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Trai seeks stakeholder views on STB interoperability
NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) today asked stakeholders if there is a possibility of an Open Architecture based set-top-box (STB) for all direct-to-home (DTH) services.
In a consultation paper issued today, Trai said this could ensure technical interoperability – technical compatibility and effective interoperability among different DTH operators who have adopted the same or different standards.
The regulator wants to know how the interoperability can be implemented and the implications it will have on the stakeholders.
Trai also wants to know whether there is a need to mandate any particular standard so that the objectives of technical interoperability can be achieved.
If technical interoperability for STB is not possible, Trai has sought information on any other mechanism to safeguard the interests of the subscribers.
The consultation paper was issued today as the Information and Broadcasting Ministry had on 11 May 2010 requested Trai to review its recommendations “Interoperability and other Issues relating to DTH” of 30 January 2008.
The consultation paper discusses the architecture of STB, relevant standards and the various issues on technical interoperability.
Stakeholders have been requested to offer suggestions by 7 September and counter-comments by 12 September.
In 2006, the Ministry sought recommendations of Trai on various issues related to a DTH licence. One of the issues included technical interoperability in case of STBs with recording facility, personal video recorder (PVR) or digital video recorder (DVR). The Authority made some recommendations to the Ministry on 25 August 2006.
On the issue of technical interoperability, it was recommended that there should not be any amendment in Clauses 7.1 and 7.2 of the DTH license agreement which mandate technical interoperability for DTH STBs. It was also recommended that the DTH service providers should also be encouraged to provide basic or advanced set top boxes to consumers under rental schemes, but there should be no dilution in the technical interoperability conditions.
Meanwhile, the issue of interoperability of STBs was part of one of the petitions before the Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (Tdsat). Another petition on the same ground is sub-judice. These petitions have been filed on the behalf of different consumer groups.
Since the start of DTH operations in India, the subscriber base has grown manifold. There are six private DTH operators apart from Doordarshan‘s DD Direct Plus service. These DTH operators have adopted different technological standards for their network operations.
DTH had come into the country when the Government in 2001 withdrew the prohibition on the reception and distribution of television signal in Ku band. The first DTH licence was awarded by the Ministry in 2003.
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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.
