Applications
One97 Comms, HP partner for enhanced voice solutions
MUMBAI: One97 Communications, a telecom solutions provider, will partner with Hewlett-Packard (HP) for setting up of a laboratory to research and develop technologies and applications for the 2.5G and 3G networks for the Indian and global markets. |
HP will provide high quality mobile and ready to install applications for One97 Communications. The R&D at the new laboratory will focus on creating applications for deployment and integration of HP platform with existing telecom networks including development of VAS applications. The research lab is powered by HP‘s Open Call Media Platform (OPMG), which has a comprehensive and mature voice service platform in the industry. HP OPMG enables rapid development and secure deployment of next-generation voice and video messaging, portals and enhanced interactive services, informs an official release. |
One97 communications managing director Vijay Shekhar Sharma said, “One97‘s vision and focus entails becoming a global VAS enabler. Partnership with HP provides us with the latest developments in network platforms and access to their worldwide support services to help build our unrivalled capability as a global telecom VAS service provider.” |
“We chose to partner with One97 Communications as they have a proven record of leadership in developing and executing innovative applications that cater to market requirements. HP is the global leader in the supply of 3G technological platforms and this relationship helps showcase this prowess,” said HP software executive director T Srinivasan. HP OCMP supports development of the VoiceXML applications and IP multimedia subsystem based services with its media resource function capabilities including next-generation voice mail, mass alarming and alerting, 3G video capabilities, personalized ring-back tone, video messaging and others. HP OCMP integrates with existing network architectures, allowing service providers to rapidly capitalise on near-term business opportunities such as large-scale interactive voice response (IVR) applications, unified messaging, virtual call centers and entertainment services. |
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.
