The German pay TV operator Premiere has said it will deploy the NDS VideoGuard system as well as a new version of Nagravision. For the time being, the two encryption systems will be used alongside each other.
Over the coming months Premiere and NDS will be working to migrate the operator’s satellite platforms and set-top box population to VideoGuard. As part of this process, smart cards currently deployed will be replaced and VideoGuard software will be downloaded to existing STBs. All new STBs will be equipped with VideoGuard.. In order to facilitate this migration process, Premiere plans to use Simulcrypt technology in collaboration with its incumbent CA provider, Kudelski’s Nagravision.
This morning, the two CA companies each issued a press release confirming their contracts with Premiere. It is not quite clear which of the STBs will be switched to VideoGuard, but it seems likely the pre-2000 receivers will be upgraded to the new generation Nagravision rather than VideoGuard. The current contract between Kudelski and Premiere is set to run until 2012.
Hans Seger, Chief Programm and Technology Officer of Premiere, said in a prepared statement: “We are confident that the new Nagravision smartcards generation will adequately address security gaps. In line with previous announcements we will be starting the swap in the second quarter. Whoever might have bought an illegal device will loose the investment value and should better subscribe to Premiere to watch our programs.”
