Gujarat headquartered cable television operator GTPL Hathway last month in a conference call to discuss the quarterly financial results stated that it was looking at Northeast as another focus area for it to expand. It also stated that it will expand fast in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu.
GTPL Hathway’s Anirudhsinh Jadeja stated that it was looking at Northeast as another focus area for expansion which GTPL is currently working on along with two to three new states on which it can expand. He said that there were some big opportunities that GTPL was evaluating.
GTPL further stated that there was ample opportunity in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana where in it is expanding. GTPL said that it had entered Tamil Nadu in Q3 FY 20 only and was presently operating in 8 districts with plans afoot to expand very fast in other districts with GTPL hopeful of penetrating the market very fast.
When questioned as to how GTPL would make a dent there, Jadeja said that the big MSO players that are there are not present in Tamil Nadu with whoever present either a state or regional player. Jadeja further said that the Tamil Nadu market still had around 50% market which is not completed in digital format.
Tamil Nadu has a market of around 16 million out of which only 7 million are hooked to the digital cable TV leaving ample opportunity since there was no national player in Tamil Nadu. Jadeja said that the same was the case for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana except Hyderabad, as there national players are only one or two.
GTPL acquired SCOD in Maharashtra is also faring better with around 250K subscribers with a high level ARPU of Rs 150 or Rs 160 in the market.
When questioned over the status of NTO 2.0, GTPL stated that the broadcasters had gone into legal so one would have to wait and see how the things come up and as to when the implementation will happen.
