- Viasat Broadcasting extends contract with NDS for the provision of VideoGuard® conditional access for Viasat’s digital premium Pay-TV satellite platform.
- Second new agreement covers the supply of NDS MediaHighway® middleware, customized electronic program guide and XTV® DVR technology in support of Viasat’s recently announced High Definition satellite Pay TV service
LONDON, UK – February 5, 2008 – NDS, the leading provider of technology solutions for digital pay-TV, today announced that Viasat, a leading digital satellite pay-TV operator serving Scandinavia and the Baltic region, has extended its long-standing relationship with NDS for the provision of market-leading VideoGuard® conditional access (CA).
In addition, the companies have inked a second, new agreement whereby NDS is to commence supplying Viasat with market-leading MediaHighway® middleware, XTV® DVR technology, and a customized Electronic Program Guide (EPG) to secure and power its new High Definition pay TV service.
VideoGuard, Mediahighway and XTV are all world market leaders in the Pay TV industry: VideoGuard CA and DRM currently protect 82.7 million active digital set-top boxes (STBs) worldwide. There are 76.4 million NDS middleware clients deployed worldwide, and NDS technology powers over 10.4 million DVRs.
“Viasat’s extension of the agreement with NDS is a clear ratification of the successful business-enhancing platform security which NDS has delivered to them for a number of years, and we are extremely proud of this endorsement” said Dr Abe Peled, NDS Chairman and CEO. He continued: “This, together with the new agreement, demonstrates Viasat’s continuing confidence in NDS’ capabilities as a wide-ranging technology partner, and trust in our ability to provide solutions that will help Viasat meet its business objectives both now and in the future.”
Viasat Broadcasting is the largest business area within Modern Times Group (MTG), an international media group based in Sweden.
Hans-Holger Albrecht, President and CEO of MTG, commented: “Our long-standing successful relationship with NDS has truly been a major factor in the success of our business; NDS has an unmatched track record for delivering the best content protection in the industry, and this led us to extend our existing agreement.” He continued: “The new agreement supports the launch and development of our new High Definition platform, a key milestone for Viasat as we take our business to the next level. We are confident in NDS’ ability to help us provide the most advanced and exciting viewing experience possible to our customers.”
About Modern Times Group
Modern Times Group is a leading international entertainment broadcasting
group with the
second largest geographical broadcast footprint in Europe. MTG’s
Viasat Broadcasting is the largest free-to-air and satellite
premium pay-TV operator in Scandinavia and the
Baltics, and also operates channels in the Czech Republic, Russia,
Hungary, Slovenia
and the Balkans. Viasat channels are broadcast in a total of
24 countries and reach 100
million people. MTG is also the biggest shareholder in Russia’s
largest independent
television network (CTC Media - NASDAQ: CTCM), and the number
one commercial
radio operator in the Nordic and Baltic regions. Modern Times
Group MTG AB class A
and B shares are listed on the OMX Nordic Exchange Large Cap
market (MTGA´ and
MTGB´). For more information on MTG, please visit www.mtg.se
About NDS
NDS Group plc (NASDAQ: NNDS), a majority owned subsidiary of
News Corporation, supplies open end-to-end digital technology
and services to digital pay-television platform operators and
content providers. See www.nds.com for
more information about NDS.
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For further information:
| NDS | |
| Cynthia Ritchie | T: +44 (0)20 8476 8378 |
| Director, Corporate Communications | critchie@nds.com |
| Breakaway Communications Europe for NDS | T: +44 7949 883636 |
| Rachel Postlethwaite, Director | rp@breakawaycom.com |
| Breakaway Communications for NDS | T: +1 212 616 6006 |
| Kelly Fitzgerald, Managing Partner | kfitz@breakawaycom.com |
| MTG/Viasat Broadcasting | T: +44 7912 280850 |
| Bert Willborg, Communications Manager | bert.willborg@mtg.se |