MSO registrations drop to 787 in November as cancellations climb to 1,117: Ministry of I&B

India’s multi-system operator (MSO) landscape continues to shrink amid heightened regulatory scrutiny, with registrations falling and cancellations rising through November 2025.

According to data from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), the number of MSOs whose registrations have been cancelled, surrendered, or expired climbed to 1,117 as of November 30, 2025. This marks an increase from 1,072 in October and 1,068 in September, signalling the government’s ongoing crackdown on non-compliant operators.

MSO cancellations rise to 1,072 in October; active registrations hold steady at 818

The list of cancelled or expired registrations includes several regional and local operators such as City Cable Network, Amba Cable Network, Shri Balaji Digital Cable Communication, Star Vision Network, Andaman Cable Network, Star Cable Network, and Guild Digital Network, among others.

Simultaneously, active registrations have continued to decline. As of November 30, 2025, the total number of registered MSOs stood at 787, down from 818 in October, a number that had remained close to unchanged since August.

Registered entities include Vortex Entertainment, Mohanty & Mohanty Vision Media, Sri Balaji Cable Network, Kohinoor Cable Network, Citynet Infra, Lucky Cable Network, Dabas Cable Cartel and Hinduja Global Solution, among others.

The Ministry has also processed a series of new applications.

As of November 30, 114 MSO applications have been cancelled, rejected, or closed. Operators such as SITI Digital Homecast, Narwana Green City, ACN Digicom India, Fastway North Star Cable Network and GK Communications feature on this list.

Registered MSOs drop to 818 in Sept as Ministry of I&B tightens crackdown on non-compliant operators

The consistent month-on-month tightening underscores the MIB’s push to clean up the cable distribution ecosystem and enforce compliance across the sector.

A year ago, in August 2024, there were over 850 registered MSOs, while in 2023 the number was close to 1,000. The steady decline underscores the Ministry’s stricter enforcement of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and related compliance requirements.

MSOs must adhere to several key obligations, including:

- Full compliance with the provisions of the Act and registration conditions.

- Regular updates of subscriber data with the Ministry.

- Annual audits of their distribution systems under Regulation 15(1) of the Interconnection Regulations, 2017.

Failure to meet these obligations results in operators being designated as non-compliant. If they fail to rectify lapses or furnish the required data, the Ministry, under Section 4(7) of the Act, cancels registrations with immediate effect.

In March 2025, the MIB identified 1,045 MSOs as non-compliant, citing issues such as non-submission of subscriber details and missed audits. Since then, the Ministry’s enforcement actions have led to a steady rise in cancellations, with the November data continuing that upward trajectory.