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Complete digital switchover by December 2013: Trai
MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has set sights on 31 December 2013 as the sunset date for a complete shift from analogue to digital cable, a target that most industry observers feel is impossible to meet in the wake of massive fund requirements and current chaos in the sector.
Making this ‘sunset date‘ announcement for the first time, Trai chairman JS Sarma said: “Digitalisation will happen in a phased manner, and we are looking at a complete switchover from analogue to digital by December 2013. It is an ambitious but achievable target.”
Digitisation would first be prescribed for metros and then move on to urban towns before spreading out to rural centres across the country.
Trai is also expected to file the final consultation paper on digitalisation by next week.
“We are forward looking and proactive on regulation on digitalisation. All the industry players have welcomed the regulation by Trai on digitalisation and we are expecting to release the final consultation paper on the same by next week,” Sarma said, while addressing the CII Digital Media Conference today via video conferencing.
Den Networks promoter and chairman Sameer Manchanda welcomed the announcement, saying that digitalisation and broadband are the two big issues the government should focus on. “If it (digitalisation) happens, it will be great for the country and viewers,” Manchanda said.
When asked if the timeframe is achievable, Manchanda said that “the intent is at least there and that is what counts.”
Digicable Network India MD and CEO Jagjit Singh Kohli, however, feels that the target is highly optimistic.
“I do not think it (digitalisation) will happen before 2017. The industry can‘t cope up without any proper plan or incentivisation. Whatever they (government) have done so far is really disappointing,” Kohli said.
Kohli also feels there is no good business model for digitisation. “Trai has capped cable TV pricing at Rs 250 in non-Cas areas while there is a forebearance on digital addressable platforms,” he elaborated.
Earlier this month, Trai issued a new tariff order for addressable systems, including digital cable, DTH and IPTV, where it capped the a la carte pricing of channels at 35 per cent of the corresponding price for analogue cable.
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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.
