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Digitisation: Trai directs MSOs and LCOs to comply with QoS in DAS areas
NEW DELHI: For the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), it is time to take audit of the first phase of implementation of digital addressable system (DAS) by cable TV networks. Though satisfied with the deployment of set-top boxes (STBs), the broadcast sector regulator now seems to be wanting faster progress made on packaging of channels and billing so that cable TV subscribers can select their channels according to their budgets.
In a toughening of stance, Trai has directed multi-system operators (MSOs) and the local cable operators (LCOs) to make their subscriber management system (SMS) fully operational in DAS areas. The systems are provided for under Regulation 20 of the Standards of Quality of Service (QoS) Regulations.
Trai has asked the MSOs and the LCOs to file a compliance report of the QoS within seven days from the date of issue of this directive. The sector regulator had sent the directive on 22 February.
“It has come to the notice of the Trai that this feature has not been implemented effectively by many MSOs. Also, in many of the cases the LCOs have not provided the completed subscriber application forms to their linked MSOs,” Trai said.
The compliance report to be given to the Authority will contain total number of STBs received from the linked MSO, total number of STBs seeded and operationalised, total number of consumer application forms duly filled and complete in all respects (all the relevant consumer details and his choice of channels/ bouquets) and submitted to the linked MSO.
An addressable system “enables the subscribers to exercise their choice of services and budget their bills accordingly”. It also “facilitates the MSOs to effectively manage their accounting and billing of the services rendered”.
Though the process of SMS had started, senior executives of several MSOs said on condition of anonymity that the entire system would take some time. They also admitted that they faced resistance from some LCOs, following which there was delay in selling channel packages to their subscribers and implementing a proper billing system. Meanwhile, some LCOs have carried out protests to express their dissatisfaction over Trai‘s prescribed revenue share with the MSOs in DAS markets.
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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.
