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Idea launches ‘Gold Standard’ 3G services
MUMBAI: Idea Cellular today announced the launch of its ‘Gold Standard‘ 3G services.
The company announced the launch of 3G services on its network in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.
To anchor the occasion, Idea unveiled a new 3G logo. The new branding will be implemented throughout India, across all customer touch points.
Idea has set up ‘Experience Kiosks‘ to provide a flavour of the services that customers can opt for. These will be available to all users at select ‘My Idea‘ stores.
Idea Cellular deputy MD Himanshu Kapania said, “3G services will mark the beginning of the next phase of India‘s telecom growth story and bring the sector on par with the most advanced telecom markets in the world. Beginning today, Idea subscribers will be the first in India to experience the Gold Standard in 3G services.”
Currently, 10 per cent of Idea‘s over 86 million subscribers are said to be using 3G enabled handsets. It is expected that these users will be the early adopters of 3G services.
Idea‘s 3G services will be available in 200 towns by mid April 2011, progressively growing at the rate of 10 towns per day to cover 750 towns by mid 2011, and 4,000 towns by the end of FY12.
Idea has traditionally focused on growth from semi-urban heartlands of India and will continue to drive its 3G services from these industrial, agricultural and educational regions.
Idea Cellular director operations Ambrish Jain said, “Beginning with MP, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and HP, Idea‘s 3G services will expand in a progressive manner to provide expansive coverage across 4,000 towns by year end. Idea will target areas of industrial and commercial activity, centres of learning, and high potential rural hinterlands where broadband is yet to make a breakthrough. Idea has set up the most extensive customer service network to educate customers on 3G and support their requirements, across the country.”
Idea‘s 3G services will enable users to avail Video Conferencing, IdeaMall Application Store, Mobile TV, Video on Demand, and high-speed Internet Browsing. IdeaMall is Idea‘s Application Store which offers an entire catalogue of games and applications on Web and mobile platforms.
The 3G services will offer the ability to download songs, watch streaming videos on YouTube, streaming audio, do photo updates on Facebook, mail and other online media, movie downloads, watching mobile TV, e-mailing with attachments, blog postings, viewing photos, and Flash & HD Gaming. ‘
Idea 3G users will experience speed up to 21 Mbps on 3G handsets, and higher speed on other devices depending on the device capability.
Idea has introduced Time based Billing plan for 3G services enabling users to avail high-end data services without worrying about the volume of usage. To promote usage, Idea has introduced ‘sachet‘ pricing, offering attractive trial packages with per day billing.
Idea won 3G Spectrum in 11 circles – MP & Chattisgarh, HP, Maharashtra and Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Haryana, UP East, UP West, AP, J&K and Punjab – which contribute over 80 per cent of the company‘s revenues. Idea has planned a progressive roll out of 3G services in these locations.
Further, Idea is finalising long-term arrangements with select operators for service areas where it was not awarded 3G spectrum.
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.
