The digitisation of India's cable TV infrastructure will require an investment of five to six billion rupees by multi system operator (MSO) Hathway Cable and Datacom, according to the company's managing director.
The cost will be met in order to comply with the government directive on transforming India's vast cable network from analogue to digital by 2014, K Jayaraman told reporters during the Indian Pay TV Digital Summit.
The Information and Broadcast Ministry intends to complete cable digitisation in India's major metro cities in 2012, while the nationwide conversion of the cable TV network will take a further two years.
India's fragmented cable industry currently includes almost 500 MSOs and 60,000 last mile cable operators (LCOs).
Earlier this year, fellow MSO Wire and Wireless (India) Ltd (WWIL) revealed plans to invest up to INR 1 billion in 2011, in expectation of the government's roadmap to cable digitisation.
WWIL planned to install 400,000 set top boxes, add digital head ends to its network, and fund acquisitions with the sum.
