Applications
Pace signs new deal with Net Serviços in Brazil
MUMBAI: Pace, a technology developer for the global payTV industry, has announced that it has signed a deal to expand its two year partnership with Net, the multi-service cable company in Latin America.
Under the deal, Pace will develop new platforms to enable Net to deploy advanced digital services to its customers. Pace has also reached a significant milestone by shipping one million of its SD Zapper set-top boxes to Net.
With their extended partnership, Net will work with Pace to roll-out three new platforms for 2011. These will include the SD set-top box, a high definition (HD) interactive set-top box and a HD PVR. These platforms will support NET‘s transition to complete digitised television services for its subscribers through an HD interactive set-top box. The Pace design means that users can quickly and easily upgrade to PVR capabilities by simply inserting a hard disk drive into their existing device.
Pace Europe president Mathias Hautefort commented, “As a pioneer in the fast-developing Latin American market, Pace has been able to work with operators such as NET to define the development of payTV in the region. This expanded partnership with NET is a major success for Pace. We are delighted at their decision to work with us to develop and deploy digital services across Brazil via devices that put end users‘ need for simplicity and user-friendliness at their core.”
Net Serviços president José Felix said, “There is an increasing demand for HD television in Brazil and we needed a solution that would match this and support future customer requirements to scale-up as new services come to market. We selected Pace to support our project as Pace has a proven track record of delivering industry leading technology solutions and expertise in our market – both essential to positioning ourselves at the forefront of innovation.”
The solution integrates the Nagra conditional access system, OpenTV Middleware and Teleidea EPG application. The HD set-top box family is fully interactive and means NET‘s subscribers can enjoy state-of-the-art payTV applications such as Video on Demand, HD 3D and interactive games.
Applications
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.
