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Astro selects NDS’ STB solutions for hybrid platform
MUMBAI: NDS, the technology solutions provider for digital pay-TV, today announced that Astro, the Malaysian cross media group, has selected NDS Mediahighway solutions for its Astro B.yond platform.
NDS‘ solution will provide Astro subscribers with access to the international and local content, delivered either over DTH, IP or hybrid mechanisms combining both IP and DTH.
NDS‘ MediaHighway set-top box (STB) software is the enabling technology for the Astro B.yond platform.
Also, to enable the delivery of the new video-on-demand (VOD) service, Astro has implemented NDS progressive download technology in both the headend and through MediaHighway STB software.
NDS progressive download facilitates the delivery of content over IP, addressing the issues associated with low bandwidth connections for uninterrupted viewing. Once enough content is delivered to the DVR, playback can commence – allowing for the remainder of the content to be delivered in background mode.
For pure DTH boxes, VOD content is delivered via push mechanisms to the DVR ready for consumption.
Astro director of consumer technology Shahrul Sultan said: “We consistently strive to provide our subscribers with best in class experience, and to do so we embrace the introduction of new technologies and additional delivery methods to ensure the optimum reach of our offering. Throughout the years NDS have enabled us to enhance our platform, whether through the provision of tools to enable us to introduce our own interactive applications or their flexibility to provide us with the necessary technologies to offer hybrid services such as VOD with progressive download.”
The Astro B.yond platform uses NDS‘ VideoGuard Conditional Access (CA) and NDS DVR technology with a customised electronic programme guide based on the NDS EPG Framework.
NDS SVP and GM Asia Pacific Sue Taylor said, “It is a pleasure for NDS to be involved in the innovative services offered by Astro B.yond and to assist in extending their technological vision. This will give far greater convenience and choice to their subscribers.”
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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.
