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Cisco completes acquisition of NDS
Mumbai: Cisco has announced that it has completed the acquisition of NDS Group, a provider of video software and content security solutions that enable service providers and media companies to securely deliver and monetise new video experiences.
On 15 March Cisco announced a definitive agreement to acquire NDS. According to the official statement, NDS‘ software platform, customer segments and services model complement Cisco‘s networked video offerings and accelerate the delivery of Videoscape, Cisco‘s comprehensive platform that enables service providers and media companies to deliver next-generation video entertainment experiences. Through the NDS acquisition, Cisco has also expanded its global video footprint in new and emerging markets, further broadening its service provider presence and deepening customer relationships.
NDS‘ employees join Cisco‘s Service Provider Video Technology Group (SPVTG), led by senior vice president and general manager Jesper Andersen. With the close of this transaction, Dr. Abe Peled, formerly NDS chairman and CEO, becomes senior vice president and chief strategist for Cisco‘s Video and Collaboration Group, of which SPVTG is a part.
Dr. Peled will now report to Cisco Video and Collaboration Group SVP Marthin De Beer.
Under the terms of the agreement, Cisco paid approximately $5 billion, including the repayment of debt and retention-based incentives, to acquire all of the business and operations of NDS. The net impact to Cisco is expected to be accretive to EPS in the first full year on a non-GAAP basis, the company said.
Cisco senior vice president and general manager, service provider video technology group Jesper Anderson said, “The addition of NDS‘ leading software solutions and systems integration expertise play a key role in accelerating the Cisco Videoscape platform aimed at delivering better-than-being-there entertainment experiences. Through our combined expertise, we look forward to providing the next-generation TV experience that is more immersive, engaging and social, while helping to create new revenue opportunities for our service provider customers.”
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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.
