C+T charms with its conditional access and iTV applications
By Our Convergence Bureau | 13 Mar 2003
New Delhi: Canal + Technological (C+T) of France, represented in India by Recreate Solutions, staged live demonstrations, the first of their kind in India, of its conditional access system (CAS), Mediaguard, and its middleware, Mediahighway, which enables the set-top box software to interpret and execute interactive applications, in the ongoing 11th Convergence India 2003, at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
Says C+T general manager (sales, Asia Pacific) Nicolas Andrieu: “We, at C+T, are proud to play a part in the technological revolution that the Indian television industry is witnessing. Our experience in the space will allow us to make the interactive experience of the Indian television viewers a treat and I am certain that C+T will play a major role in India's interactive TV revolution.“
C+T was the first to deploy digital satellite and cable in the European interactive TV space in 1996 and 1997, respectively, and, in 1998, was the first digital terrestrial player in interactive TV in the world. It was also the first to deploy a Java-based middleware solution in 1999.
Mediaguard provides digital broadcasters with business-critical reliability, ease of use and secure conditional access. The system also offers maximum flexibility for the introduction of multiple program offerings to segmented audiences, coupled with transaction management, such as pay-per-view and e-commerce.
Mediahighway is an open software platform that can interpret interactive applications written in different languages, such as Java or HTML. This ability to interface with computer languages transforms a digital terminal into a powerful multimedia platform at the convergence between TV, information technology and telecommunications.
C+T powers more than 15 million set-top boxes that are deployed on every continent on cable, satellite and digital terrestrial networks. Over 30 digital operators and broadcasters have already deployed its interactive TV middleware Mediahighway and the conditional access system Mediaguard, including CanalSatellite in France, Surewest (formerly WINfirst) in the US, Astro Measat and Zee TV in Asia, to deliver true interactive applications to subscribers via interactive applications. C+T has already deployed its CAS Mediaguard, for the Zee TV bouquet in India.
Says Bhaskar Majumdar, CEO, Recreate Solutions, the India representatives of C+T: “The success enjoyed by C+T's products in other parts of the world is the result of its commitment to providing quality to its customers. C+T is looking at the Asian subcontinent as the market of the future. The high-rate of television consumption and the growing needs of the organised cable TV sector are clear indicators that India will soon be one of the leading regions and C+T is all set to provide its solutions for cable, DTH and DTT platforms.“
C+T announced in mid-last year its intention to market its Mediaguard and Mediahighway in India. C+T has expertise in designing and implementing digital TV systems and in offering its clients open standard solutions.
