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NDS, Conax aim to expand biz in India
MUMBAI: With digitsation expectd to gather momentum, NDS and Conax are showcasing solutions that help digitse networks and secure content at the television technology trade event Scat.
NDS is using the event to illustrate how its technology provides cable TV and DTH operators with new ways to digitise their networks cost-effectively and to derive more value from their distribution platforms. NDS is showing a range of advanced solutions that provide new ways for pay-TV operators to offer more convenience and additional features to their subscribers as part of a richer viewing experience. Enabling pay-TV operators to maximise opportunities for growth, NDS will show how its solutions can be used as a means to open up new revenue streams and to reduce churn by boosting subscriber loyalty.
NDS Asia Pacific senior VP, GM Sue Taylor said, “The Indian pay TV market is entering the next phase of growth as cable TV operators step-up to rapidly digitise their networks and compete with DTH players to retain their subscribers. NDS is India’s leading digital cable TV solutions provider and we are assertively supporting our customers to accelerate their digital roll-out plans in India. We have also developed a unique set of affordable, scalable and future ready solutions for new players who want to rapidly digitise their networks in order to remain competitive”.
NDS is using its presence at Scat India 2010 to highlight its capabilities in areas including enhanced Electronic Programme Guides (EPGs) and user interfaces, Digital Video Recorder technology (DVR) and interactive TV applications. NDS Customer Platforms on show at the event include Airtel Digital TV, Tata Sky, Hathway Cable and Datacom and Den Networks
The company adds that DVRs can play an instrumental role in completely changing the way subscribers watch TV. NDS XTV gives viewers the freedom to use functions such as simultaneous recording on different channels and perform actions such as pausing live content. DVR Lite is a technology that converts set-top boxes (STB) into DVRs with the addition of an approved external hard drive. This solution reduces the hardware cost for the consumer and enables them to benefit from the ability to record, playback, fast-forward and rewind programmes, as they would be able to on a DVR.
Conax, meanwhile, is featuring its new content protection platform, Conax Contego. Conax says that its ambition is to serve the Indian pay-TV and multi-channel content distribution markets. Conax also aims to provide the expertise and solutions needed to support Indian operators in advancing into the digital era.
Together with partners, Conax offers progressive interactive solutions of interest for operators and partners. The company‘s solutions feature interactive services for a unique home cinema experience and integration of top-tier content combined with state-of-the-art security and middleware to protect operator’s valuable content.
Conax Contego is a content protection solution designed specifically for the next generation of pay-for-content services, including hybrid distribution networks and multi-device access. Conax Contego™ is fully scalable and supports all business models required by today’s demanding market. Conax Contego platform features a new design and architecture, yet includes the key functionality proven in previous Conax solutions.
Conax VP Asia sales Are Mathisen says that the company‘s aim is to continue to drive regional security standards, and provide the future for operators looking for security solutions for interactive hybrid TV.
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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.
