The proposed complete digitization of the cable-TV distribution business in India will help the industry there grow more than six-fold — to $7.7 billion — by 2015, according to a new report from equity research firm IDFC Securities
 
The subscriber base also could quadruple during this period, from 22 million today to 86 million digital-TV homes by 2015, with an estimated capital infusion of $5 billion.
 
This all appears to be in line with mandates from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), which is responsible for regulation of the sector. The agency has proposed a sunset date of Dec. 31, 2013, for complete migration from analog to digital in the cable space.
 
IDFC Securities called TRAI’s expectations "extremely positive" for the Indian digital-TV distribution sector, adding, "By 2015, we expect India to become the second largest digital market in the world.”

For comparison’s sake, the United States is expected to remain the world’s largest digital cable-TV market with 105 million digital homes in 2015.

The main players in the Indian cable-TV distribution arena include DEN Networks, Hathway Cable and Dish TV. Dish is the country’s largest direct-to-home player, enjoying a 30-percent market share, while Hathway and DEN are the two largest national MSOs.

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