Foxtel launches digital subscription TV platform in Australia with NDS technology
Announcement posted by NDS 01 Apr 2004
Highlights:
NDS completes challenging systems integration project for FOXTEL Digital.
NDS conditional access and interactive TV systems enable delivery of exciting new services to FOXTEL Digital subscribers
NDS provides Visionik interactive TV games for The Arcade on FOXTEL Digital.
NDS develops the FOXTEL Digital Guide (EPG) providing an intuitive navigation tool for FOXTEL Digital's more than 130 channels and services.
NDS Group plc, a News Corporation company and a leading provider of technology solutions for digital subscription TV, today announced it had successfully completed the first phase of systems integration for FOXTEL Digital, meeting tight deadlines for delivery.
FOXTEL, Australia's leading subscription television provider, launched its digital TV service, FOXTEL Digital, on 14 March offering consumers a totally new television experience with an unparalleled choice of more than 130 digital channels and services.
"During the preparation for FOXTEL Digital, we conducted a global search for technology that could meet the unique requirements of the FOXTEL Digital platform. We selected NDS because VideoGuard conditional access technology met our technical needs, and also supports a variety of business models," said Patrick Delany, Director of Digital at FOXTEL.
NDS is the prime systems integrator for FOXTEL Digital and drew from its global resources and expertise for the delivery team. The digital launch includes ambitious plans to upgrade set-top boxes currently deployed by FOXTEL. The rebirthing of the legacy set-top boxes to upgrade to NDS VideoGuard conditional access will enable existing FOXTEL subscribers to enjoy the new extensive digital offering without replacement of the set-top boxes.
The NDS solutions used by FOXTEL are VideoGuard conditional access system, StreamServer(tm) broadcasting management, Value@TV(tm) interactive TV solution and iVideoGuard(tm), which interfaces between the conditional access system and interactive applications to allow FOXTEL to offer interactive content using subscription and pay-per-use business models.
NDS also developed interactive TV games seen on The Arcade, which is available to FOXTEL Digital subscribers through FOXTEL Gamesworld. The Arcade currently offers five retro-style games and will be updated monthly.
NDS General Manager Australia and New Zealand, Peter Iles, said the launch of FOXTEL Digital was a great credit to the project team of digital broadcast experts from NDS and FOXTEL.
"The combination of cable and satellite technologies coupled with the existing FOXTEL service presented some unique challenges," Mr Iles said. "Proven NDS technologies helped ensure fast time-to-market and provided the platform to launch FOXTEL Digital."
"The investment in digital technology from NDS will allow FOXTEL to differentiate content and enhance the viewing experience. FOXTEL Digital is poised to become the most advanced iTV platform in the Asia Pacific region."
The NDS electronic program guide (EPG) provides FOXTEL Digital with innovative search and sort capabilities allowing subscribers to view programs by time, genre and sub genre for a full seven days in advance. The advanced EPG provides a synopsis of each program together with classification and parental control and gives viewers an easy way to navigate around FOXTEL Digital, providing on-screen reminders when their favourite programs are due to start.
About FOXTEL
FOXTEL is Australia's leading subscription television provider and is connected to more than one million homes on cable and satellite through retail and wholesale distribution. FOXTEL is owned by Telstra Corporation Ltd (50%), The News Corporation Ltd (25%), and Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd (25%). FOXTEL launched its new digital cable and satellite service in March 2004.
About NDS
NDS Group plc (NASDAQ/Euronext Brussels:NNDS) is a leading supplier of open end-to-end digital pay TV solutions for the secure delivery of entertainment and information to television set-top boxes and IP devices. See http://www.nds.com/ for more information.
Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This document contains certain 'forward-looking statements' with the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's views and assumptions regarding future events and business performance as of the time the statements are made. Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to changes in global economic, business, competitive, market and regulatory factors. More detailed information about these and other factors that could affect future results is contained in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The 'forward-looking statements' included in this document are made only as of the date of this document and we do not have any obligation to publicly update any 'forward-looking statements' to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
NDS completes challenging systems integration project for FOXTEL Digital.
NDS conditional access and interactive TV systems enable delivery of exciting new services to FOXTEL Digital subscribers
NDS provides Visionik interactive TV games for The Arcade on FOXTEL Digital.
NDS develops the FOXTEL Digital Guide (EPG) providing an intuitive navigation tool for FOXTEL Digital's more than 130 channels and services.
NDS Group plc, a News Corporation company and a leading provider of technology solutions for digital subscription TV, today announced it had successfully completed the first phase of systems integration for FOXTEL Digital, meeting tight deadlines for delivery.
FOXTEL, Australia's leading subscription television provider, launched its digital TV service, FOXTEL Digital, on 14 March offering consumers a totally new television experience with an unparalleled choice of more than 130 digital channels and services.
"During the preparation for FOXTEL Digital, we conducted a global search for technology that could meet the unique requirements of the FOXTEL Digital platform. We selected NDS because VideoGuard conditional access technology met our technical needs, and also supports a variety of business models," said Patrick Delany, Director of Digital at FOXTEL.
NDS is the prime systems integrator for FOXTEL Digital and drew from its global resources and expertise for the delivery team. The digital launch includes ambitious plans to upgrade set-top boxes currently deployed by FOXTEL. The rebirthing of the legacy set-top boxes to upgrade to NDS VideoGuard conditional access will enable existing FOXTEL subscribers to enjoy the new extensive digital offering without replacement of the set-top boxes.
The NDS solutions used by FOXTEL are VideoGuard conditional access system, StreamServer(tm) broadcasting management, Value@TV(tm) interactive TV solution and iVideoGuard(tm), which interfaces between the conditional access system and interactive applications to allow FOXTEL to offer interactive content using subscription and pay-per-use business models.
NDS also developed interactive TV games seen on The Arcade, which is available to FOXTEL Digital subscribers through FOXTEL Gamesworld. The Arcade currently offers five retro-style games and will be updated monthly.
NDS General Manager Australia and New Zealand, Peter Iles, said the launch of FOXTEL Digital was a great credit to the project team of digital broadcast experts from NDS and FOXTEL.
"The combination of cable and satellite technologies coupled with the existing FOXTEL service presented some unique challenges," Mr Iles said. "Proven NDS technologies helped ensure fast time-to-market and provided the platform to launch FOXTEL Digital."
"The investment in digital technology from NDS will allow FOXTEL to differentiate content and enhance the viewing experience. FOXTEL Digital is poised to become the most advanced iTV platform in the Asia Pacific region."
The NDS electronic program guide (EPG) provides FOXTEL Digital with innovative search and sort capabilities allowing subscribers to view programs by time, genre and sub genre for a full seven days in advance. The advanced EPG provides a synopsis of each program together with classification and parental control and gives viewers an easy way to navigate around FOXTEL Digital, providing on-screen reminders when their favourite programs are due to start.
About FOXTEL
FOXTEL is Australia's leading subscription television provider and is connected to more than one million homes on cable and satellite through retail and wholesale distribution. FOXTEL is owned by Telstra Corporation Ltd (50%), The News Corporation Ltd (25%), and Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd (25%). FOXTEL launched its new digital cable and satellite service in March 2004.
About NDS
NDS Group plc (NASDAQ/Euronext Brussels:NNDS) is a leading supplier of open end-to-end digital pay TV solutions for the secure delivery of entertainment and information to television set-top boxes and IP devices. See http://www.nds.com/ for more information.
Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This document contains certain 'forward-looking statements' with the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's views and assumptions regarding future events and business performance as of the time the statements are made. Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to changes in global economic, business, competitive, market and regulatory factors. More detailed information about these and other factors that could affect future results is contained in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The 'forward-looking statements' included in this document are made only as of the date of this document and we do not have any obligation to publicly update any 'forward-looking statements' to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.