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Accenture acquires Nokia Siemens’ IPTV biz
MUMBAI: Consulting and outsourcing group Accenture said it has acquired the software and skills of Nokia Siemens Networks Internet Protocol television (IPTV) business. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The newly-acquired IPTV software, assets and capabilities will be integrated with the Accenture Video Solution – a software product and a suite of services that enables companies to launch new over-the-top TV and services quickly and economically while reducing the initial costs of IT and infrastructure set-up – to create the industry’s most comprehensive, feature-rich video software and services platform currently available for video service providers and their subscribers.
The acquisition adds key IPTV skills and experience to Accenture’s existing over-the-top video capabilities, enabling Accenture to provide end-to-end technology integration services to any vendor for any video platform. Accenture will be able to help clients provide end users with a dynamic and interactive video experience with virtually any video content, in any format, across every network, on any device – from smart phones and tablets to personal computers and television sets.
Additionally, Accenture’s enhanced broadband video services – with a platform that manages seamless integration of devices – will give end users the ability to control their viewing experience, such as accessing content through a tablet, pausing whatever they may be watching and continuing to view that content at a later time – at home on a TV, a laptop computer, smart phone, or tablet.
“The combination of Nokia Siemens Networks’ IPTV assets with Accenture’s over-the-top TV software and capabilities, will deliver an exciting new combination of services to the global video industry,” said Accenture’s Media & Entertainment industry group MD Marco Vernocchi. “The scalable and flexible end solution we are creating will help video service providers dramatically change the way they approach content distribution while balancing costs.”
“Consumers want to control the content they view, but they also want to manage where and when they view that content,” said Vernocchi. “They also want to be able to choose the device on which the content is delivered. Consumers also want the flexibility to watch a video while posting comments on social media sites or chatting with their friends about the content they are viewing. Access to content in a personalized way is here to stay, and we can expect to see even more features that allow users to make viewing a personal, mobile, dynamic video experience.”
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
