CA company Irdeto said it will support for the Common Interface Plus (CI+) specification with a new CI+ conditional access module (CAM) planned for commercial availability by the year’s end, after the CI+ Forum completes the final specification.
Originated in 1995 by the DVB Consortium, the CI specification interconnects a CAM and a DTV receiver so that any encryption system can be used in the receiver. The enhanced security within the CI+ specification allows broadcast operators to deploy smart cards and CAMs that can be used with any retail set-top box or IDTV that supports the standard, giving consumers a wider range of choice in receiver equipment. The standard also allows operators to offer premium pay-TV offerings such as PVR, PPV and VOD services.
“Many of Irdeto’s more than 400 conditional access customers prefer the advantages of a retail distribution strategy: lower costs, more choice for consumers, and greater involvement from the equipment manufacturers, who compete with one another on price, functionality and innovation,” said Doug Lowther, senior VP of sales and marketing for Irdeto in a prepared statement.
In Germany, a number of large operators has already committed to CI-Plus or is about to; in The Netherlands the three Zesko owned operators, Casema, @Home and Multikabel, are expected to announce their support for CI-Plus.
Members of the CI+ Forum include Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Sony, Neotion and SmarDTV. The group is currently establishing a compliance regime to enable CI+ deployment within DTV receivers and CAMs.
