Applications
India, China to propel Asia- Pacific broadband revenue to $55 billion by 2011; study
MUMBAI: India and China seem to be the key countries, that are likely to propel the growth and increase of broadband revenues in the Asia-Pacific region and double from 20.7 billion US dollars last year to 55.1 billion US dollars in 2011, as indicated by the Arizona based In-Stat research agency.
The research indicates that the broadband future hinges on developing countries. Thus, Asia‘s broadband future depends on countries like Thailand, India, China, Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.
These findings highlight that the broadband user base stood at 86.6 million in 2005 and the number will set to increase nearly threefold to 235.7 million users in five years.
“In less developed markets like China and India, broadband access services are expected to demonstrate impressive growth through 2011, and constitute the bulk of Asia Pacific’s broadband subscriber expansion,” says In-Stat analyst Bryan Wang.
He added, “Wide availability of low prices in cyber cafes in these markets is allowing people to experience broadband services without a fixed charge, which will stimulate potential new subscriptions.”
Countries such as Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore have been the key drivers of the growth broadband space in the past.
Tier-1 markets Japan and South Korea contributed more than 60 per cent of total revenue in 2005, followed by Tier-2 markets Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, and Singapore contributing around 15 per cent, the research firm says.
The findings also highlighted that the next-generation broadband services strategy in markets like Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong is to promote value-added broadband services, driven by the launch of compelling broadband content (i.e. IPTV and VoIP) and innovative broadband pricing plans.
Various connection technologies will be competing through 2011, with the current dominating technology, DSL, facing price competition from cable modem and satellite. In the long run, compelling content or ‘killer broadband applications‘, will be the key to success.
This research is part of In-Stat‘s Asia Consumer Convergence Service, which takes an in-depth look at digital home networking related products by country as well as applications markets. This makes it an unique service for anyone interested in consumer markets, in extremely dynamic Asian markets such as China, India, Japan, Korea and Taiwan.
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.
