Consolidation gains steam in broadband as Mukesh Ambani's RIL readies entry

At the heart of it all is the clamour for last-mile connectivity, prompting deep-pocketed players such as RIL to go after cable companies

A year after DEN Networks was in talks with Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries (RIL) for a possible sale of its broadband business, it is now rival Hathway Cable & Datacom that is exploring a similar option. While Hathway on Thursday clarified that it could not comment on market speculation and that it was simply evaluating business options from time to time, the buzz of a sale has refused to die down.

At the heart of it all is the clamour for last-mile connectivity by deep-pocketed players such as RIL, said experts, prompting it to go after cable companies, who typically