Speaking to The Financial Express, SoftNet System chairman Lawrence B Brilliant said his company is looking to form partnerships with cable operators across the country to help them deliver internet over cable TV. To start with, SoftNet plans to set up pilot projects in specific cities. For this talks are on with several multi-service operators, cable operators and internet service providers.

To deliver internet through cable, operators must have two-way addressable systems. Brilliant said SoftNet would be open to the idea of investing in cable operators to upgrade their hardware. "Worldwide, we have helped cable operators to convert existing systems into high-speed internet networks," he said.

Brilliant said that SoftNet is a cash-rich public company with an annual revenue of about $1 billion. "We have earmarked $250 million for investment worldwide in making cable networks internet-enable," he said. The amount of investment that the company would make in India would depend on the response from the market, he added.

Brillant said the company adopts different business models for different countries. In the US, the company upgraded cable systems needed to deploy broadband cable modem services at virtually no cost to operators. The company also works closely with cable operators on customer acquisition strategy. In the US, Softnet has over 2.5 million subscribers for internet through cable. The company has over 3 million subscribers in Mexico.

Brilliant said India has the potential to have around 50 million cable homes with internet access over the next five years. There are around 30 million cable households in the country at present.

Initially, the company plans to target its services at hotels, businesses and apartment buildings. Brilliant said SoftNet may invest in India early next year through its joint venture, Pacific Century SoftNet which is co-promoted by Hong Kong-based media magnate Richard Li.

According to a recent survey by Indian Market Research Bureau, a market research company, there are 2.3 million potential subscribers for internet over cable in top 16 cities of the country. Of these, 2.3 million over 70 per cent are interested in internet over television while the rest prefer it over their personal computer, the study said. The survey found that most customers put Rs 5,000 as an acceptable price for cable modems.