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MSOs have over 2 mn STBs in stock: Govt
NEW DELHI: The government has brushed aside claims that the second phase of digitisation in 38 cities by 31 March could hit a rough patch due to shortage of set-top boxes (STBs) in the marketplace. Providing fresh update, the government has said that multi-system operators (MSOs) have around 2.23 million STBs in stock while another 2.02 million are under procurement.
A few days back, the government had claimed that the 38 cities had already gone through 55 per cent digitisation. Coupled with the new set of data, the government apparently feels that the second phase of digitisation should face no problems so far as availability of boxes go.
Information and Broadcasting Ministry says while it is not responsible for seeding of the digital STBs, it had been constantly monitoring the preparedness for the implementation of digital addressable cable TV system (DAS) in the 38 cities of Phase II which comprise around 16 million television households.
According to data received by the Ministry from the DTH operators and MSOs, a total of 8.77 million STBs have already been installed in Phase II cities as on 22 February. Out of the total of 8.77 million, DTH connections accounted for 4.07 million while cable STBs accounted for 4.7 million.
The Ministry has set up a Task Force exclusively for Phase II cities to oversee and monitor the digitisation process. A public awareness Committee has also been constituted in the Ministry for spearheading awareness campaign and all TV channels have started to run a scroll informing consumers about the deadline for cable TV digitisation.
Ministry sources said the STBs are being procured mostly from China and Korea, but some are also being obtained indigenously.
The Consumer Electronics and Appliance Manufacturers Association (CEAMA) is also a member of the Task Force and is pushing the production of indigenous STBs.
The Government announced a customs duty of ten per cent on imported STBs in the Union Budget in an attempt to encourage indigenous production.
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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.
