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Big TV offers free connection with Beetel instruments
MUMBAI: The highly competitive Indian DTH (direct-to-home) market is forcing players to come with new and innovative offers. So after bundling free connection with television sets, Reliance Big TV is now offering a free connection with mobile and landline instruments.
The Reliance ADAG company has partnered with Beetel Teletech, manufacturer of mobile and landline phones, to offer free connections with these phone sets.
As part of the deal, Beetel customers can get a free Big TV connection on purchase of select range of Beetel mobile and cordless phones. The customers will also get two months subscription of Silver pack.
Customers, however, have to shell out Rs 525 as installation charges.
Big TV Sr VP and chief marketing officer Umesh Rao said, “We are delighted to partner with Beetel Teletech especially at a time when they are introducing a futuristic range of handsets and cordless phones for the Indian market. This alliance dramatically augments reach and visibility at a pan India level for both the partners. We will continue to explore such symbiotic partnerships to widen the appeal and usage of Big TV.”
Beetel Teletech Limited chief marketing officer Prabhat Ummat added, “This particular promotion strategically fits with our plans as it is true to our consumer promise of providing exceptional value. The offer is bound to excite the market and our consumers can look forward to the dual benefits of feature rich gadgets coupled with a great entertainment package this festive season.”
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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.
