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Airtel introduces 50 mbps broadband service
MUMBAI: Bharti Airtel has introduced 50 Mbps broadband, the fastest wireline broadband for its consumer segment on Very High Speed Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL2) in the country.
Initially the service would be available in a few locations in Delhi and Gurgaon. It introduced its 16 Mbps plans last year.
Bharti Airtel joint president-telemedia services K Srinivas said, “Airtel, with this step, brings in a world class experience for its broadband customers. We are delighted to introduce 50 Mbps speed – the fastest, wired broadband service on next generation VDSL2 technology. This ultra-fast broadband connection will allow customers, the convenience to download songs in seconds and full length feature films in less than three minutes.”
Powered by Airtel’s Carrier Ethernet Network, the service will be initially available in select few locations in Delhi and Gurgaon, with phased roll-out in cities of Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore. Customers can avail the following plans for ultra high-speed broadband:
A. 50 MBPS for Rs 8999 per month, experience 50 Mbps broadband speed with free data transfer upto 200 GB and additional free value added services (VAS) like Parallel Ringing, Website Builder (Basic), PC Secure (Anti-Virus software), Online Storage, Unlimited Gaming on Games on Demand.
B. 30 MBPS – @ Rs. 7999 per month, experience 30 Mbps broadband speed with free data transfer upto 200GB and additional free VAS like Parallel Ringing, Website Builder (Basic), PC Secure (Anti-Virus software), Online Storage, Unlimited Gaming on Games on Demand.
VDSL2 is the newest and most advanced standard of DSL broadband wire line communications. It is designed to support the wide deployment of Triple Play services such as voice, video, data, IPTV, high definition television (HDTV) and interactive gaming. VDSL2 also enables customers to stream HD Content anywhere from the internet world as well.
Airtel provides broadband (DSL) and telephone services (fixed line) in 94 cities and had 29,88,545 customers as on December 31, 2009, of which 41.5 per cent were subscribing to broadband/ internet services.
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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.
