ITV

Tag: Kudelski Group

  • Sumeer Raina rejoins Nagra as director of sales and marketing

    Sumeer Raina rejoins Nagra as director of sales and marketing

    Mumbai: Kudelski Group’s digital TV division, Nagra, has announced the return of Sumeer Raina as director of sales and marketing.

    In his previous stint with Nagra, he was the marketing director for three years between 2016 and 2019. Raina was brought on board to increase Nagra’s market share at key operators in India and SAARC countries.

    Before rejoining Nagra, Raina worked as director of sales and marketing-India & SAARC at SmarDTV Global, handling profit and loss management. His part involved tasks like strategic planning to drive the sales growth and profitability of new businesses; prospecting, qualifying, and generating new opportunities for new business generation; creating commercial proposals and doing contract negotiations; and contributing to building the company’s market plan for India and SAARC.

    He also liaised with top management on account strategy and development plans—India and overseas—on issues of relevance for the Indian, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka markets.

    His key achievements during his tenure at SmarDTV were setting up a broad organisation from scratch for software development, hardware development, project management, and manufacturing teams in India within a short span of one year.

    During his tenure at Nagra, he received a Star Performer Award for winning the Airtel account for digital security for selling SaaS-based solutions on AWS. He also received the Star Performer Award for his contribution to reviving business in DEN.

    In a quick span of nine months, he brought two new customers on board, DEN and YUPPTV, with substantial revenues in 2017.

    Summer completed a senior executive leadership programme at Harvard Business School in 2018.

  • Conax warns operators to ‘look beyond piracy, content protection not enough’

    Conax warns operators to ‘look beyond piracy, content protection not enough’

    CAPE TOWN: Conax, part of the Kudelski Group and a leader in total service protection for digital entertainment services worldwide via broadcast, broadband and connected devices, announced at the TV Connect Africa conference Conax’ EVP Principal Architect and industry expert, Tor Helge Kristiansen, will advise conference participants about the dangers of a new generation of piracy exemplified by the rapid development of the “Internet of Things”. Tapping twenty-five years of conditional access and value chain experience, Kristiansen will share critical insight on pay-TV security during a special conference track dedicated to piracy “Combatting piracy across Africa”, Day 2 at the TV Connect Africa conference.

    “A completely new breed of pirates and variety of attacks – far from content security redistribution, but connected to hybrid set-top-boxes – are a growing threat for pay-TV operations,” says Tor Helge Kristiansen, EVP Principal Architect, Conax. “At the TV Connect Africa conference, I’ll address the newest dangers for operators and the measures operators can take to prevent these new threats.”

    Already securing over 30 DTH and DTT operators across Africa, Conax is both a trusted partner and a leading driver for Africa’s pay-TV expansion. With a strong regional track record in secure digital migration and innovations for robust operator roadmap, Conax is continuing its strong commitment to the African market by providing pay-TV operators with future-ready solutions and the expert guidance to build their business into the future for next generation consumers.

    A pioneer in content security and conditional access technology, Tor Helge Kristiansen joined Conax in 1992, and has played a key role in the evolving pay-TV industry and the ongoing development of Conax products in the highly complementary positions of chief developer, software architect, head of security development and VP Product Management – central for all aspects of Conax products and product development. Joining the executive team in April 2015, the EVP Principal Architect is a central function encompassing both a senior advisory role for championing strategic planning and a trigger for executing on strategy with long term global trends in mind and a dynamic roadmap. Tor Helge’s role is central in sparking and driving high-level technology collaborations with other Kudelski Group companies within the value chain.

  • Conax warns operators to ‘look beyond piracy, content protection not enough’

    Conax warns operators to ‘look beyond piracy, content protection not enough’

    CAPE TOWN: Conax, part of the Kudelski Group and a leader in total service protection for digital entertainment services worldwide via broadcast, broadband and connected devices, announced at the TV Connect Africa conference Conax’ EVP Principal Architect and industry expert, Tor Helge Kristiansen, will advise conference participants about the dangers of a new generation of piracy exemplified by the rapid development of the “Internet of Things”. Tapping twenty-five years of conditional access and value chain experience, Kristiansen will share critical insight on pay-TV security during a special conference track dedicated to piracy “Combatting piracy across Africa”, Day 2 at the TV Connect Africa conference.

    “A completely new breed of pirates and variety of attacks – far from content security redistribution, but connected to hybrid set-top-boxes – are a growing threat for pay-TV operations,” says Tor Helge Kristiansen, EVP Principal Architect, Conax. “At the TV Connect Africa conference, I’ll address the newest dangers for operators and the measures operators can take to prevent these new threats.”

    Already securing over 30 DTH and DTT operators across Africa, Conax is both a trusted partner and a leading driver for Africa’s pay-TV expansion. With a strong regional track record in secure digital migration and innovations for robust operator roadmap, Conax is continuing its strong commitment to the African market by providing pay-TV operators with future-ready solutions and the expert guidance to build their business into the future for next generation consumers.

    A pioneer in content security and conditional access technology, Tor Helge Kristiansen joined Conax in 1992, and has played a key role in the evolving pay-TV industry and the ongoing development of Conax products in the highly complementary positions of chief developer, software architect, head of security development and VP Product Management – central for all aspects of Conax products and product development. Joining the executive team in April 2015, the EVP Principal Architect is a central function encompassing both a senior advisory role for championing strategic planning and a trigger for executing on strategy with long term global trends in mind and a dynamic roadmap. Tor Helge’s role is central in sparking and driving high-level technology collaborations with other Kudelski Group companies within the value chain.

  • Nagra highlights new growth opportunities and IP strategies for pay-TV at Communicasia 2016

    Nagra highlights new growth opportunities and IP strategies for pay-TV at Communicasia 2016

    Comprehensive showcase of latest content protection and cloud/IP technologies enable a secure, engaging and everywhere pay-TV experience for consumers

    Cheseaux, Switzerland And Singapore – May 24, 2016 – Nagra, a Kudelski Group (SIX:KUD.S) company and the world’s leading independent provider of content protection and multiscreen television solutions, will be at Communicasia 2016, From May 31-June 3 In Singapore, highlighting new growth opportunities and IP-based strategies designed to help the region’s pay-TV operators deliver a secure, engaging and everywhere experience to consumers. Nagra will be located on booth 1H-214, along with Kudelski Group subsidiaries Conax and Smardtv, at the Marine Bay Sands convention.

    “Pay-TV Operators, particularly in the asia-pacific region, are at the crossroads of exciting new opportunities to reach consumers on any screen, anytime and anywhere, as well as engage into a more interactive viewer relationship,” said Stéphane Le Dréau, Nagra’s general manager for Southeast Asia. “Largely driven by the accelerated adoption of IP-based delivery networks, these opportunities also bring about new technical challenges – from content protection to the consumer experience – where Nagra is uniquely positioned to help. We look forward to unveiling our latest innovations and demonstrating how service providers can embrace the new IP environment.”

    Nagra’s technology showcase will feature the award-winning intuiTV solution, a managed cloud-based platform that can be configured with a full line-up of premium content and advanced TV services featuring live TV, VOD, SVOD services (like Netflix and YouTube), PVR/nPVR, social TV and other standard TV features such as search and recommendation (including voice) – all accessible via an innovative streaming device, ‘swipe-to-tune’ user interface and a contextual, programmable e-ink remote control. 

    Visitors will also learn about Nagra’s growing footprint in the Asia-Pacific region and see latest deployments of the MediaLive Suite, including OpenTV 5 connectware and Nagra’s set-top box reference solution for Netflix which was recently deployed at StarHub in Singapore. Such innovations have enabled operators to deploy next generation services – from basic to more advanced – and expand their offering by enabling them, for instance, to seamlessly integrate SVOD services in their content line-up through a single user interface and TV input.

    New developments in content protection will complement the showcase and feature anyCAST’s unique adaptive security concept which comprehensively addresses all devices and use cases for a new generation of enhanced content, featuring connected security, 4K content protection and watermarking. Nagra anyCAST gives pay-TV service providers the industry’s largest and most trusted range of conditional access (CAS) and digital rights management (DRM) solutions. Using a single Security Services Platform, Nagra anyCAST seamlessly controls an entire range of cardless, card-based, embedded and two-way connected secure clients as well as 3rd-party DRMs, enabling any service provider to create the perfect security solution for their network or combination of networks.

     

  • Nagra highlights new growth opportunities and IP strategies for pay-TV at Communicasia 2016

    Nagra highlights new growth opportunities and IP strategies for pay-TV at Communicasia 2016

    Comprehensive showcase of latest content protection and cloud/IP technologies enable a secure, engaging and everywhere pay-TV experience for consumers

    Cheseaux, Switzerland And Singapore – May 24, 2016 – Nagra, a Kudelski Group (SIX:KUD.S) company and the world’s leading independent provider of content protection and multiscreen television solutions, will be at Communicasia 2016, From May 31-June 3 In Singapore, highlighting new growth opportunities and IP-based strategies designed to help the region’s pay-TV operators deliver a secure, engaging and everywhere experience to consumers. Nagra will be located on booth 1H-214, along with Kudelski Group subsidiaries Conax and Smardtv, at the Marine Bay Sands convention.

    “Pay-TV Operators, particularly in the asia-pacific region, are at the crossroads of exciting new opportunities to reach consumers on any screen, anytime and anywhere, as well as engage into a more interactive viewer relationship,” said Stéphane Le Dréau, Nagra’s general manager for Southeast Asia. “Largely driven by the accelerated adoption of IP-based delivery networks, these opportunities also bring about new technical challenges – from content protection to the consumer experience – where Nagra is uniquely positioned to help. We look forward to unveiling our latest innovations and demonstrating how service providers can embrace the new IP environment.”

    Nagra’s technology showcase will feature the award-winning intuiTV solution, a managed cloud-based platform that can be configured with a full line-up of premium content and advanced TV services featuring live TV, VOD, SVOD services (like Netflix and YouTube), PVR/nPVR, social TV and other standard TV features such as search and recommendation (including voice) – all accessible via an innovative streaming device, ‘swipe-to-tune’ user interface and a contextual, programmable e-ink remote control. 

    Visitors will also learn about Nagra’s growing footprint in the Asia-Pacific region and see latest deployments of the MediaLive Suite, including OpenTV 5 connectware and Nagra’s set-top box reference solution for Netflix which was recently deployed at StarHub in Singapore. Such innovations have enabled operators to deploy next generation services – from basic to more advanced – and expand their offering by enabling them, for instance, to seamlessly integrate SVOD services in their content line-up through a single user interface and TV input.

    New developments in content protection will complement the showcase and feature anyCAST’s unique adaptive security concept which comprehensively addresses all devices and use cases for a new generation of enhanced content, featuring connected security, 4K content protection and watermarking. Nagra anyCAST gives pay-TV service providers the industry’s largest and most trusted range of conditional access (CAS) and digital rights management (DRM) solutions. Using a single Security Services Platform, Nagra anyCAST seamlessly controls an entire range of cardless, card-based, embedded and two-way connected secure clients as well as 3rd-party DRMs, enabling any service provider to create the perfect security solution for their network or combination of networks.

     

  • AP & Telangana MSO VSML opts for Nagra’s OpenTV content protection

    AP & Telangana MSO VSML opts for Nagra’s OpenTV content protection

    MUMBAI: As the Indian cable television landscape gears up to get fully digitised by the end of this year with the Digital Addressable System (DAS) in place, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana based multi system operator (MSO) Venkata Sai Media Private Limited (VSMPL) has taken a step forward and opted for Kudelski Group’s Nagra anyCAST and OpenTV solutions for the launch of its digital cable and high-speed broadband offering.

    Nagra is an independent provider of content protection and multiscreen television solutions. The launch marks the first commercial deployment of OpenTV middleware and the first user interface to support Telugu language with a cable operator in India. Nagra’s anyCAST content protection and OpenTV middleware technologies were selected by the operator in the context of the government-mandated transition to digital, to provide local cable operators in the state of Andhra Pradesh with access to a variety of digital TV services under the brand name ‘Media Vision.’ These will include 276 SD and 24 HD services with plans to introduce value added services (VAS) like video-on-demand (VOD), home shopping and more. “We are excited to deliver these new digital services to local operators as part of the ongoing digitisation efforts in India. Nagra was the vendor of choice in this effort providing pre-integrated conditional access and set-top box software solutions across multiple chipsets. This was a key factor in helping us deliver the services quickly and efficiently,” said VSMPL. “VSMPL has acted quickly to meet the digitisation timeline set forth by the Indian government and is now able to reach more local operators with our pre-integrated, scalable and fast time-to-market solutions. We are pleased to have been able to support them in this effort helping them deliver advanced functionalities and robust content protection to whole new cable market. We wish them much success with their new platform,” added Nagra SVP sales – Asia-Pacific Jean-Luc Jezouin. VSMPL’s new service will enable a new generation of digital TV services for local cable operators. It boasts built-in features powered by OpenTV middleware such as PVR and targeted advertising and a user interface adapted to the region’s multi-lingual landscape. Robust content protection is provided by the Nagra anyCAST Security Services Platform, which supports a range of services from basic free-to-view to enhanced content like 4K Ultra HD. VSMPL claims to have close to one million subscribers in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

     

  • NAGRA powers Hinduja’s NXT Digital HITS platform in India

    NAGRA powers Hinduja’s NXT Digital HITS platform in India

    MUMBAI: Switzerland based Kudelski Group’s digital TV division NAGRA has powered the Hinduja Group’s new headend-in-the-sky (HITS) platform – NXT Digital in India.

     

    NAGRA’s anyCAST, OpenTV solutions and user interface are enabling NXT Digital. This makes it NAGRA’s first HITS platform in India, which is one of the fastest growing markets in pay-TV today, as the country continues the government-mandated digitisation process. According to a recent report by Media Partners Asia, the Indian pay-TV market is expected to grow by 11 per cent annually on average by 2018, with total pay-TV subscribers expected to grow from 65 million in 2013 to 165 million by 2018 and 180 million by 2023.

     

    NAGRA’s anyCAST content protection and OpenTV middleware solutions are enabling the HITS platform, which will provide backend operations to local and multi-system cable operators in India. NXT Digital offers a variety of packages and services including 500-plus MPEG 4-encrypted services featuring SD and HD channels along with value-added services like PVR and educational content.

     

    “Our new HITS platform gives regional cable operators access to an infrastructure that helps them deliver high-quality video services to a new generation of viewers. NAGRA has been a key partner in the process, providing the expertise and support expected of a pay-TV leader, as well as solutions that provide the right level of content protection, scale seamlessly and allow for flexible business models that are critical to our operators’ success as they kick off their new services,” said Hinduja Group subsidiary Grant Investrade managing director Tony D’Silva.

     

    “It is an honor to work with Grant Investrade and be a part of the digital TV transformation in India that is making access to digital TV services a reality for millions of people. This new platform makes it easy for local and regional cable operators to deploy new services without having to worry about the operational complexities that can come with installing their own system. And by leveraging NAGRA’s deployed, market-leading solutions, they are ensuring a high quality user experience that is not only highly secure but offers pay-as-you-grow models adapted to their strategy,” said NAGRA sales SVP Asia-Pacific Jean-Luc Jezouin.

     

    NAGRA’s anyCAST Security Services Platform, OpenTV middleware and user interface are ready-to-deploy solutions that enable of range of entry-level and advanced DTV services. They allow operators to leverage scalable, pay-as-you-grow business models with multiple set-top boxes and chipsets, and include an intuitive user interface adapted to India’s diverse population and languages.

  • Disney and Kudelski Group ink patent license agreement

    Disney and Kudelski Group ink patent license agreement

    MUMBAI: The Kudelski Group has inked a multi-year patent license agreement with The Walt Disney Company. While the specific terms remain confidential, this agreement provides Disney with a license to the Kudelski Group’s patent portfolio, subject to certain limitations.

     

    “The Kudelski Group continues to invest heavily in developing technology and intellectual property that help enable industry leaders like The Walt Disney Company to deliver their popular, world-class video and entertainment platforms to the market through streaming video properties, such as ESPN.com and ABC.com. We’re very pleased to enter into this agreement with The Walt Disney Company, a market leader in video distribution. This agreement further underpins the relevance of our patent portfolio in an expanding technology footprint,” said Kudelski Group senior vice president of intellectual property and innovation Joe Chernesky.

     

    With over 60 years of experience in pioneering innovative technologies, the Kudelski Group offers a comprehensive intellectual property licensing program that provides its customers and partners with access to many fundamental technologies, enabling them to build compelling devices, applications and services that work seamlessly together.

  • Kudelski Group launches Kudelski Security

    Kudelski Group launches Kudelski Security

    MUMBAI: The Kudelski Group, which offers media content protection and value-added services technology, has announced the launch of Kudelski Security, its new Cyber Security division.

    Kudelski Group CEO André Kudelski said, "Having dealt with security for a few decades and having fought piracy on behalf of our customers for the last 20 years, we have developed an unmatched talent pool with a unique skill set that we want to leverage by offering a new protection paradigm to anyone exposed on the internet. In an increasingly connected world, companies, families, individuals are all targeted by the new cyber threats and action is needed now."

    Kudelski Security senior VP, head Christophe Nicolas said, "The purpose of Kudelski Security is to deliver tailored cyber security solutions and services to enterprises, financial institutions, government administrations and our media customers. Initial focus will be Europe, before expanding the offering worldwide, such as for our existing media customers".
    The Kudelski Security offering consists of a set of services initially focusing on assisting companies to assess risk and vulnerabilities in order to ensure privacy and confidentiality of their data and analytics as they move their business processes and applications in a cloud dependent ecosystem. The offer will include monitoring the evolution of the threats and keeping consumer data secured, while access to data becomes more dynamic and mobile, through new consumer devices like smartphones and tablets.

    Kudelski Security adds that it goes beyond a pure technology security offering by combining technological know-how and legal expertise, compliance, field investigation and crisis communication into a new type of global Cyber Alert Response Squad.

  • SCM sells digital TV solutions business to Kudelski

    SCM sells digital TV solutions business to Kudelski

    MUMBAI: The California headquartered SCM Microsystems, which provides solutions that open the digital world has sold its digital TV solutions business to the Swiss based Kudelski Group. It has got $11 million in cash for the deal.

    Kudelski Group chairman and CEO Andre Kudelski says, “SCM pioneered removable security for digital broadcasting and has helped build a market for open systems in the digital TV industry. Removable security modules will become a key enabler of digital pay-TV services as the retail market continues to grow and develop.”

    SCM Microsystems CEO Robert Schneider says, “The sale of our Digital TV business furthers our strategy to consolidate and restructure our organisation around a more focused business model. With one headquarters and operational center in Germany, one development facility in India and a seasoned sales team in the U.S., we believe that we will be able to take advantage of market opportunities more efficiently and cost effectively.

    “Going forward, we intend to put our entire attention on leveraging our smart card and media reader businesses by providing industry-leading solutions for emerging markets such as e-health, e-passport, secure physical access, electronic payment and digital photo printing.”

    Under the terms of the agreement with Kudelski, SCM will sell substantially all of the assets that relate to its digital TV solutions business, including its office building in France, certain inventory, contracts, trademarks and intellectual property.

    In addition 40 employees in Europe and Asia are expected to join Kudelski’s newly created business focussed on providing secure pay-TV modules compatible with consumer electronic products for the digital TV industry. The products that Kudelski is acquiring include SCM’s DVB and OpenCable compliant conditional access modules, used to securely decrypt digital television broadcasts, as well as
    controller chips used in set-top boxes that interface with the decryption modules.

    The Kudelski Group works in the field of digital security. Its technologies are used in a wide range of applications requiring access control and rights management, whether for securing transfer of information (digital television, broadband Internet, video-on-demand, interactive applications, etc.) or to control and manage access of people or vehicles to sites and events.