MSTERDAM: Irdeto Access, a subsidiary of a multinational media group Naspers, a world leader in content protection and management, today launched the Irdeto Delta Pay Per Time (PPT) Card, a new generation of smart card that enables a channel or package to be viewed for a predetermined amount of time.
The PPT card enables customers to view pay-per-view films, events or any other program and pay for it according to the actual amount of time consumed in terms of hours and minutes. This smart card benefits subscribers who want to purchase content on an ad hoc basis, manage their costs and have the freedom to view particular content with anonymity. It also benefits subscribers who do not want the responsibility of being tied to a Pay-TV contract with a particular operator.
Technocell, a company based in Switzerland, active in the GSM telecom business, was the first company to recognise the different ways that subscribers wish to purchase content to be viewed and to understand that they could be solved through the use of an appropriate smart card.
Technocell president Egidio Tagliabue said, "We spoke to Irdeto Access of our idea and they came back with an innovative and viable solution with an unrivaled level of security. On this basis, we determined that Irdeto Access was the most appropriate match for our business, as it understood our requirements and tailored its solution to meet our needs. The EasySatCard is a unique smart card and an industry first."
The PPT smart card, meant primarily for retail distribution, has been designed to facilitate quick operator deployment and growth, with the advantage that no subscriber management is required. The card life span can be predetermined with a duration chosen by the operator, typically one year, eliminating the risk of long-term inventory management and piracy issues.
Irdeto Access CEO Graham Kill said, "This is the first solution of its kind in the industry and was brought to market within six months due to the flexibility and modular approach of the Irdeto Access system. The development of this card adds yet another revenue generating tool to the arsenal already available and facilitated by our products. Responding to our customer's needs in this way is something that we pride ourselves on."
The PPT smart card has been developed in addition to the stand alone subscription-based business model often associated with conditional access providers and Pay TV operators. Existing operators can use the PPT card to run special promotions and give customers a taste of the type of content that they can receive, therefore this card could also be ideal for a start up operation where there is not a large number of STBs deployed. The same PPT card can then be converted to a traditional subscription-based model if the subscribers like the content they've seen.
The PPT smart card was first released in June 2003 and works on any Irdeto Access-embedded or Common Interface set top box, meaning that no additional software or modification to the box is required. It delivers the same industry-leading high level of security as all other current Irdeto Access products. The PPT card works with either of Irdeto Access' conditional access head end products; Irdeto PIsys for large operators, and Irdeto M-Crypt, the compact CA system for small to medium operators.
