Category: Cable TV

  • Furnish details of cable connections, Delhi Govt asks operators, MSOs wary of cascading effect

    MUMBAI: The Delhi government has ordered cable operators to furnish the number of subscribers, an attempt which seems to be driven by the idea of increasing entertainment tax collection. Cable operators generally pay entertainment tax based on the number of their connections. It is unclear whether the government plans to claim tax from retrospective effect or not, and what is the period it is claiming tax for.

    Speaking to www.indiantelevision.com, the country’s apex body for digital multi-system operators (MSOs) All-India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF) secretary-general Saharsh Damani agreed that he had come across reports of local cable operators (LCOs) receiving tax notices. If the government were to demand and recover entertainment taxes from LCOs for the last 4-5 years, Damani opined, it would become difficult for the operators to survive commercially. If the LCOs were severely affected, it would obviously have had a cascading severe effect on the MSOs, he added.

    A written communication has reportedly been sent to multi-system operators (MSOs) to submit details of their local cable operators and cable connections at the earliest, according to the entertainment tax department. However, Den Networks CEO SN Sharma, speaking to www.indiantelevision.com, denied receiving any communication so far. Damani also replied in the negative.

    The department has reportedly asked MSOs, around 20 in Delhi, to provide details of their cable connections with each local cable operator (LCO). The department has also sought details of addresses and phone numbers of local cable operators under them, an official said. The decision has been taken to increase tax collection, the official said.

    According to the department, the government had collected Rs 160.72 crore in taxes in the financial year 2014-15, while it increased to Rs 261.94 crore in the fiscal 2015-16.

    The Delhi High Court had recently held that MSOs and LCOs distributing television signals to subscribers directly are liable to collect and pay entertainment to the government. The court’s decision came on pleas filed by four MSOs – Hathway Cable and Datacom Ltd, DEN Networks Ltd, IndusInd Media and Communications and SITI Cable Network Ltd. They had moved the court challenging the levy of entertainment tax and vires of the Delhi Entertainment and BettingTax Rules.

    The four had sought quashing of the Delhi government’s 17 December, 2012, circular and show cause notices issued in January 2014 directing them to deposit tax beginning April 2013. Delhi had threatened to halt cable TV transmission of the MSOs by closing their headends. The government had stated that the assessment of the MSOs bared that they had been indulging in tax fraud in crore since April 2013. 

    A bench of justices Sanjeev Sachdeva and Badar Durrez Ahemed, however, quashed the Delhi government’s December 2012 circular and show-cause notices served by its Department of Entertainment Tax asking the MSOs to to pay entertainment tax or face action.

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    Subhash Chandra hails GST, seeks new tax system & ease of doing biz

  • Including Arasu, total number of MSOs goes up to 1376, to ensure DAS implementation

    NEW DELHI: Following the decision of the government to deem all provisional multi-system operators as having regular licence and giving a provisional licence to the Tamil Nadu Arasu TV Corporation, the total number of MSOs has gone up to 1376.

    Thus, TACTV is the only MSO on the provisional list and all the others are deemed to have a permanent licence for ten years.

    Thus there has been increase of 194 MSOs in the country since the end of February as the Information and Broadcasting Ministry had given registration to 1182 MSOs by the end of February 2017 which included 230 which had valid ten-year licences.

    But faced with just less than one month to go before total switch-off of analogue signals, the Government had on 6 March 2017 decided to treat all MSOs as permanent but with condition that the period of ten years commences from the date they got registered as provisional MSOs.

    However, if the continuation of registration of any MSO is at any time found to be or considered detrimental to the security of the State then the registration so granted is liable to be cancelled/suspended, the order placed on the Ministry website mib.nic.in specified.
    All other terms and conditions depicted in the provisional registration letter(s) wlll continue to apply.

    Earlier on 27 January.2017, it had been decided that all registered MSOs are free to operate in any part of the country, irrespective of registration for specified DAS notified areas granted by this Ministry.

    However, they have to submit the details of Headend, SMS, subscribers list and a self-certificate that they are carrying all the mandatory TV Channels, within six months from date of issuance of MSO registration, to the Ministry, failing which the MSO registration is liable to cancelled/suspended.

    Hence, all deemed regular registered MSOs also are required to submit the details to the Ministry within six months.

    The Tamil Nadu-Government-run TACTV was granted provisional licence on 18 April 2017 to operate as a MSO in the state on condition that it switches off analogue signals in the entire state within three months.

    The Ministry had told indiantelevision.com that it had been made clear that the provisional licence was subject to the Centre taking a final decision on the recommendation of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India that no government owned body should be permitted in the field of running or distributing television channels.  TRAI had in 2008, 2012 and 2014 held that state governments and political parties should not be permitted to own TV channels or distribution channels.

    In Tamil Nadu where there is a court stay in operation since Phase I, TACTV had warned MSOs and LCOs against switching off analogue signals anywhere in the state after 31 March 2017.

    The sources said that Arasu had been granted provisional licence in 2006 at the time of the Conditional Access System on certain conditions based on the TRAI report but this had not been renewed when Digital Addressable System came into force.

    Also Read:

    Faced with deadline, MIB says all provisional MSOs will be deemed regular

    Arasu gets provisional MSO licence subject to analogue switch-off in three months

  • MIB cracks whip on illegal analogue signals, states asked to ensure compliance

    MIB cracks whip on illegal analogue signals, states asked to ensure compliance

    NEW DELHI: Exactly three weeks into the new era of digital addressable system for cable television in the country, the government has requested state government officers to ensure that no analogue signals are transmitted by any cable operator.

    In an advisory sent to the designated officers in state governments, information and broadcasting ministry additional secretary Jayashree Mukherjee said that, in case any MSOs/cable operators is not complying with these directions/orders, action can be initiated under Section 11 of the Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act for  violating Section 4A of the Cable TV Act, under intimation to the Ministry.

    She added that some complaints for carriage of analogue signals are being received in the Ministry and these are being sent to the respective Authorised officers separately for taking action.

    However, conflicting reports continue to come in -particularly from Phase IV areas – of non-compliance with DAS and the continuation of analogue signals. The DTH operators have also stepped up their marketing campaigns to net the customers in these areas.

    The Ministry on 23 December 2016 had extended the cut-off date of switch over to digital in Phase IV areas to 31 March 2017 and a circular was issued on 30 March 2017 to ensure switch off of analog signals in Phase IV areas by 1 April 2017.

    Under Section 4A of the Cable Television Network (Regulation) Act 1995, it is obligatory for every cable operator to transmit or re-transmit programmes of any channel in an encrypted form through a digital addressable system with effect from the dates as may be specified or notified by the Ministry from time to time. Section 2 of the Act says the DM, SDM and CP are the authorised officers who have powers under Section 11 to seize the equipment used for operating Cable TV Network if there are violations of provisions of the Cable Act, including Section 4A.

    Also Read :

    DAS: Even official figures show cable TV digitisation is incomplete

    DAS: MSOs, LCOs give low figure of STB seeding, official sources admit it’s under 80%

    Analogue signals: MIB to take action against defaulters

    Action to be taken against analogue-using  MSOs / LCOs in urban areas

  • Hathway launches GPON in Chennai, to invest Rs 500 cr in south

    MUMBAI: Internet service-provider (ISP) and cable multi-system operator (MSO) Hathway, over the next three years, plans to invest to the tune of Rs 500 crore in south India as part of its strategy to launch highspeed broadband service. It will be establishing data centres and other infrastructure so as to cover five lakh customers in three years.

    A senior company official told PTI that the Mumbai-based firm, which is into providing internet service through “Docsis 3” technology, has made commercial launch of the service through Gigabite Passive Optical Networks Fiber to Home (GPON Fibre to Home) technology. The company on Thursday announced the launch of its services in India with ultra-high-speed broadband technology.

    Consumption of OTT content from the likes of Amazon Prime, Netflix and HOOQ has been increasing and this would require high-speed dependable services. With broadband business present in 10 cities, Hathway has tied up with Cisco, Oracle, ZTE and Nokia for hardware and software components.

    Hathway Cable and Datacom managing director Rajan Gupta said, in Chennai, they had observed an explosion in demand (for broadband internet) last year. The average broadband consumption across the country is 45GB whereas, in Chennai, it was 90GB per month. It has just commercially launched in Chennai with GPON technology, he added.

    Noting that the incumbent operators provided broadband service through copper wires, Gupta said that Hathway would offer high-speed end-to-end fibre solution through fibre cables with the package starting at Rs 999 a month for speeds up to 150Mbps and 1000GB data unload.

  • Arasu DAS licence: Stakeholders fear flurry of similar requests & permissions

    NEW DELHI: Even as Tamil Nadu state government-backed MSO Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corp (TACTV) expressed satisfaction at getting the DAS license after “five years of struggle”, some other stakeholders felt this move by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting may go against a policy recommendations by sector regulator TRAI and, possibly, open up floodgates for similar requests from other local governments.

    TACTV general manager Ramana Saraswathi, while welcoming the development, told indiantelevision.com that the matter about shuttering analogue signals within three months was something that the state government would decide.

    She said that TACTV would await government instructions. Incidentally, the state government in Tamil Nadu state is an ally of the BJP-led NDA coalition that is in power in New Delhi.

    While officially analog has had a sunset on 31 March 2017 in India, MIB’s internal review of the ground situation revealed that full digital play is yet to be a reality. The Andhra Pradesh state government, meanwhile, had exhorted MIB to extend the March 2017 deadline, which had received no official feedback from MIB.

    However, not everybody was as upbeat as Arasu. Most MSOs and LCOs outside Tamil Nadu, contacted by indiantelevision.com, made clear their apprehension saying this might “open the floodgates” and “other state governments may take advantage” of this by regularising or floating MSO companies, which will indirectly help politicians control what all gets aired and what all people can watch.

    One Andhra-based MSO said that an inter-ministerial committee had itself held that the matter was one of policy that should be decided by the MIB. LCO Sky Vision managing director R S Raju said that when TRAI has submitted a series of recommendations on why government or semi-government bodies should not be allowed in TV distribution business, which are awaiting a final decision at MIB, such permissions, conditional or otherwise, send a wrong signal to the industry players.

    Saharsh Damani of the All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF) said the organization would study the government order in detail and then give an official reaction.

    In August 2014, TRAI had suggested barring political parties from entering into broadcasting space, while it recommended several restrictions on the corporate houses in this regard.  It had made a similar recommendation in December 2012 and earlier in November 2008.

    “Ownership is a huge concern… how do you know that a TV channel operated out of Bhopal owned by a local MLA or MP is conveying the truth rather than tinted version of the truth. This is one problem with political ownership,” the then TRAI chairman Rahul Khullar had said in 2014 while releasing recommendations on ‘Issues Relating to Media Ownership’.

    TRAI had suggested that entities, including political bodies, religious bodies, central and state government ministries and government funded entities be barred from entry into broadcasting and TV channel distribution sectors.

    The regulator even suggested that surrogates of such entities too “should be barred”.

    TRAI had pushed for enactment of a new legislation through an executive decision for its recommendations to be implemented, while suggesting an exit option should be provided in case permission to any such organizations had already been granted.

    Arasu’s conditional license makes things that much more difficult for MIB and other central government department to take a final decision on the regulator’s suggestions.

    ALSO READ:

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    Can a MSO block a channel airing unfavourable poll survey?

    DAS: MSOs, LCOs give low figure of STB seeding, official sources admit it’s under 80%

  • Arasu gets provisional MSO licence subject to analogue switch-off in three months

    NEW DELHI: The Tamil Nadu-Government run Arasu Cable TV Corporation (TACTV) has been granted provisional licence to operate as a multi-system operator in the state on condition that it switches off analogue signals in the entire state within three months.

    Information and Broadcasting Ministry sources also told indiantelevision.com that it had been made clear that the provisional licence was subject to the Centre taking a final decision on the recommendation of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India that no government owned body should be permitted in the field of running or distributing television channels.

    In Tamil Nadu where there is a court stay in operation since Phase I, TACTV had warned MSOs and LCOs against switching off analogue signals anywhere in the state after 31 March 2017.

    The sources said that Arasu had been granted provisional licence in 2006 at the time of the Conditional Access System on certain conditions based on the TRAI report but this had not been renewed when Digital Addressable System came into force.

    Pointing out that the centre had refused to grant DAS licence to TACTV because recommendations of the TRAI, a Chennai-based MSO had told indiantelevision.com earlier this month that the case in Madras High Court had been gong on for so many years primarily because the Central Government was not clear about its stand and keeps taking adjournments.

    TACTV that it had applied for a DAS licence as far back as July 2012 but the government had failed to take a decision despite an order of the Madras High Court of December 2013 asking the Centre to take a decision on the application of TACTV for grant of it’s license “in the soonest possible time”.

    Earlier on 3 September 2015, the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Arbitration Tribunal adjourned sine die the hearing of a matter in which it had asked the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to explain the denial of digital addressable system licence to the TACTV.

    The order by then Tribunal Chairman Justice Aftab Alam and members Kuldip Singh and B B Srivastava came on being informed by the Government counsel that a single judge of the Madras High Court had on 28 August 2015 stayed the proceedings pending before the Tribunal.

    The Tribunal said however gave liberty to the parties to bring to the notice of the Tribunal any further development in the matter.

    The Information and Broadcasting Ministry had on 14 August 2015 been asked by the Tribunal to file an affidavit in a matter where the root issue is about the denial of digital addressable system licence to the TACTV Corporation Ltd. It also directed the Indian Broadcasting Foundation to get impleaded in the case.

    The Tribunal had held that Arasu was guilty of transmitting television signals in Chennai – which had adopted DAS in the first phase – in analogue mode, and at the same time guilty of using Star signals in the metropolis without any authorization inter-connect agreement with Star India.

    Noting that there is no compliance with the direction of the Court even after more than a year and half, the Tribunal had at that time felt it was imperative to know the stand of the Government for a proper adjudication of the matter.

  • DAS: Even official figures show cable TV digitisation is incomplete

    DAS: Even official figures show cable TV digitisation is incomplete

    NEW DELHI: Almost two weeks after the formal switch-off of analogue in all parts of the country except Tamil Nadu, a majority of multi-system (MSOs) and local cable operators (LCOs) claimed that the seeding of set-top boxes in Phase III is just over 40 per cent, and likely to be less in Phase IV areas where people cannot afford the boxes.

    In sharp contrast, the minister of state for information and broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore told the Parliament in mid-March that around 67 per cent seeding of set-top boxes had been achieved in Phase III and IV combined, while it was absolute in the first two phases (minus Tamil Nadu).

    All India Digital Cable Federation Secretary General Saharsh Damani told indiantelevision.com that reports of Phase III received from MSOs indicated that around 43 million STBs had been seeded even as the government had said that the total affected population in Phase III was just over 33 million.

    Furthermore, he said many MSOs said they had ample boxes lying with them, and so were stopping import of more boxes.

    With no clear picture emerging yet even as the country formally completes full digitisation of cable television, an information and broadcasting ministry official claimed told indiantelevision.com that the figure had already crossed 75 per cent in the final two phases. However, he admitted that some extensions had been allowed in some areas, and analogue was continuing in these areas though time limits had been set.

    Meanwhile an MSO who did not want to be named said people in rural areas could not afford boxes and monthly payments, and so they may opt for direct-to-home TV. Adding that MSOs were not doing ‘charity’ but involved in business, he said the chances were that they would take Doordarshan’s FreeDish as a cheaper option.

    Maharashtra Cable Operators Federation office-bearer Arvind Prabhoo told indiantelevision.com that the estimates received by him from Phase IV areas in his state showed just over 20 per cent cable TV homes had gone digital. He also said that, while the situation in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana with regard to Phase IV was very bad, his understanding was that these two states had achieved 60 per cent seeding of which most was in Phase III. Both states have already sought extensions from the centre.

    He added that, though he had no figures, the position in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh was very bad – particularly in Phase IV.

    Interestingly, forseeing the DD FreeDish challenge, some DTH platforms have assured subscribers that, at a minimum sum fixed by them, it will be ensured that there is no stoppage of signals to them since DTH is in any case digital.

    About plans to help the poor acquire STBs, the ministry official said the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India had already announced schemes of payments in installments.

    Meanwhile a meeting of the Task Force for the final two phases held two weeks before total switch-off was told by the advisor (DAS) Yogendra Pal that registered operators in Phase III and Phase-IV areas had reported 64.4 million STBs, excluding Tamil Nadu, which came to 67% of the total requirement.

    While giving region-wise figures, he said that there was need to sit together and chalk out a plan for successful implementation of Cable TV digitisation across the country.

    It was decided that a meeting would be held in the office of the Indian Broadcasting Foundation and an action plan would be worked out in the presence of representatives of MSOs.

    Additional secretary Jayashree Mukherjee asked the members to outline the problems being faced by them in Phase IV areas and also their preparedness.

    A representative from SITI Cable stated that they have been facing some problems with regard to carrying of signals as the telecom bandwidth available in remote areas of Phase-IV is poorly served and can only be utilized by one or two MSOs and quality of service is affected. He again raised the issue of infrastructure sharing and wanted to know progress made in this regard.

    The ministry wanted to know if the MSOs had any proposal, noting that no such proposal had been received so far.

    A representative from GTPL Hathway stated they have no problem in Implementing digitization in Phase-IV areas. He further stated that some push-up from the State Government is also required.

    Mukherjee asked the DTH representative what initiatives have been taken by them to cover those areas where cable connectivity is not available. The representative stated that they are in the process of addressing the problems commercially as well.

    Representatives of national MSOs raised the issue of continuance of analogue signals in some areas, particularly in Telangana State and suggested that all broadcasters are required to undergo for total discontinuation of analogue signals.

    The IBF asked the MSOs for specific complaints in this regard so that immediate necessary action can be taken. He mentioned IBF has already issued Circulars/Notices to all their members to switch off analog signals in Phase III areas.

    The representatives from the State Governments outlined their readiness and action being taken by them with regard to successful implement of Digitization. They mentioned that they are holding meetings with stakeholders.

    All the stakeholders also said they have enough inventories of STBs to be seeded in Phase IV areas. No major issue is pending with regard to Cable TV Digitisation in Phase IV areas to be addressed.

    Also Read :

    DAS: MSOs, LCOs give low figure of STB seeding, official sources admit it’s under 80%

    Final phase STB seeding is 35% even as deadline nears

    DAS deadline extension ruled out, govt claims 66% seeding done

     

  • Ortel MSO offers 1 TB plan at 100 Mbps with free digital TV

    MUMBAI: Ortel Communications has unveiled its one terabyte at a mega speed of 100 Mbps priced at Rs. 4,999. Ortel has also announced the withdrawal of all its data plans below 1 Mbps speed.

    The new plans are available from Rs. 299 onwards and the choice of speeds can range upto 100 Mbps for homes, whereas the SMEs and corporate can choose their speeds even beyond 100 Mbps using fiber leased lines. Existing customers will automatically be upgraded to this speed, thus enhancing their overall browsing experience. The data limits too have been increased multi-fold at nominal prices.

    The company plans to increase the number of hotspots considerably during the current year. Earlier, it had offered Free Broadband to its existing Digital TV subscribers.

    Ortel Communications president and CEO Bibhu Prasad Rath said, “Ortel is constantly innovating to provide a superior experience and value to its customers. Keeping this dimension in mind, Ortel has unveiled its one terabyte data plan on the DOCSIS 3.0 platform at 100 Mbps speed with complimentary Digital TV subscription.”

    Customers can avail plans with the download limits of 10 GB to 200 GB before they can migrate to a terabyte plan. Ortel is also offering its digital TV services free as a double bonanza for all the customers opting for the One TB Plan.

  • Can a MSO block a channel airing unfavourable poll survey?

    MUMBAI: It’s a classic case of how politicking could intrude the media space. It’s not just about garnering eyeballs, buying advertising slots, publishing advertorials or simply influencing the electorate potentially through favourable exit or etc poll outcomes.

    Here, it’s a straight case of gagging the media which may purportedly harm one faction’s interest, and the Tamil Nadu state machinery seems to be involved.

    Tamil television news channel Puthiya Thalaimurai on 7 April protested against its alleged blackout in 15 districts of the state. The channel wrote to the Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation (TACTV) managing director J. Kumaragurubaran that its channel was taken off air since the previous night after it aired the results of a poll survey in the Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency, where a byelection was scheduled to be held on 12 April.

    The channel’s CEO R.B.U. Shyam Kumar said that the survey results had reflected the mood of the voters. Kumaragurubaran urged Arasu to consider its plea to protect the rights of the media and take immediate action.

    The state-run TACTV blacked out Puthiya Thalaimurai channel on Thursday night as its survey of the RK Nagar constituency saw voters recognising O Panneerselvam as the natural political heir of Jayalalithaa over Sasikala (and not incumbent Edappadi Palaniswami) as the future chief minister. AIADMK chief and late CM’s incarcerated companion VK Sasikala’s nephew TTV Dinakaran was reportedly involved in the blackout.

    In the backdrop of the R.K. Nagar bypolls, Tamil Nadu woke up to income-tax raids on Friday morning in an apparent crackdown on cash distribution among voters. In the constituency, documents suggesting money distribution to the tune of Rs 120 crore were seized from the MLA hostel.

    IT officials surveyed the house and other locations of the state health minister Dr. C. Vijaya Bhaskar, an important member of the Sasikala faction and a known fundraiser. Another IT team checked the residence bungalow of AISMK head and actor-politician R. Sarath Kumar, who had declared his support to TTV Dinakaran, allegedly at a price. The raids also covered MGR Medical University vice chancellor Dr. Geethalakshmi, who may be the conduit of black money from private medical colleges in the state.

    DMK interim president, M K Stalin, meanwhile demanded of the chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy to sack Vijayabaskar from ministerial position.

    Seeking to influence the voter may not be new. But, trying to block independent television channels airing pro or anti-factional surveys is unheard of. Puthiya Thalaimurai strangely went off the air in the districts where mostly Arasu Cable signals are distributed.

  • Fiber optics market worth US$ 5 bn by ’21, A-Pac largest

    MUMBAI: Fiber optics global market by cable type is estimated to be valued at USD 3.13 billion in 2016, and is projected to reach US$ 5 billion by 2021 expanding at a CAGR of 9.8%.

    The global Fiber Optics Market has a large number of players; however the market is led by some of the major players, such as Corning Inc. (U.S.), Prysmian Group (Italy), AFL Global (U.S.), Finisar Corporation (U.S.), Leoni AG (Germany), YOFC (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. (China), Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd. (Japan), Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. (Japan), Optical Cable Corporation (U.S.), and Hitachi Cable Ltd. (Japan), among other.

    Asia-Pacific is projected to be the largest market for fiber optics from 2016 to 2021. Factors contributing to the market growth in this region are the rise in demand for the Internet from emerging countries, growing industrialisation, and the growing telecom industry. These factors, along with the upcoming infrastructure projects in energy, transport networks, institutional sites, and residential projects are expected to drive the fiber optics market across various applications in the region. Large-scale investments along with the increasing standards of living provide opportunities for infrastructure development, and are thus expected to lead to the high growth of the fiber optics market.

    A report “Fiber Optics Market by Cable Type (Single mode, and Multi-mode), Optical Fiber Type (Glass and Plastics), Application (Telecom, Premises, Utility, CATV, Military, Industrial, Sensors, Fiber Optic Lighting, Security, Metropolitan) – Global Forecast to 2021” has been published by MarketsandMarkets.

    Rising end-use applications such as telecom, CATV, premises, and sensors are driving the market for fiber optics. Along with these, increasing demand from Internet applications such the Internet of Things, over-the-top content, and video streaming are also driving the market.

    Cable Antenna Television (CATV) segment to be the fastest growing market for fiber optics: The CATV segment is projected to be the fastest growing application from 2016 to 2021, owing to its rapid growth in the Asia-Pacific. Factors such as rising disposable incomes; changing consumer preferences towards the use of high definition content; flexible government taxation policies; rapid technological advancements in products & product offerings, by major international and domestic players, at competitive prices; are a few of the major factors driving the market for the CATV application.

    Single mode cable type projected to account for the largest market share: Single mode optical fiber is estimated to have accounted for the largest market share in 2016 and is projected to continue to lead throughout the forecast period. Efforts to increase the penetration of telecom services in the emerging nations of the Asia-Pacific are attributed to the increasing demand for single mode cable in the region.

    Glass optical fiber type to be the fastest growing optical fiber type in fiber optics market: Glass optical fiber type is projected to exhibit the fastest growth from 2016 to 2021. Factors such as rapidly expanding telecom applications in emerging economies, efforts being taken by governments of various economies to increase network connectivity, and changing consumer preferences are expected to drive the fiber optics market.
    Asia-Pacific to be the largest market for fiber optics.