Applications
Virgin Mobile enters data devices segment with vLink
MUMBAI: In sync with its commitment to offer products and services catering to the lifestyle of the Indian youth, Virgin Mobile has made its entry into the data devices segment with the launch of vLink. The white coloured device cliams to be be the first in the data devices segment to offer style and dual purpose of CDMA USB Modem and 1 GB data storage. The vLink comes with all the drivers (no CD installation required) and one month free unlimited data usage. Virgin Mobile youth customers who do not want a cap on their data usage can now surf the internet anywhere with Virgin Mobile’s unlimited monthly data plan of Rs 801. The company claims that this is the most economical package available in the market offering a speed of up to 153 kbps. vLink is aimed at meeting the wireless connectivity needs of Indian youth who own laptops as well as PCs. Virgin Mobile India chief officer, handset, Vas and procurement Deval Parikh said, “vLink comes with a starter kit of Rs 99 which includes free unlimited promo data usage time of 30 days. We have launched two tariff plans for vLink: The Rs 801 monthly plan provides the user unlimited data usage per month, with no hidden costs or commitments. ” On purchase of vLink, the user gets the benefit of this plan for free in the first month of usage. In sync with Virgin Mobile’s philosophy of offering flexibility to its consumers, the second plan of Rs 349 offers the user benefit of rolling over unutilized balance to the next month. This is the first unutilized balance roll over facility for data usage in the Indian market. This plan comes at a competitive 25p/min peak hour rate and a 13p/min off peak hour rate.”
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.
