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Intelsat assists UK digital switchover with distribution services to Arqiva
MUMBAI: Global satellite services provider Intelsat has announced a multi-year, multi-million-dollar contract with Arqiva for satellite capacity to carry digital programming for the BBC following its digital switch over. Intelsat is providing space segment capacity on its IS-907 satellite at 332.5? E which Arqiva will use as part of its distribution solution to around 90 main terrestrial transmitter sites in the UK. |
Arqiva Terrestrial Media Solutions MD Steve Holebrook says, “We are happy to entrust Intelsat with this important task which provides us with cost-effective coverage of the UK as part of the distribution system for the BBC’s digital channels. The capacity on IS-907 provides us with an excellent technical solution, based on its high-power UK coverage. Intelsat was also flexible in its approach, helping us meet the commercial and technical needs of the BBC.” |
Intelsat regional VP, Europe and Middle East Jean-Philippe Gillet says, “Intelsat has played a key role for many years in the distribution of terrestrial television signals with Arqiva. The addition of the BBC’s digital switchover programme reinforces the high-performance, high-reliability solution we are able to provide to our video customers.” |
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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.
