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Trai reviews cable TV tariff in Cas areas
NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is reviewing the tariff for cable TV service in Cas (conditional access system) notified areas.
The areas under review are: tariff for basic service tier, retail price for a pay channel, tariff options for suplly of set-top boxes (STBs) and revenue share arrangement between service providers.
Trai had earlier fixed the current cap on maximum retail price of pay channels at Rs 5.35 (excluding taxes). Two rental schemes on STBs were also mandated by the sector regulator for cable TV operators to offer to their subscribers – Rs 34 a month (on a security deposit of Rs 200) and Rs 22 (on a deposit of Rs 750).
The review is significant as broadcasters have complained that the price freeze on their pay channels is too low for them to recover their high-cost programming investments due to stiff competition in the sector.
The freeing of prices will also help the multi-system operators to up their revenues, industry observers said.
Trai has asked comments from the stakeholders on whether the use of STBs should be mandated on Cas notified areas for viewing both free-to-air (FTA) and pay channels.
Currently, cable TV subscribers do not have to use a STB if they only want the FTA channels.
Trai has also sought the views of stakeholders on whether there should be only two broad tariff regulatory frameworks, one for analogue non-addressable (non-Cas) and another for digital addressable systems, and whether such a framework should be the same for wholesale and retail.
In a consultation paper released today on ‘Tariff for Cable TV services in Cas notified Areas‘, Trai has also asked what method should be used to regulate the tariff ceilings for basic service tier in Cas notified areas.
Trai has asked the stakeholders to submit their views by 5 May. Counter comments, if any, to the comments received may be sent to Trai by 12 May.
Trai also wants to know which method should be used to regulate the retail tariff for pay channels in Cas notified areas: providing periodic inflation linked adjustment in the present ceiling of Rs 5.35 (excluding taxes) per pay channel per subscriber per month, single or different ceilings across all genres, or forbearance.
Should a relation between a-la-carte and bouquet price be prescribed to prevent perverse pricing, Trai asks, wanting to know whether it should be different for broadcaster and MSO.
It has also sought views on how the retail tariff for advertisement free channels should be regulated in Cas notified areas and whether it should be different from other pay channels.
Trai asks how the retail tariff should be regulated in Cas notified areas for niche channels which require specialised STBs.
Should the tariff for supply of STB be regulated, left to market forces, or should the present system continue, asks Trai.
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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.
