Applications
Spectrum audit and spectrum pooling under consideration: Milind Deora
NEW DELHI: The Government wants to encourage spectrum audit and spectrum pooling and sharing for optimal and efficient use of spectrum, according to Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Milind Deora.
Deora said the draft National Telecom Policy (NTP) 2011 has indicated that a Spectrum Act will provide more teeth to the Spectrum Management Authority to deal with reframing and withdrawal of allotted spectrum, cancellation and revocation of spectrum licenses.
The Minister was speaking at a week-long Meeting of Working Party 5D of ITU-Radio Sector on issues relating to International Mobile Telecommunication (IMT) in Goa.
He said India is taking all necessary steps to maximize use of spectrum for mobile and broadband services in the country. Speaking about regulatory provisions, he mentioned that spectrum could be considered for delicensing for certain technical parameters which shall not cause interference to existing usages in the band.
In this connection, use of white spaces in the broadcasting bands are being considered for delicensing of the same for limited technical parameters, he added.
Deora also mentioned that India has established an Institute of Advanced Spectrum Engineering and Management Studies (IARSEMS) for undertaking research and studies on radio spectrum engineering management and radio monitoring to enhance use of spectrum for commercial and strategic usages by private and Government sectors in the country.
Ms. Sadhana Dikshit, Member of the Telecom Commission said India has registered phenomenal growth in the mobile sector and today India’s telephone network with 893 million phones of which 858 million are wireless is the second largest in the world.
She said telecommunications have been playing an ever increasing role in the socio-economic development of countries as the Radiocommunication is a most important pillar in the modern era with more and more dependence on mobility, convergence and information.
Radiocommunications are changing the way people live and the way societies organize themselves, thanks to mobile telephony, mobile internet access, satellite television and satellite Radionavigation, which are able to connect virtually everybody in the World, to provide instant access to information and to deliver a wealth of new important applications.
Dr. Ashok Chandra, Wireless Advisor to the Government, spoke of initiatives taken including promulgation of National Frequency Allocation Plan (NFAP-2011) and salient features of draft New Telecom Policy-2011 relating to the IMT applications
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.
