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Bharti launches 3G services in Seychelles
MUMBAI: Bharti has become the first Indian telecom service provider to launch 3G services. Telecom Seychelles, a subsidiary of Bharti Global, has launched 3G operations in Seychelles. The company, which has been providing telecom services in Seychelles since 1998 under the Airtel brand, has made significant investments for rolling out state-of-the-art 3G services. Telecom Seychelles is also the first telecom operator to launch 3G services in the island nation. |
Bharti Enterprises chairman and group MD Sunil Bharti Mittal says, “This is a proud moment for Bharti and the Indian telecom industry. This launch demonstrates that Indian telecom industry is ready to introduce world-class 3G services. Our 3G operations in Seychelles will provide us with valuable experience, which will be extremely beneficial for rollout of our 3G services in India.” Customers in Seychelles will get access to a host of 3G services on the Airtel network. High speed web navigation – both on mobile through WAP and on laptop through Airtel 3G data card, Video calls – see and talk to each other on 3G handsets that have two cameras, sending and receiving large MMS messages are some of the many benefits customer will get. |
A programme was initiated to upgrade the existing Airtel network in Seychelles. The upgrade included commissioning of Ericsson’s new MSC/Media gateway/BSC/RNC /IN and new 3G Node B‘s. All existing RBS 200 base stations with the latest 2206 BTSs have been enabled with EDGE to give the island nation a robust and futuristic telecom infrastructure. |
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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.
