Sunil Jolly is the director of Den Enjoy Network in Lucknow, one of the earliest cable operators in Lucknow.
It was a time of great excitement. It was a brand new technology and there were no workers available to train.
We would ask around for helpers, even rickshaw drivers.
“Those glory days are gone forever.” The first was DTH, which included the free DTH service offered by the government. YouTube was next, followed by OTT platforms. Jolly told that cable TV subscriptions had nearly been halved.
Cable TV is declining amid OTT and streaming boom
The linear cable television industry in India has been quietly declining as the mobile and internet subscription base continues to grow.
Cable TV, once the gate to an entire world of entertainment, including music channels such as MTV and drama serials broadcast on Star Plus in addition to the national broadcaster Doordarshan, has lost its dominance.
YouTube offered Indians access to global content-on-demand, while OTT platforms provided virtually limitless high quality programming.
The demand for pay-TV services, including cable and Direct-to Home (DTH), has declined dramatically, with the largest drops in Tier 1 cities. In smaller towns, DD Free Dish is gaining market share.
This trend reflects a worldwide shift away from cable TV to free streaming and over-the air TV, also known as “cord cutting.”
Over the last decade, US pay-TV providers lost 25 million subscribers.
India’s Pay TV Subscriber Losses
According to the report “State of Cable TV Distribution In India” by EY and All India Digital Cable Federation, pay TV subscribers will fall from 151 millions in 2018 to 111 in 2024.
A survey conducted online by EY and AIDCF of 28,000 local cable operator (LCO) revealed that 93% had reported a decline in their monthly take-home pay since 2018.
Nearly half of the respondents reported a decline in their subscriber base, and nearly 10,000 people reported losses greater than 40%.
The decline of LCOs has a significant impact on employment in India.
In the survey of 28,181 LCOs, the fall in 40 million pay TV households between 2018-2024 led to a loss of 37,835 jobs.
The report states that if extrapolated across the country, the total number of job losses could range between 114,000 and 195,000.
LCOs cite a number of challenges, including the inability to increase collections through rate increases, a decrease in second-TV households, migration to OTT, connected TV and better digital content.
Smart TVs and streaming services are gaining popularity among consumers
Samata Das is a Berlin-based professional who describes her home setup in Bhubaneswar.
The streaming content was much more interesting. Our internet provider then offered a comprehensive bundle–high-speed Internet for working from home, streaming channels and a basic package of cable. We now pay a single bill for Wi-Fi and OTT as well as some cable channels. In the end, it’s all about convenience.
DD Free Dish is a threat to pay TV revenue
The decline of pay-TV did not occur overnight.
The government’s free DTH was a major problem in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous State with 240 million inhabitants.
DD Free Dish is owned by Prasar Bharati and launched as India’s first free-to-air DTH in December 2004.
No monthly subscription is required. Access requires an initial investment of approximately Rs 2,000 to purchase a set-top-box and dish antenna. This makes it one of India’s most affordable TV services.
It has now grown to be the largest DTH platform of the country.
Source: State of Cable TV Distribution in India Report
DD Free Dish is leading the growth of free TV subscribers
According to a report by EY, the number of free TV subscribers in India will increase from 33 million in 2017 up to 49 millions in 2024.
The Economic Times, however, cites other agencies that suggest the actual number may be significantly higher.
The ET reported that Delhi-based Chrome DM estimated the base had already exceeded 60 million homes, surpassing the combined subscribers for all pay-DTH operators which are around 57 millions.
Sunil Jolly says that DD Free Dish is the most disruptive service to cable television and DTH, especially in Hindi-speaking areas.
He says that “UP has suffered a great deal because the consumer base is very price sensitive in this state.”
Bharat Ranga, MD of Beginnen Media, concurs.
The actual number of DD Free Dish subscribers is unknown, as it’s not encrypted. Even Prasar Bharati does not have exact numbers. It has become India’s largest TV distribution platform with its roots in Hindi heartland, and a growing presence in other regions including cities and metros, Ranga told The Economic Times.
Subscribers get new content, even though channels like Colors Rishtey and Zee Anmol, which are available on Free Dish, show reruns.
FICCI-EY reports that free TV will increase from 49 million households in 2024 to 57 millions by 2030. However, it does note there is no exact measurement method.
Cable TV decline accelerated by Covid-19
The pandemic was another blow for the industry. Months-long lockdowns forced commercial establishments–shops, eateries, and hotels–to close, severing their TV connections and cutting revenue for operators.
Jolly remembers that even a pan seller or barber shop had a TV.
The decline in schools and universities is further accelerated by the shift to online courses.
When classes were moved online, each household was required to have a broadband connection. It was easier to access content from platforms such as YouTube and OTT channels,” he says.
The adoption of broadband has risen from 6.1 crores (61 million connections) in March 2014, to 99.56 crores (995.6 millions) in September 2025 – a growth rate of more than 1,500%.
Many commercial establishments still struggled to pay their cable subscriptions even after the lockdown ended.
Jolly observes, “Now you can see that every shopkeeper is looking at his mobile phone.”
Cable TV and regulatory changes
Cable TV struggles were influenced also by policy changes.
Tariff Order of 2017 along with Interconnection & QoS Regulations established a framework of pricing that allowed customers to choose individual channels (a-la-carte) or bundles.
Narender Bagri explains what the impact is:
Bundling used to cost customers around Rs 200 for each TV. The cost of bundling has increased to Rs 500 to 600 per TV. This is a significant increase, and many households are now only using one TV instead of several.
Broadband is the lifeline of local cable operators
Many operators are now relying on broadband services as a way to maintain their business.
EY’s report shows that 43% (of the surveyed LCOs) had launched broadband services, but results varied because of competition from larger ISPs and Telcos who have bigger marketing budgets.
A further 20% of respondents considered broadband but experts warn that this is not an easy pivot.
Jolly, a broadband pioneer who started his business years ago, believes that early adopters had a distinct advantage. However, the model may not be feasible for everyone.
It’s not for everyone. Maybe less than 10% of people could make it. This is mainly because they didn’t get enough subscribers. Airtel, Jio and other competitors are also important to consider.
Source: State of Cable TV Distribution in India Report
The regulatory hurdles to broadband adoption
Rajesh Chharia explains what the challenges are. He is also the president of the Internet Service Provider Association of India and runs broadband services in Ghaziabad, Noida.
Cable TV operators should and could have distributed broadband more efficiently to reach all corners. He tells that the same story in cable TV is repeated in broadband.
Chharia points out that ISPs are allowed to resell internet service using the UL ISP & UL ISP (Virtual Network Operator). This license allows ISPs to lease bandwidth from major telecom companies without owning any physical infrastructure.
The government has reduced entry fees, but the compliance requirements have significantly increased. This is not helping business, it’s just increasing compliance costs.
It is difficult for small providers. Many want to give up their licenses because the compliance burden is so heavy. Compliance demands are the same for a small ISP who holds a Category C license and a large TELCO holding a Category A license. The large operators are able to handle it with thousands of people, while smaller operators may only have one person handling sales, paperwork and technical support.
He says that ISPs are required to submit 165 reports a year.
Chharia also highlights the market pressures.
“With larger players controlling prices, smaller operators only survive by matching rates and not by saving money or generating a real profit.”
IPTV is a viable alternative to cable
IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) is a service that delivers TV content via the Internet and provides an alternative to traditional satellite and cable services.
Bharti Airtel launched IPTV in more than 2,000 locations earlier this year. Excitel, a Delhi-based provider, aims to sign up 2 million new users by the end of next year.
These providers are targeting cable TV households who have not yet fully migrated to streaming.
Sanjiv Shankar highlighted this trend at the EY AIDCF report launch. He is the additional secretary in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and was previously the joint secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
He said that convergence within the industry, and MSOs moving to IPTV was a “natural progress” for long-term sustainability.
About 37% respondents to the EY-AIDCF study are actively exploring this change.
Can cable TV survive in India?
Cable TV’s future is uncertain due to the competition.
The EY-AIDCF Report states that while India’s total TV population is projected to be 214 million in 2030, the pay TV market is expected to shrink by 30-40 millions households due to Connected TVs, and Free TV.
ICRA believes that cord-cutting will be limited in India due to the price sensitivity.
“Despite having a large number of subscribers, Indian TV distribution is behind markets such as the US and Europe where ARPUs are higher. India and China have lower ARPUs due to their price-sensitive consumers. This will help to prevent a steep fall in pay TV subscriptions, especially when combined with the traditional viewing of TV and hybrid offers.
Sunil Jolly concurs, stating that the market is likely to have “bottomed-out” and will not shrink any further. However, a complete eradication of the market is improbable.
He also explains why cable television is still preferred.
The channel-swapping feature is unique. The channel swapping feature is unique. If you want to get the latest news, you can easily switch between channels without having to leave the app. This can be difficult on other platforms.”
Cable providers have a longstanding relationship with their customers.
Shankar dismisses the notion that linear TV is being replaced by digital: “People like myself watch both.” We use both linear and digital together. “That’s the truth.”
He also says that cable won’t disappear because of price.
In urban areas, even with low-cost data, digital content can cost Rs 700-1500 per month. Cable is more cost-effective and this matters in a market that’s price sensitive.
Government initiatives and industry interventions
According to the report, Linear TV’s competitors are not regulated at all while Linear TV itself is. This created a level playing field.
It is important to note that Linear TV has a high level of regulation, while its competitors such as OTT Platforms (over-the-top platforms), Connected TV and DD Free Dish operate outside the regulatory framework. In an emailed reply, the All India Digital Cable Federation told that the level playing field had been disrupted by the non-regulation on the other platforms.
The AIDCF outlines the steps that can be taken to sustain and grow the cable television industry.
1) Digital DPOs, FAST Platforms and Internet-based applications should all be included in the definition of broadcasting because they also broadcast content similar to Linear TV. The platforms should not be exempted from regulatory compliance because they use a different technology than Linear TV. All platforms offering the same services should be subject to the same rules.
2) Differentiating Pay TV prices for different territories according to their ability-to-pay.
3) Establish a window of time before moving content from pay TV to free digital platforms.
4) Provide hardware and other incentives and subsidies to cable-dark areas for them to adopt TV. In India, there are 330 millions households. Of these, 190 million have TVs.
In an interview with , Narender Bagri (President of All Local Cable Operators Association of India) talks about initiatives such as Dish TV’s “Own Your Customer” (OYC), a program that empowers LCOs to manage and retain subscribers directly.
This initiative allows LCOs to sell and manage Dish TV in their local area, which helps them grow their business and retain their customers who are moving to DTH.
Bagri claims that 600-700 LCOs are already partnering with Dish TV to implement this initiative. This has resulted in Dish TV subscriptions rising by about 30,000 over the past 1-1.5 months.
Can cable TV survive the streaming wars of 2026 as India cuts the cord? This post may be updated as new information is revealed.
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