iWorld
National Feather Award: NxtDigital’s NxtHub bags ‘Best Innovative Project of the Year’
Mumbai: The prestigious National Feather Award for the ‘Best Innovative Project of the Year’ was awarded to NxtDigital Ltd (NDL) for its innovative and future-ready digital NxtHub project at a function here. The NxtHub is a one-stop digital solution – delivering digital TV, broadband, OTT and Wi-Fi.
The NxtHub concept was designed and rolled out by NxtDigital Ltd, the media vertical of the global Hinduja Group and India’s premier integrated digital platforms company, with a presence in digital cable, satellite (Hits), broadband, Wi-Fi, content and OTT distribution and teleshopping. NDL has a presence in more than 4,500 pin codes, covering over 1,500 cities and towns.
The NxtHubs are owned and operated by NDL and equipped with the latest technology comprising an ADDS or Advanced Digital Distribution System – with the capability to deliver over 650 Digital TV services received via satellite to Last Mile Owners (LMOs) and their end subscribers. NxtHub’s avant-garde technology, with the plug-and-play model eliminates the need for LMOs to invest in headend and related technology, whilst being able to give their customers, the width and depth of digital services. Expanding the current offering that includes digital video, broadband, OTT and Wi-Fi; these NxtHubs are future-ready to offer a slew of additional digital services to a wider geography.
NDL has set up over 90 NxtHubs and is in the process of rolling out more, strengthening its footprint across the country to ensure affordable digital services to all, in line with the government’s vision of a ‘Digital India.’
“NDL has always been at the forefront of innovation, using technology to boost digitisation of our networks and endeavoring to deliver the best to our customers,” stated NDL COO NK Rouse. “Our focus continues to be on strengthening the overall ecosystem by harnessing the convergence of technologies, delivered through a national network of NxtHubs.”
The NxtHub project is spearheaded by Manoj Agarwal, who is the commercial director at NDL. “This prestigious award reflects our vision and mission of a complete digital transformation. Digital TV, OTT, Wi-Fi and broadband are the start of expanding our digital highway of services that have been developed by NxtDigital,” stated Agarwal.
iWorld
X launches XChat messaging app on iOS with calls and encryption
Standalone app marks shift from “everything app” vision, adds E2E messaging.
MUMBAI: From one big app to many small chats, X seems to be splitting its ambitions. X has rolled out its standalone messaging app, XChat, to iOS users, opening up a new front in its evolving product strategy. The app allows users to connect with existing X contacts through private and group messages, file sharing, as well as audio and video calls. The launch follows a limited beta phase, where the platform tested the product with a smaller user base to refine the experience. Now available publicly, XChat marks a notable pivot from earlier ambitions championed by Elon Musk to turn X into a single “everything app” combining messaging, payments, commerce and more.
Instead, the company under xAI ownership and backed by SpaceX appears to be building a suite of standalone applications, each targeting specific use cases while expanding its broader ecosystem.
At launch, XChat includes end-to-end encrypted messaging, PIN-based access, disappearing messages, and features such as message editing, deletion for all participants, and screenshot blocking. The company has also said the app is free from advertisements and tracking mechanisms, positioning it as a privacy-first alternative in a crowded messaging space.
However, security claims around the platform are likely to face scrutiny. Earlier iterations of XChat drew criticism from experts who argued it fell short of established encrypted platforms like Signal. With the wider rollout, the app is expected to undergo fresh evaluation to assess whether those concerns have been addressed.
Beyond messaging, XChat will also house X’s Communities feature, which is being discontinued on the main platform due to low usage and spam concerns. Migrating these users could provide an early boost to adoption, effectively turning XChat into both a communication and community hub.
The move underscores a broader recalibration at X less about cramming everything into one app, and more about spreading bets across multiple touchpoints, one message at a time.
