ITV

Tag: Hathway

  • TDSAT asks GTPL Hathway to restore RCN Digital’s signals

    TDSAT asks GTPL Hathway to restore RCN Digital’s signals

    NEW DELHI: GTPL Hathway has been asked by the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) to restore the signals to RCN Digital. 
     
    In their order, vacation bench of members Kuldip Singh and B B Srivastava said GTPL Hathway and RCN Digital to maintain the status quo as on 26 December, 2015.
     
    With this order, the Tribunal listed the petition by RCN Digital for 6 January. 
     
    Counsel Saurabh Upadhayay, counsel for RCN told the Tribunal that payment of Rs 1.17 crore had been made towards activation charges of the set top boxes (STBs) provided to RCN.
     
    But he said the signals were disconnected without any notice on 27 December.
     
    Upadhayay said that an agreement duly signed was sent by RCN to Hathway but had not been returned after the signature of the latter.
  • Hathway bags ET Best Tech Brand 2015 award

    Hathway bags ET Best Tech Brand 2015 award

    MUMBAI: Hathway won the Economic Times Best Tech Brand 2015 in telecommunication, technology and media space for its significant contribution in the growth of digital cable television in the country. 

     

    The ET Edge-Best Tech Brands 2015 summit was held in Delhi on 17 December.

     

    Technology brands like HP, Capgemini, IBM, Ricoh, Mphasis and Sify amongst others were part of this summit, which recognised key contributions of organisations in building and upgrading technology to create a robust ecosystem and providing a business edge in their respective industry.

     

    Hathway Cable & Datacom managing director and CEO Jagdish Kumar G Pillai said, “We are extremely proud of this achievement and thank all stakeholders and team Hathway who have contributed towards the growth of Hathway in the digital cable television and broadband space. This recognition from one of leading and most trusted names in media, The Economic Times, is testament to the giant strides that Hathway has taken in the technological transformation of digital cable TV and wired broadband businesses in India and our continuing efforts in empowering our customers to build a better and robust service & brand.”

     

    Hathway featured in the list of top 150 technology brands of India as per the Economic Times & MRSS industry agnostic study to understand what goes into the making of leading tech Brands in the B2B space.

  • Hathway re-appoints Jagdish Kumar G Pillai as MD & CEO

    Hathway re-appoints Jagdish Kumar G Pillai as MD & CEO

    MUMBAI: Hathway Cable & Datacom’s board of directors have re-appointed Jagdish Kumar G Pillai as the managing director and CEO of the company for a period of two years with effect from 21 December, 2015.

     

    Since 21 December, 2012, Pillai served as CEO, MD and executive director of Hathway Cable and Datacom Limited.

     

    With more than 27 years of experience, Pillai has worked with bluechip companies like ITC Ltd, Star TV and Reliance Industries.

     

    Prior to joining Hathway, he was part of the Reliance Jio project team as president – media & entertainment at Reliance Industries Ltd.

  • Hathway to demerge broadband business to subsidiary company

    Hathway to demerge broadband business to subsidiary company

    MUMBAI: Hathway Cable & Datacom is planning to demerge its broadband business into its wholly owned subsidiary Hathway Broadband Private Limited.

     

    The company’s board of directors have given in-principle approval to demerge, transfer and vest the company’s entire broadband business into its wholly owned subsidiary, subject to requisite approvals from the shareholders, creditors, High Court(s), Department of Telecommunications, Stock Exchanges, Securities and Exchange Board of India and other applicable regulatory governmental authorities.

     

    The carving out of the broadband business is aimed at accelerating value creation for Hathway shareholders. The separation will allow Hathway to aggressively focus on the significant growth potential for high speed data and related services in India. Globally, wireline or fixed broadband has emerged as a key driver of technology adoption and overall, GDP growth. India lags most countries including countries in Asia in wireline broadband penetration reaching only about eight per cent  of the potential universe.

     

    Hathway Broadband intends to take the lead in driving wireline broadband penetration in India and become a key player in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Digital India initiative. The company believes that its hybrid fiber coax infrastructure on DOCSIS 3.0 platforms is the most effective and sustainable technology in a price sensitive market like India.

     

    Hathway Cable & Datacom MD & CEO Jagdish Kumar said, “We are uniquely placed to leverage our leading position in the cable television industry and our brand to provide Indian subscribers with a world class broadband experience. This restructuring recognises that the market dynamics of the broadband business are unique as compared to our parent cable television business. The separation is a step towards increasing the broadband business’ customer focus and market competitiveness and in delivering a superior value proposition to our subscribers.”

  • The Epic Channel goes HD on Tata Sky

    The Epic Channel goes HD on Tata Sky

    MUMBAI: With increasing penetration of High Definition (HD) television sets, more and more channels are now adding the HD feed for a better consumer experience.

     

    The Epic Channel, which focuses on the Indian history, folklore and mythology genre, recently launched its HD version on Tata Sky. 

     

    The Epic Channel HD will be available on the direct-to-home (DTH) platform’s channel no 133.

     

    The Epic Channel will shoots all its content in HD so viewers can experience the shows on Indian history and mythology in HD.

     

    The Epic Channel managing director Mahesh Samat said, “Since the inception of the channel, Epic has stood out for its unique and unparalleled content offering. We have grown considerably and built a loyal viewer base over the course of the year and with the channel now being available in High Definition on Tata Sky, the viewer’s experience is only going to get enhanced. This makes it a complete viewing experience for Tata Sky subscribers, letting them watch the best in Indian history and mythology.”

     

    Tata Sky chief contend and business development officer Paolo Agostinelli added, “High definition content truly does justice to the intriguing historic and mythological story telling that Epic channel brings to the viewers. We continue to bring the best viewing technology for our Tata Sky subscribers and this is one of the biggest reasons why we have a growing subscriber base.”

     

    The channel’s standard definition (SD) feed is currently available across key DTH players like Tata Sky, Airtel, Videocon d2h, Dish TV, and Reliance Digital TV along with major cable players like Hathway, Den and more.

  • Hathway – MSM Media Distribution resolve differences, end dispute

    Hathway – MSM Media Distribution resolve differences, end dispute

    MUMBAI: Multi system operator (MSO) Hathway Cable & Datacom and Multi Screen Media’s distribution arm MSM Media Distribution (MSMMD) have finally put an end to their very public dispute.

     

    Hathway subscribers in phase I and II were greeted with a scrolling message on their screens, which informed them about restoration of MSM channels.

     

    Commenting on the development, a senior Hathway spokesperson told Indiantelevision.com, “We have mutually agreed to renew our deal with MSM in DAS and analogue markets post a meeting yesterday. The MSM bouquet channels have been reinstated in our packages.”

     

    It all started on 14 August when Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) had directed Hathway to pay Rs 14.56 crore towards subscription dues to MSMMD for DAS Phase I till the expiry of the agreement i.e. 31 October, 2015 in three instalments.

     

    Hathway in reply to that said that it will not renew the contract with MSMMD for DAS phase II. It may be recalled that this contract between the two expired on 31 March, 2015 and was not renewed by Hathway then.

     

    Commenting on the entire development a senior media observer said, “It’s good that both Hathway and MSM Media have kept the interests of cable TV subscribers in mind and ironed out their differences. A lesson to be learnt from their dispute and the resolution thereafter is that MSOs, DTH players and broadcast networks need to refrain from washing their dirty linen in public. Commercial disputes between two parties need to be resolved behind closed doors and not in the public glare of the media. Using the media for one’s own ends only sends out a bad signal that the industry has yet to mature to government, the regulator and potential investors in India’s video and broadband distribution sector.”

     

    Speaking to this website, Maharashtra Cable Operators Federation (MCOF) president Arvind Prabhu said, “It’s a great move firstly for consumers and secondly for the ecosystem. We are glad that they sorted it out amongst themselves. Having said so, we are now waiting to see how Sony or Hathway compensate the mental and commercial losses of last mile operators (LMOs). Huge number of cable subscribers have shifted to DTH during the dispute. We have given a representation to Hathway from the Aurangabad association but if they don’t do anything, we will go to TDSAT. The ecosystem needs mutual understandings, stakeholders should not let the subscribers suffer because of their individual benefits.”

     

    At the time of filing this report, MSMMD spokesperson was unavailable for comment.

     

    For the time being Hathway subscribers who missed out Messi and Ronaldo dribbling their way through to the nets can enjoy the highlights and wait for the weekend to catch some live LA Liga and Italian Serie A action on Sony Six and Kix for the first time this season. The sports expertise of MSM acquired the broadcasting rights of the two flagship football tournaments this year but before the commencement of the season the two stakeholders landed into dispute which resulted in fans missing the matches.

  • Stockmarket reacts to buzz on FDI raise to 100 per cent in DTH, cable TV firms

    Stockmarket reacts to buzz on FDI raise to 100 per cent in DTH, cable TV firms

    MUMBAI: Is the government going ahead with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s August 2013 recommendation of allowing a hike in foreign direct investment (FDI) in content carriage companies to 100 per cent from the current 74 per cent? And in news channels from 26 per cent to 49 per cent?

     

    No formal announcement has come as yet, but the buzz is that  the Narendra Modi-led government is indeed looking at TRAI’s recommendations which have been gathering dust on the ministry of information and broadcasting’s shelves at Shastri Bhavan in Delhi.  A while ago finance and MIB minister Arun Jaitley had stated that technology had made FDI limits on news channels redundant.

     

    Apparently, an inter-ministerial committee is examining that proposal (which was part of TRAI’s consultation paper released in 2013)   along with those relating to hiking the foreign investment limits in cable TV direct-to-home (DTH), internet TV, mobile TV, HITS (headend-in-the sky) and teleports from 74 per cent to 100 per cent.

     

    But the buzz generated by a Press Trust of India report was enough to lead to  a rise in the share prices of at least two listed content carriage firms  – the Essel group owned Dish TV and the Sameer Manchanda promoted DEN Network on 21 September. DEN, along with the Rajan Raheja promoted Hathway Cable have been enabling themselves to be in  a position to hike the foreign investment limits in their firms  to 74 per cent.

     

    Dish TV shares closed at Rs 116.45, 6.59 per cent higher than its previous close. To be fair to Dish TV, the share is being tipped by almost every investment advisory firm as a stock to be bought as it has been showing an improvement in its financial performance.

     

    At an early stage of the day (Monday) Den Network’s share were up by 1.53 per cent priced at Rs 129. The day, however,  ended with  its shares at Rs 126 down by 0.35 per cent compared to the previous close. Other listed MSOs such as  Siticable, Hathway and Ortel Communications, also saw similar downward movement in their stocks after climbing earlier in the day.

  • Hathway & GTPL to jointly negotiate contracts nationally with broadcasters

    Hathway & GTPL to jointly negotiate contracts nationally with broadcasters

    MUMBAI: Hathway and GTPL have entered into a mutual alliance to jointly negotiate contracts related to content and carriage with all broadcasters going forward.

     

    This would include all-India subscription agreements as well as carriage-cum-placement agreements for Digital Addressable Systems (DAS) notified and Non-DAS markets. Additionally, all commercials mutually agreed by both entities with the broadcaster will be applicable to all its subsidiaries and associate entities.

     

    Hathway video business president T.S. Panesar said, “Our mutual understanding with GTPL will bring in better synergies with a more focused, proactive approach in order to build clarity within the value chain, avoid duplication of time and effort, thus, paving the way for systematic functioning.”

     

    GTPL managing director Anirudh Singh Jadeja added, “We are happy to align collectively to negotiate all further deals as it will ensure that resources are best utilised and optimum output is achieved.”

  • DW News eyes greater coverage on S. Asia riding on reach in India

    DW News eyes greater coverage on S. Asia riding on reach in India

    NEW DELHI: German public service broadcaster Deutsche Welle, which launched its 24-hour English news channel in India on 22 June, 2015, is committed to increase its coverage on south Asia from the current 30 per cent, riding on its large scale reach in India. While the company’s flagship channel DW had started out with 300 TV homes in India, DW News now beams in 71 million TV households across direct to home (DTH) and cable platforms.

     

    DW News is aiming to increase its coverage in India of local issues as well as highlight local heroes and has appointed two India correspondents for the same. Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, DW head of news and current affairs Carsten von Nehman said, “Now that we have two correspondents in India, we hope that there will be greater coverage.”

     

    DW News India head Sudeep Malhotra added that the channel is available on DTH platforms namely Dish TV, Airtel and DD Freedish. It is also available on cable networks including Asianet, Hathway, DEN Network, InCable Network, Ortel and GTPL. The programmes are beamed via ASIASAT 7 satellite. According to him, the channel’s viewers included teens to people in their mid or late forties.

     

    According to von Nehman, the channel’s morning slots were generally devoted to Europe, while the early afternoon slots were about news from south Asia. The late afternoon slots were on African news and the night shows related to North America. This had been planned meticulously based on the time zones in these respective countries.

     

    He said apart from news on the hour, highlights included the lifestyle shows like Euromaxx, Arts 21 and Tomorrow Today. Other show include Discover Germany, Global 3000, In Good Shape, Kick-off (DW has a tie-up with the German Football Association) and the political talk show Conflict Zone with Tim Sebastian.

     

    Asked about the marketing of the channel, von Nehman said that there would be no advertising in newspapers or elsewhere. Marketing was being done more subtly through involving viewers via contests and interactions.

     

    “The new DW TV opens a window to the world for our viewers in South Asia. DW offers a unique perspective that is especially valued by local business and opinion leaders and DW News will now provide them with insights into international head-lines and the details behind regional issues,” said DW head of distribution Asia Dorothee Ulrichs. 

     

    German ambassador Martin Ney and Prasar Bharati CEO Jawhar Sircar were the main speakers at the formal launch in India.

     

    It may be recalled that Prasar Bharati had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with DW last year paving way for distribution of DD India on DTH platform of Hotbird-13B Satellite and the reciprocal distribution of DW-TV on DD Freedish. 

     

    According to Ney, India had Germany had many things in common, including federalism, a free press and healthy trade relations. “Germans are curious to know more about India and this is evident from the growing number of tourists to Germany from this country,” he said.

     

    Sircar said the primary aim of a public service broadcaster should not be to impose any news or information on the viewers, and leave it for the consumer to decide.

     

    “India has over 400 news channels and so there’s ample choice, but the real challenge lies in getting to the 150 million cellphones since the consumer is not using the mobile to get information,” Sircar said.

     

    DW is Germany’s international broadcaster with content in 30 languages. The flagship channel DW provides analysis and insights to viewers around the globe, reporting on important issues in English 24/7.

  • Hathway gets govt nod for increasing FDI; Den proposal deferred

    Hathway gets govt nod for increasing FDI; Den proposal deferred

    NEW DELHI: Hathway Cable and Datacom Limited has received approval from the Government for increasing foreign investment limit for FIIs, FPIs, etc.

     

    The Government has cleared seven foreign investment proposals, including that of Hathway, totalling over Rs 981 crore.

     

    The recommendation by the Foreign Investments Promotion Board (FIPB) under the Portfolio Investment Scheme from 49 per cent of its issued and fully paid up share capital to 74 per cent was approved by the Finance Ministry.

     

    However, the proposal by the other major multi system operator, Den Networks Limited has been deferred yet again. The proposal was for increase in foreign investment limit beyond 49 per cent and upto 74 per cent by FIIs, NRIs, FPIs, and other eligible foreign investors through route of Secondary Market/Open Market purchase.

     

    Proposals of Reliance Globalcom (Bemuda) and Sistema Shyam Teleservices were also deferred.

     

    According to the Ministry, the proposal, related to the telecom and broadcasting sector had investment worth Rs 963 crore.