the terms can then be permitted for underground cabling,” the MSO official says.

     

    The MSOs and ISPs which have already laid underground optical fibre cable (OFC), will in the next 3 months have to submit details of their underground cabling to the BBMP. On failure to provide details of cables already laid, the BBMP can either remove the OFC or can auction it.

     

    “If the operators fail to submit details, the property will no longer belong to them,” the MSO official explains.

     

    BBMP has also given three months to MSOs and ISPs to declare all uncleared OFC and pay a penalty at the rate of Rs 200 per meter in addition to the Rs 200 per meter per three ducts payable for a period of 15 years.

     

    The MSOs and ISPs have also been asked to conduct third-party inspections of repairs done to roads damaged due to underground laying of cables. “This has to be done at the company’s cost,” he informs.  Operators also have to pay Rs 100 per meter of cable laid as supervision charge to the BBMP.

  • Gujarat HC to hear LCOs petition against TRAI, govt, MSOs next week

    Gujarat HC to hear LCOs petition against TRAI, govt, MSOs next week

    MUMBAI: The Gujarat Cable Operators Association (GCOA) has all the reasons to rejoice. The Gujarat High Court on 30 January had given a final notice to the Union Government, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and Multi System Operators (MSOs) in the state to respond to the petition filed by the GCOA, but all the three respondents did not file their responses in the court with the deadline ending today.

     

    “Today was the last day for the government, the TRAI and the MSOs to respond to the court’s notice, but none of them responded,” informs Gujarat Cable Operators Association president Pramod Pandya.

     

    Pandya the court will being hearings in the case next week.

     

    GCOA had filed a petition in the high court in September, challenging the legality of the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services Tariff and the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable Services) Interconnection Regulations. The court had asked the three respondents to file reasons for formulating the tariff and interconnection regulations.

     

    “We have been fighting for our fundamental rights. It is a one-sided regulation. Why is everything being taken away from me and being given to the MSO? We are not against DAS. It is a fight for our right and our ownership of the consumers. We now wait for the case to go up for hearing the next week,” concludes Pandya. 

  • Skill training course for Maharashtra LMOs

    Skill training course for Maharashtra LMOs

    MUMBAI: As the digitisation process moves to a new stage kick starting of phases III and IV and the billing process beginning in phases I and II, the consumers are set to adapt to newer methods as well. Digitisation is going to change the way the industry functions and in the best interest of the last mile owners (LMO), who often lag behind because of lesser knowledge, a skill training programme is being launched for them.

     

    The Telecom Sector Skill Council of India (TSSCI) and Mumbai based Druv Tech Systems is launching a course that would equip the cable operators with latest technologies in the digitised world and bring them at par with the Multi System Operator (MSO).

     

    The two companies entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to work together on re-skilling broadband cable TV operators and their employees on nuances of sales, marketing, deployment and customer management. The MoU was signed between TSSCI CEO Lt. Gen. S.P. Kochhar (Retd) and Druv Tech Systems managing director Ravindra Deshmukh.

     

    “In this digitised world, where technology is changing fast, cable operators need to equip themselves well. While there is an element of customer care with the coming in of channel packaging, the operator has to deal with billing also. Things are no longer what it used to be couple of years back for the LMOs. And the course readies them for this change,” informs Deshmukh.

     

    An initiative by the government of India managed by private players, the 60-hour course will commence from the first week of March in Mumbai and Pune.

     

    Deshmukh says, “The idea of the course is to inculcate amongst operators soft skills which will help them learn the art to speak to customers, register complaints, market different services like content and broadband plan etc,” he adds.

     

    Deshmukh thinks that cable operators now need to be trained in all aspects of operations: cable TV and broadband. “The idea is to ensure that both the LMO and MSO are on the same page,” he says. Also while earlier the LMOs were not accountable to anyone, now everything needs to be reported. “For the player to become a mainstream player, this course is a must,” he adds.

     

    “Also, consumers will soon move towards electronic mode of payment. The LMO needs to understand how to accept online and card payment. The aim of the course is to bring uniformity in the industry operating standard,” he informs.

     

    To ensure maximum participation, the course has been designed such that the LMO can choose from a weekend course which is a full day course on Saturday and Sunday or an alternate day course which will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday in the evening. “The course aims at rescaling the operator,” he says.

     

    The batch will comprise 25 operators who will be assessed independently by TSSCI appointed professionals. The study material provided will be in English. “But there is also a provision wherein, a translated version of the study material will be available. And for the start, we are giving study material translated in Marathi for Maharashtra,” informs Deshmukh.

     

    The fee that comprises sessions of one-and-a-half hour each is Rs 10,000. “But if one successfully clears the exam will get an immediate cash return from the government of India, making it free of cost for the operator,” he says.

     

    It’s a part of corporate social responsibility of the company and is a way for them to connect better with their operators. The course will cover areas like broadband services, CPE and devices management, marketing, back office and customer care, to name a few.

     

    Druv Tech has partnered with the Maharashtra Institute of Technology School of Telecom Management (MITSOT) in Pune for the course. “People from Hathway Cable & Datacom, IndusInd Media Communication Ltd, Tata Communications, UPASS and telecom will form the part of teaching faculty,” he informs.

     

    Deshmukh thinks that the MoU is the most important initiative undertaken by Druv Tech. “This will equip the ecosystem to play a significant role in the transformation of broadband and cable TV sector through unique combination of technology and skill development training,” he concludes.

     

    The first batch for the course has been fully booked by Maharashtra Cable Operators Federation (MCOF) as a part of its member empowerment initiative.

  • Q3: Digitisation pushes up MSOs’ subscription revenue

    Q3: Digitisation pushes up MSOs’ subscription revenue

    MUMBAI: Transparency in subscriber numbers with the digitisation of cable TV services in 42 cities is translating into higher subscription revenues for multi-system operators.

     

    The benefit of digitisation is still to fully reflect in revenues of MSOs as billing to cable TV subscribers is still to be completed in the 38 cities that were digitised in Phase II.

     

    Digitisation has had an added impact on the MSOs financials. Their carriage or placement revenue earned from broadcasters is decreasing.

    MSOs expect carriage revenue to rise as new channels get launched.

     

    Carriage Revenue

    Hathway Cable & Datacom’s income from placement of channels fell 14 per cent to Rs 73.6 crore in the third quarter ended 31 December, 2014. The share of placement revenue in Hathway Cable’s total revenues fell to 31 per cent in the third quarter from 41 per cent a year ago.

     

    Den Networks too saw softening of its placement revenues to Rs 117.8 crore, down nearly 2 per cent from Rs 119.90 crore a quarter earlier. Den Network’s placement revenues a year ago are not available.

     

    Subscription Revenues

    Digitisation gains led Den Networks revenues to rise to Rs 105 crore in the third quarter, up 6 per cent from Rs 99.11 crore a quarter earlier.

     

    The quarter-on-quarter increase in subscription revenues for Hathway Cable was sharper. Its subscription revenues rose to 74 per cent to Rs 119.1 crore in the third quarter from Rs 68.5 crore a quarter earlier.

     

    Hathway Cable’s subscription revenues rose as it completed billing for a substantial percentage of its cable TV customers in the cities covered under the Phase II of digitisation. As a result, its average revenue per month per subscriber too has increased substantially, an analyst said.

     

    Hathway Cable says with its focus on collections, the company has witnessed continued traction in the pace of subscription collections into January 2014.

     

    SITI Cable Network saw its total revenues in the third quarter rise 42 per cent to Rs 177.3 crore from Rs 124.7 crore a year ago.

    SITI Cable CEO V D Wadhwa says, “We gained further momentum in the third quarter of fiscal 2014.”

     

    Direct-To-Home TV

    Dish TV’s revenues rose 3% quarter on quarter to Rs 6,128 mn in the third quarter but its EBITDA fell 1.6% quarter on quarter to Rs 135.50 crore. The company’s operating profit was down as its content cost rose and selling, general and administrative expenses increased as it tapped benefits flowing from digitisation.

    Dish TV added net 2,20,000 households in the third quarter taking its subscriber base to 11.2 million.

    Analysts expect Dish TV to reap higher benefits of digitisation in Phase III and IV starting 1 October, 2014.

     

    In the case of Bharti Airtel’s DTH business, the multiplier impact of increased customer additions and higher realisations during the quarter, pushed up revenues by 25.8 per cent to Rs 538.4 crore from Rs 428 crore a quarter earlier.

     

    Leveraging economies of scale, EBITDA for the quarter increased to Rs 97 crore from Rs 14.7 crore a year earlier. Consequently, Airtel Digital TV’s EBIDTA margin improved significantly to 18.0 per cent in the third quarter from 3.4 per cent a year earlier.

     

    During the current quarter, the company incurred a capital expenditure of Rs 110.90 crore in DTH services. The cash burn during the quarter at Rs 13.9 million was significantly lower Rs 120.40 crore a year ago.

     

    Airtel DTH added 2,35,000 net subscribers in the third quarter to take its total subscriber base to 88,07,000. Its average revenue per user in the third quarter was Rs 207. 

  • Kolkata LCOs against having to obtain NOCs from MSOs

    Kolkata LCOs against having to obtain NOCs from MSOs

    KOLKATA: It’s their fight for survival. Local cable operators (LOC) from Kolkata are now up in arms against the regulation that requires them to obtain no-objection certificates (NOCs) from multi-system operators (MSOs) to be able to get their licences renewed.

     

    It’s not just the billing, inter-connect agreements or revenue sharing issues that is of concern to the LCOs. The requirement of having to obtain NOCs from MSOs for their annual licences is another issue they are preparing to fight against.

     

    LCOs across the country now come under an amended rule which states that LCOs have to take NOCs from their respective MSOs for renewal of their annual licence from the Post and Telegraph department, which, the LCOs feel, makes their survival at the mercy of the MSOs.

     

    Swapan Chowdhury, convener of the Joint Forum of Cable Operators’ Association (JFCOA), said earlier the LCOs, the last mile operators, had to apply to the government for renewal of their licences but now have to take NOCs from private companies, the MSOs. “It shall be difficult for the LCOs to exist and operate,” he argued.

     

    “The forum will raise its objection with TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Auhtority of India) and shall (also) challenge the merit of such an amendment in the appropriate court of law shortly,” Chowdhury said.

     

    “This mandatory digitisation has adversely affected our livelihood and has proved detrimental to our interests. If TRAI wants the LCOs to be wiped out from the cable TV industry business, it is fine but asking us to get NOCs from MSOs is not a fair idea at all,” said an LCO from the Cable Operators Sangram Committee.

     

    The LCOs are also against the practice of having to renew licences every year. They want the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting to issue LCOs licences for 10 years.

     

    “The LCOs are registered with post offices for 1 year whereas the MSOs get the licenses for 10 years from the ministry. This is making LCO business uncertain,” Chowdhury rued.

     

    Kolkata-based MSOs when contacted said they would adhere to the rules and regulations prescribed by the authorities and ensure that digitisation of cable TV happens smoothly.

  • Den Networks reports higher revenue, lower PAT in Q3-2014

    Den Networks reports higher revenue, lower PAT in Q3-2014

    BENGALURU: Indian cable TV distribution company Den Networks Limited (Den Networks) reported 22.9 per cent consolidated revenue growth to Rs 297.24 crore in Q3-2014 as compared to the Rs 241.83 crore in Q3-2013 and a 7.5 per cent growth from Rs 276.58 crore in the immediate trailing quarter. YTD, Den Networks reported consolidated revenue of Rs 849.25 crore during nine months – 2014 which was 29 per cent more as compared to the Rs 658.54 crore during nine months (9M) – 2013. During FY 2013, Den Network’s Operating revenue was Rs 934.65 crore. 

     

    PAT (after minority interest) for the current quarter was down (59.1) per cent to Rs 7.02 crore in Q3-2014 as compared to the Rs 17.17 crore in Q3-2013 and was (37.2) per cent lower than the Rs 11.18 crore in the immediate trailing quarter. During 9M-2014, the company’s PAT at Rs 28.35 crore was down (37) per cent as compared to the Rs 44.94 crore in the corresponding nine month period of last year. 

     

    Let us look at the other Q3-2014 figures reported by Den Networks 

     

    Cable revenue for Q3 -2014 was Rs 281.00 crore as compared to Rs 229.66 crore in Q3 FY’13, up 22 per cent y-o-y and 7 per cent more than the Rs 263.32 crore in Q2-2014. Over 9M-2014, cable revenue was up 31 per cent to Rs 807.16 crore as compared to the Rs 617.18 crore in 9M-2013. 

     

    Cable EBIDTA in Q3-2014 was up 44 per cent to Rs 91.95 crore  from Rs 63.63 crore in Q3-2013 and was up 3 per cent from Rs 89.43 crore in Q2-2014.During 9M-2014 EBIDTA was 80 per cent higher at Rs 267.21 crore than the Rs 148.64 crore in 9M-2013. 

     

    Den Networks Total expense for Q3-2014 at Rs 238.63 crore was up 17.19 per cent as compared to the Rs 203.63 crore in Q3-2013 and 6.3 per cent more than the Rs 224.43 crore in Q2-2014. YTD, the company’s Total expense during 9M-2014 at Rs 692.75 crore was 23.7 per cent more than the Rs 560.20 crore in 9M-2013. The company reported Total expense of Rs 777 crore in FY 2013. 

     

    The networks content cost in Q3-2014 at Rs 95.33 crore was 15 per cent higher than the Rs 82.93 crore in Q3-2013 and was 5.3 per cent more than the Rs 90.54 crore in the immediate trailing quarter. During 9M-2014, Den Networks paid Rs 270.88 crore towards content cost, which was  19.3 per cent more than the Rs 227.03 crore in 9M-2013. During FY 2013, the company paid Rs 298.8 crore towards this cost head.

     

    Den Networks finance cost more than doubled (up 2.08 times) in Q3-2014 to Rs 24.40 crore from Rs 11.69 crore in Q3-2013 and was up 0.5 per cent from Q2-2014’s Rs 24.28 crore. YTD, in 9M-2014, the company paid Rs 696.94 crore which was 2.28 times the Rs 30.72 crore in 9M-2013. During FY 2013, finance cost was Rs 40.78 crore. 

     

    The company says that out of a total subscriber base of 1.3 crore homes, approximately 0.57 crore homes have been converted to digital. It claims to be present in 27 out of a total of 41 Phase 1 and 2 cities and approximately 0.5 crore set top boxes have been deployed in these markets.

     

    Den Networks further says that it has an estimated analog base of 0.8 crore homes in its Phase 3 and 4 markets. The company says that is well capitalised to meet the deployment requirements of its existing subscriber base in these cities. More than 0.07 crore set top boxes have already been installed and the pace of deployment is expected to pick up rapidly as the deadline approaches. The company says that it has also launched digital services in several major cities and towns of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Rajasthan and West Bengal over the last few months.

     

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  • Hathway Q3 operating income up 52%

    Hathway Q3 operating income up 52%

    BENGALURU: Indian Multi Systems Operator (MSO) Hathway Cable & Datacom Limited (Hathway) reported a jump of 52.1 per cent in operating income to Rs 234.78 crore  in Q3-2014 from Rs 154.40 crore  in Q3-2013 and up 6.7 per cent from Rs 220.28 crore  in Q2-2013.

     

    The company’s operating income for 9M-2014 was 62.5 per cent higher at Rs 687.71 crore  compared with Rs 423.14 crore  in 9M-2013. For FY 2013, the company reported operating income of Rs 654.32 crore.

     

    Hathway’s y-o-y EBIDTA for Q3-2014 at Rs 39.13 crore  was up 6.3 per cent as compared to the Rs 36.82 crore  in Q3-2013, but (2.5) per cent lower than the Rs 40.15 crore  in Q2-2014. YTD, Hathway’s 9M-Q2014 EBIDTA was 79.9 per cent more at Rs 156.4 crore  as compared to the Rs 86.93 crore  in 9M-2013. For FY 2013, Hathway’s EBIDTA was Rs 178 crore.

     

    Let us look at the other figures reported by Hathway for Q3-2014

     

    The company’s income breakup for the quarter is: Cable Income:-Rs  191.1 crore ; Placement Income-Rs  73.6 crore :  Activation Income- Rs 2.5 crore : Broadband Income-Rs 36.6 crore. 

     

    Hathway reported a net loss of Rs (36.86) crore  which was almost five times (4.97 times) the loss of Rs 7.42 crore  in Q3-2013, but 17.1 per cent less than the loss of Rs 44.45 crore  in the immediate trailing quarter. Hathway’s 9M-2014 net loss at Rs 75.99 crore  was triple the loss of Rs 25.25 crore  in 9M-2014. For FY 2013, Hathway reported a profit of Rs 3.20 crore. 

     

    Total Expense including depreciation and amortization for Q3-2014 at Rs 254.03 cores was 72.1 per cent more than the Rs 147.57 crore  in the corresponding quarter of last year and 8.9 per cent more than the Rs 233.19 crore  in Q2-2014. During 9M-2014, Hathway’s Total Expense was higher by 62.6 per cent at Rs 685.32 crore  as compared to the Rs 421.62 crore  in 9M-2013. For FY 2013, Hathway reported Total expense at Rs 608.5 crore. 

     

    Hathway paid almost double (1.95 times) towards Pay channel cost in Q3-2014 at Rs 82.73 crore  as compared to the Rs 42.96 crore  in Q3-2013 and 22.6 per cent more than the Rs 68.30 crore  in Q2-2014. In 9M-2014, Hathway paid Rs 210.47 crore  towards this head, which was 74 per cent more than the Rs 120.91 crore  in 9M-2013. For FY 2013, the company paid Rs 170.41 crore  towards this cost. 

     

    The company’s finance cost for Q3-2014 at Rs 22.41 crore  was almost double (up 1.96 times) the Rs 11.43 crore  I Q3-2013, but (5.5) per cent lower than the Rs 23.71 crore  in Q2-2014. In 9M-2014, Hathway’s finance cost more than double (up 2.11 times) to Rs.67.81 crore  as compared to the Rs.32.07 crore  in 9M-2013. For FY 2013, Hathway paid Rs.46.14 crore  towards finance cost. 

     

    By the end of December 2013, Hathway claims that it along with its JV partners had deployed 77 lakh boxes. During the quarter the company says that it has laid emphasis on collecting CRF’s from Phase II cities and on focusing for monetization of DAS areas. With this focus on collections it says that it has witnessed continued traction in the pace of subscription collections into January 2014.It says further that gross additions to its Broadband subscriber base was around 27,000 for the quarter.

     

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  • SITI Cable reports higher revenue, EBIDTA for Q3-2014

    SITI Cable reports higher revenue, EBIDTA for Q3-2014

    BENGALURU: Essel Group company SITI Cable Network Limited (Siti Cable), the erstwhile Wire and Wireless (India) Ltd (WWIL) reported 42.1 per cent growth in Total Income to Rs 177.26 crore in Q3-2014 from Rs 124.71 crore in the third quarter of last year and was 8.8 per cent higher than Rs 162.94 crore in the previous quarter.

     

    The company reported 72.8 per cent higher earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBIDTA) at Rs 35 crore in Q3-2014 as compared to the Rs 20.25 crore in Q3 of last year and 6.1 per cent more than the Rs 32.98 crore in the immediate trailing quarter.

     

    Siti Cable Chairman Subhash Chandra said, “The ongoing digitisation is providing new impetus for growth and value in India though we are still early in the value creation process. Digital Cable Television is a major engine of growth for SITI Cable across all geographies. Our sustained investment in this segment will further enhance customer television viewing experience”.

     

    “Our results for the quarter reflect the overall stability of our operations, and demonstrate the potential for growth. SITI Cable is EBITDA positive in this quarter as well,” added Chandra.

     

    Let us look at the other figures reported by SITI Cable for Q3-2014:

     

    Operating revenue in SITI Cable’s case is primarily generated from subscriber related income, especially from digitisation, income from bandwidth charges, ad income, STB activation charges and other operating revenues. Total Income figures have been mentioned above.

     

    Operating cost for Q4-2014 at Rs 142.26 crore was 36.2 per cent more than the Rs 104.46 crore for Q3-2013 and 9.5 per cent higher than the Rs 129.96 crore for Q2-2014.

     

    The company’s Selling and Distribution expense in Q3-2014 almost quadrupled (was up 3.92 times) to Rs 12.91 crore from Rs 3.29 crore in Q3-2013 and was four per cent more than the Rs 12.42 crore in the immediate preceding quarter.

     

    Its staff cost at Rs 9.91 crore for the current quarter was 23.7 per cent more than the Rs 8.01 crore in Q3-2013 and 5.5 per cent more than the Rs 9.39 crore in Q2-2014. Administrative expense for Q4-2014 at Rs 16.88 crore was down by 3.8 per cent to Rs 16.88 crore in Q3-2014 from Rs 17.55 crore in Q3-2013 and (33.65) per cent lower than the Rs 25.44 crore in Q2-2014.

     

    Depreciation in Q3-2014 was up by 61.8 per cent to Rs 22.99 crore from Rs 14.21 crore in the corresponding quarter of last year, but was (14.6) per cent lower than the Rs 26.91 crore in Q2-2014. The company paid 24.3 per cent more towards finance charges in Q3-2014 at Rs 31.22 crore than the Rs 25.11 crore in Q3-2013 and was 2.3 per cent more than the Rs 30.52 crore in Q2-2013.

     

    The company reported a loss of Rs (22.51) crore in Q3-2014, which was 20.1 per cent more than the loss of Rs 18.75 crore in Q3-2013 and three per cent more than the Rs 21.85 crore in Q2-2014.

     

    SITI Cable CEO VD Wadhwa said, “We have gained further momentum in the third quarter of fiscal 2014. Our total revenue and EBITDA grew to Rs 1773 million and Rs 350 million respectively, a healthy growth of 42 per cent and 73 per cent respectively over corresponding quarter of last fiscal. We have maintained our margins through operational efficiency improvements despite stiff challenges faced at market place on account of DAS billing. We have made the healthy progress in collection of DAS subscription revenue which is way ahead of competition.”

     

    He further added, “We are now in exciting phase of our journey as we strengthen our existing operations and expand our digital subscriber base in phase-3&4 towns. We have started digital cable services in strategic markets of Vijayawada, Hissar and Rohtak in this quarter. We have also reinvented the company website making it more interactive and user- friendly”.

     

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