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Trai extends date for stakeholders’ views on agreements in non-addressable cable
NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has announced extension of the last date to 31 January for receiving the views of stakeholders on its consultation paper relating to interconnection regulation in non-addressable cable TV sector.
The paper had been issued on 27 December 2010 and written comments had been sought from stakeholders by 15 January 2011 and counter comments by 20 January. Stakeholders can file counter comments by 7 February.
Trai had asked cable operators and other stakeholders in the broadcasting sector to specify the changes they want in the interconnection regulations for the non-addressable television sector which have often led to prolonged litigation.
In the consultation paper on the issue, Trai had specifically said there is need to make certain amendments to the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable Services) Interconnection Regulation 2004, amended from time to time, which are based on negotiated subscriber base which has not been effective at the ground level resulting in a number of disputes between the service providers.
The Authority recently reviewed the tariff related issues in the entire broadcasting sector and during the discussions found that the stakeholders wanted a review of the Interconnection Regulation in the light of difficulties and consequent litigation that results from time to time.
The consultation paper would look at disputes on subscriber base between broadcaster and cable operators and multi-system operators (MSO) during the course of a contract.
The consultation paper discusses the extant regulatory provisions and a possible solution to the issue.
Trai has invited inputs from the stakeholders which can form the basis for review and amendment of the existing interconnection regulatory framework for the cable TV industry in the country to make it more responsive to the challenges posed by the present market conditions.
Primarily, Trai wants to know if the stakeholders agree with the proposal to amend the prevailing interconnect regulation between broadcaster and MSO in the light of various suggestions made by it and the appropriate date for implementation of the proposed scheme of interconnection between the service providers in 2011.
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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.
