Applications
Vodafone Essar selects Nokia Siemens to provide 3G
NEW DELHI: Vodafone Essar has selected Nokia Siemens Networks to supply, implement and manage its 3G network in six of the nine circles – Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh (East), rest of West Bengal and Haryana – where it secured 3G spectrum. As the operator’s major 2G vendor, Nokia Siemens Networks aims to exploit the clear evolution path from GSM to deploy 3G rapidly and efficiently.
“Globally, Vodafone already provides enhanced 3G services to a large number of customers. Now India is ready for 3G, and we are committed to bringing these benefits to our Indian subscribers,” said Vodafone Essar managing director Marten Pieters. “Nokia Siemens Networks is the 3G leader and we view our relationship as a strategic alliance built around delivering and maintaining the high-quality service which Vodafone customers expect.”
“We are committed to implementing a smart 3G network for Vodafone Essar based on combining our global experience with local expertise and resources,” said Nokia Siemens Networks India head Urs Pennanen. “We are fully geared-up for a speedy implementation of the 3G network, optimizing existing GSM technology to reduce the total cost of ownership for the operator. Subscribers can expect exciting new mobile broadband services and seamless interoperability between 2G and 3G networks.”
Nokia Siemens Networks will supply to Vodafone Essar its energy-efficient radio and core network technology. Apart from this, it will also provide related services including network planning and project management to enable fast and high-quality 3G network implementation.
Nokia Siemens Networks will also operate the 3G network for three years under a managed services contract to enable simplified operations, improved network efficiency and consistent service delivery. Nokia Siemens Networks will use its own NetAct network management system to monitor and optimize its network performance.
Applications
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.
