The world of interactive TV (iTV) is at a turning point. Many of the world’s leading pay-TV platforms have discovered the positive effect iTV has on their bottom line and they are now implementing a broader range of services and enhanced technology.

Interactive TV is one of the fundamentals of NDS Metro™, a scaleable end-to-end IPTV solution that delivers both the content and services viewers want. NDS Metro is designed to meet your business needs and make the most of IPTV.

What does NDS Metro provide? NDS Metro offers the proven combination of NDS IP middleware and VideoGuard content security. Once NDS Metro is in place you can offer the revenue generating services that make up a complete IPTV system that will be a market leader.

Interactive TV increases revenues, reduces churn and keeps customers loyal. Over the last 15 years NDS has become a leader in the development of interactive TV (iTV) applications. NDS Metro provides the infrastructure that helps service providers use their IP connected (hybrid) STBs to enable next generation iTV applications that feature:

• True multi-player games that combine iTV and IP based applications
• Multiple applications that run simultaneously
• Real-time updates to iTV content
• Full integration of features into applications
• Advertising that targets individual STBs

Interactive TV plays a significant role in differentiating one service from another and increasing Average Revenue Per User (ARPU). It is cited as a significant factor when new subscribers choose one platform over another. It is also important in reducing subscriber churn.

Viewing has never been so much fun. Subscribers can now replay game highlights while betting on who will score next. They can vote, compete against friends and even invite them to share TV experiences from their STB. In addition viewers can now receive viewing suggestions from different sources and they can request more information from targeted ads based on their profile. They can also choose an interactive game from the NDS games library or a branded game that NDS has developed for leading broadcasters and content owners.

NDS iTV applications include:

• Enhanced TV. Extends the linear broadcast experience by letting subscribers avail themselves of information that supplements the program they are watching.
• Participatory TV. Goes one step further. To increase program stickiness viewers are invited to interact in real-time with the actual program format.
• Transactional TV. Subscribers can purchase products and services through their STB using their remote control. There are no phone call centers or credit card information given over the phone.
• Quizzes. Applications developed by the NDS quiz engine can link to any type of broadcast content.

No one does it better than NDS. In the past decade NDS has moved with the market. In the process we help broadcasters make the transition to iTV and are now developing the foundations for the next generation: iTV 2.0.