Irdeto awarded the single largest smart card deal in China

Irdeto, the proven expert in content security for digital TV, IPTV and mobile networks, has announced that Irdeto will provide one million smart cards to Shaanxi Broadcasting & TV Information Network Co., Ltd. to secure the migration to digital TV of the country’s first unified provincial cable TV network.
This landmark agreement marks the single largest contract for smart cards awarded to any content protection vendor in China to date, and strengthens Irdeto’s leadership position in securing China’s fast-growing digital TV market.
According to the contract, Irdeto will provide its Epsilon smart cards, the company’s 5th generation of proven security devices to Shaanxi, one of China’s largest digitalisation projects covering an area of 4 million TV households. Irdeto will be the exclusive content security provider for the first phase of Shaanxi’s digitalization project, projected to last for two years and including one million TV households located in 11 prefectural level cities.
“We’re pleased to partner with Irdeto to implement the first step of Shaanxi’ s digital migration. Irdeto is a well-respected content security provider due to its proven security track record. We believe our cooperation will put us in a better position to achieve our goals, not only for today but also for tomorrow,” said Li Qi, General Manager of Shaanxi Broadcasting & TV Information Network Co., Ltd.
“This is another significant milestone, for Shaanxi as well as China, moving towards digital migration,” said Graham Kill, Chief Executive Officer of Irdeto. “Shaanxi already selected Irdeto two years ago to secure the initial roll-out of its pay TV services. There have been 60,000 digital TV users who are using Irdeto smart cards in Shaanxi province. We are pleased that they have extended their trust in us, earned by living up to their expectations in terms of security and delivered services. We are very honored to be part of Shaanxi’s plans in digitizing the entire province.”
Irdeto is a subsidiary of MIH and part of the multinational media group Naspers Irdeto’s Epsilon Card, is based on the industry’s most advanced microchip technology, also used by mobile phone companies and banks. It employs Irdeto’s revolutionary new FlexiFlash technology, which allows smart card software to be securely updated over the air after cards have already been deployed. This allows for major security and functionality changes to the smart card software without the operational costs usually associated with a physical smart card swap, thus speeding the deployment time of piracy countermeasures or new services.
(GB)