KOLKATA: Noida-based Catvision Limited, a manufacturer, re-seller and system integrator, has earmarked an investment of up to Rs 10 crore in the current fiscal 2015-16.

The company aims to install 200 headends by December 2016 and manufacture around 15 lakh set top boxes (STBs) by 2017 fiscal end and the investment will be for such manufacturing and installation.

The company has installed more than 60 headends till now in the country. Plans are afoot to install 200 more headends by 2016 through its joint venture (JV) company - Catvision Unitron. On the STB front, the company aims to manufacture around 15 lakh STBs to be used in the third and fourth phases of cable TV digitization process in India, which is likely to be completed by December 2016.

“We aim to invest up to Rs 10 crore in the current fiscal 2015-16 on STB manufacturing and headend installation,” Catvision managing director Athar Abbas tells Indiantelevision.com.

With the installation of the 200 more headends, Catvision is aiming about 25 per cent share in the headend installation vertical by 2016.

Catvision Limited signed an agreement with Belgium’s Unitron Group NV, to set up a 50:50 joint venture company - Catvision Unitron in India which would develop AV encoders for the cable television industry. Now the JV develops CATV digital systems and products with the latest world-class technology. Unitron Group NV of Belgium has years of experience in the state-of-the-art digital head-end technology, and is one of the leading companies in Europe in providing solutions for TV distribution to multi- dwelling units and residential complexes.  

While Catvision has number of years of experience in the CATV industry in India, a market that is migrating to digital technology totally by the end of 2016.

By aiming to manufacture around 15 lakh STBs to be used in the third and fourth phases of cable TV digitisation process in India, the company is looking at a market share on one per cent, said Abbas.

“Now, with extended deadline of cable TV digitization process, the industry would be able to cater to all the needs of the fragmented markets. By the end of 2015-16, we are looking at five lakh STBs and by 2016-17 we aim to manufacture another one million STBs,” Abbas further says.