NDS Group
Encyclopedia
NDS Group Plc. is a developer of pay TV technology. NDS was established in 1988 as an Israeli
start up company. It was acquired by News Corporation
in 1992. The company is currently headquartered in Staines
, United Kingdom
. Its major shareholders are Permira
, which holds 51%, and News Corporation, which holds approximately 49%.
The Executive Chairman of NDS is Abe Peled
and the CEO is Dave Habiger
. The company's major product is the VideoGuard
conditional access system, which is used by more than 85 leading pay TV operators around the world. ,
NDS Technology includes end to end solutions for satellite, broadband
IPTV
, Hybrid,OTT solutions and EPGs. It has just launched VideoGuard Connect, the DRM for Pay-TV, designed to help TV operators to seamlessly extend their pay-TV services to connected media devices, enabling secure ingestion, delivery and consumption of premium content over both managed and OTT networks while maintaining subscription privileges across devices.
NDS also provides advanced advertising, professional services and system integration services. New solutions to secure content on PCs, tablets, and other devices will be displayed at IBC
and CES
.
, Israel. The company was based on the technology developed by the Israeli cryptographer Adi Shamir
.
In 1992, one year after finalizing its product, the company was acquired by its primary customer, News Corp, for $15 million. In 1999, the company was spun off and began trading as a public company. It was traded on the NASDAQ
stock exchange. In 2003, NDS sales reached nearly $400 million.In 2004, NDS, by then a company with 1,500 employees, set its headquarters, with some 800 employees at the time, in Jerusalem's Har Hotzvim
high-tech industrial park, in what has been described as one of the biggest moves made by a tech firm in Israel. In 2008, the company scaled down its Har Hotzvim office from 1,100 to 1000 employees.In 2009, Permira and News Corporation announced a $3.6 billion arrangement for buying the public holding in NDS, turning it into a privately held company.
. MediaHighway
set-top-box software as been cumulatively deployed in more than 180 million set-top box
es. XTV PVR/DVR technology is used by more than 20 operators in more than 35 million set-top-boxes. It is more commonly identifiable under the names Sky+ (in BSkyB
) and DirecTV+ (in DirecTV
). NDS has deployed or activated more than 163 million set-top boxes with its MediaHighway
middleware.
NDS also supplies interactive TV applications, platforms, and development tools. NDS has over 5700 employees, with offices in the UK, Israel
, India
, United States
, Spain
, Germany
, Brazil
, Russia
, Singapore
, France
, Denmark
, South Korea
, China
, Hong Kong
and Australia
.
Leading customers include DirecTV
(in the USA), BSkyB
, Sky Italia
, Sky Deutschland, SKY México
, SKY Brasil
, SKY Network Television
(in New Zealand
), Viasat
(in Sweden
, Norway
& Denmark
), TotalTV
, Foxtel
(in Australia), China Central Television
(CCTV), Yes and Hot
(in Israel), SkyLife
, CanalSat
(in France), Astro (in Malaysia), Cablevision (in the USA), Tata Sky
, Airtel, Hathway
, Telecom Italia
and Den
(in India
).
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
start up company. It was acquired by News Corporation
News Corporation
News Corporation or News Corp. is an American multinational media conglomerate. It is the world's second-largest media conglomerate as of 2011 in terms of revenue, and the world's third largest in entertainment as of 2009, although the BBC remains the world's largest broadcaster...
in 1992. The company is currently headquartered in Staines
Staines
Staines is a Thames-side town in the Spelthorne borough of Surrey and Greater London Urban Area, as well as the London Commuter Belt of South East England. It is a suburban development within the western bounds of the M25 motorway and located 17 miles west south-west of Charing Cross in...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Its major shareholders are Permira
Permira
Permira is a United Kingdom-based private equity firm with global reach. The firm advises funds with a total committed capital of approximately €20 billion....
, which holds 51%, and News Corporation, which holds approximately 49%.
The Executive Chairman of NDS is Abe Peled
Abe Peled
-Education:Peled graduated from the Technion with BSc, and MSc in 1967 and 1971 respectively, both degrees in Electrical Engineering. He did his graduate work at Princeton University in the US on Digital Signal Processing and got his PhD in 1974.-Career:...
and the CEO is Dave Habiger
Dave Habiger
David "Dave" Habiger is an American digital media executive and entrepreneur. He has been appointed as NDS Group Chief Executive Officer in 2011 . He was president and chief executive officer of Sonic Solutions. He was the founder of Providence Productions.-Early life:Habiger was born in Joliet,...
. The company's major product is the VideoGuard
VideoGuard
VideoGuard , produced by NDS, is a digital encryption system for use with conditional access television broadcasting. It is used on digital satellite television systems - some of which are operated by News Corporation, which owns about half of NDS...
conditional access system, which is used by more than 85 leading pay TV operators around the world. ,
NDS Technology includes end to end solutions for satellite, broadband
Broadband
The term broadband refers to a telecommunications signal or device of greater bandwidth, in some sense, than another standard or usual signal or device . Different criteria for "broad" have been applied in different contexts and at different times...
IPTV
IPTV
Internet Protocol television is a system through which television services are delivered using the Internet protocol suite over a packet-switched network such as the Internet, instead of being delivered through traditional terrestrial, satellite signal, and cable television formats.IPTV services...
, Hybrid,OTT solutions and EPGs. It has just launched VideoGuard Connect, the DRM for Pay-TV, designed to help TV operators to seamlessly extend their pay-TV services to connected media devices, enabling secure ingestion, delivery and consumption of premium content over both managed and OTT networks while maintaining subscription privileges across devices.
NDS also provides advanced advertising, professional services and system integration services. New solutions to secure content on PCs, tablets, and other devices will be displayed at IBC
IBC
IBC is an initialism that can stand for:*IBC Root Beer*Impedance Boundary Condition*Independence Blue Cross*Índice Bursátil Caracas, a stock market index of the Caracas Stock Exchange*Inflammatory Breast Cancer*Institute of Business Consulting...
and CES
CES
CES may stand for:*Closed ecological system, an ecosystem that does not rely on matter exchange with any part outside the system*Constant elasticity of substitution, an economics production function*The ISO 639 code for the Czech language...
.
History
The company was established in 1988 by a group of ten scientists of the Weizmann Institute, a university and research institute in RehovotRehovot
Rehovot is a city in the Center District of Israel, about south of Tel Aviv. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 112,700. Rehovot's official website estimates the population at 114,000.Rehovot was built on the site of Doron,...
, Israel. The company was based on the technology developed by the Israeli cryptographer Adi Shamir
Adi Shamir
Adi Shamir is an Israeli cryptographer. He is a co-inventor of the RSA algorithm , a co-inventor of the Feige–Fiat–Shamir identification scheme , one of the inventors of differential cryptanalysis and has made numerous contributions to the fields of cryptography and computer...
.
In 1992, one year after finalizing its product, the company was acquired by its primary customer, News Corp, for $15 million. In 1999, the company was spun off and began trading as a public company. It was traded on the NASDAQ
NASDAQ
The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...
stock exchange. In 2003, NDS sales reached nearly $400 million.In 2004, NDS, by then a company with 1,500 employees, set its headquarters, with some 800 employees at the time, in Jerusalem's Har Hotzvim
Har Hotzvim
Har Hotzvim , also Campus of Science-Rich Industries is a high-tech industrial park located in northwest Jerusalem, Israel. It is the city's main zone for science-based and technology industries, among them Intel, Teva, Amdocs, NDS, Ophir Optronics, Sandvine, Radware and IDT Global Israel...
high-tech industrial park, in what has been described as one of the biggest moves made by a tech firm in Israel. In 2008, the company scaled down its Har Hotzvim office from 1,100 to 1000 employees.In 2009, Permira and News Corporation announced a $3.6 billion arrangement for buying the public holding in NDS, turning it into a privately held company.
Acquisitions
- In December 2000 NDS acquired Orbis Technology, a british company which develops software for interactive betting, in order to strengthens its application portfolio for Interactive TV.
- In March 2008 Orbis Technology acquired Electracade Ltd, a UK based developer of online interactive games for £2.6M.
- In July 2010 Orbis Technology acquired Alphameric Solutions, a provider of technology to the bookmaking marketplace, from Alphameric PLC for £15.5M.
- In February 2011, Orbis Technology was sold by NDS for £208m, in a management buyout backed by private equity firm Vitruvian Partners.
- In June 2002 NDS acquired Visionik A/S, a Danish company, which provides digital interactive broadcast technology.
- In August 2003 NDS acquired all the intellectual property assets of a French interactive TV technology company Interactif Delta Production S.A.
- On 16 December 2003, NDS acquired the MediaHighwayMediaHighwayMediaHighway is an interactive television middleware software introduced in 1993 by Paris-based Canal+ Technologies SA, part of the Canal+ Group. It is currently owned and developed by the NDS Group, which acquired it from Thomson SA in 2003. According to the manufacturer it is used by 69 million...
middleware business from Canal+ TechnologiesCanal+ GroupCanal Plus Group is a French film and television studio and distributor. It is controlled by Vivendi and has a film library in excess of 5,000 films. Vivendi has sold some parts of Canal Plus to private investors which are still using the name of Canal Plus...
a subsidiary of Thomson SAThomson SATechnicolor SA , formerly Thomson SA and Thomson Multimedia, is a French international provider of solutions for the creation, management, post-production, delivery and access of video, for the Communication, Media and Entertainment industries. Technicolor’s headquarters are located in Issy les...
and licensed certain related patents from Thomson SAThomson SATechnicolor SA , formerly Thomson SA and Thomson Multimedia, is a French international provider of solutions for the creation, management, post-production, delivery and access of video, for the Communication, Media and Entertainment industries. Technicolor’s headquarters are located in Issy les...
for a total consideration of EUR 60 million. - In October 2006 NDS acquired Danish game design company ITE.
- On December 4, 2006, NDS acquired JungoJungoJungo Ltd is a provider of residential and business gateway software platforms and applications. Jungo Ltd. is an NDS Group Plc Company.The NDS Group is the leading supplier of open end-to-end digital pay-TV solutions for the secure delivery of entertainment and information to television set-top...
, which provides software for residential gateways, for an aggregate consideration of up to $107.5 million in cash.
- On August 7, 2007 NDS acquired CastUp Inc, which provides an end to end solution for the acquisition, processing, distributing, serving and monetizing of rich media content over IP, particularly video and audio over the internet.
Products and Customers
As of June 2011, more than 150 million active CA and DRM devices use VideoguardVideoGuard
VideoGuard , produced by NDS, is a digital encryption system for use with conditional access television broadcasting. It is used on digital satellite television systems - some of which are operated by News Corporation, which owns about half of NDS...
. MediaHighway
MediaHighway
MediaHighway is an interactive television middleware software introduced in 1993 by Paris-based Canal+ Technologies SA, part of the Canal+ Group. It is currently owned and developed by the NDS Group, which acquired it from Thomson SA in 2003. According to the manufacturer it is used by 69 million...
set-top-box software as been cumulatively deployed in more than 180 million set-top box
Set-top box
A set-top box or set-top unit is an information appliance device that generally contains a tuner and connects to a television set and an external source of signal, turning the signal into content which is then displayed on the television screen or other display device.-History:Before the...
es. XTV PVR/DVR technology is used by more than 20 operators in more than 35 million set-top-boxes. It is more commonly identifiable under the names Sky+ (in BSkyB
British Sky Broadcasting
British Sky Broadcasting Group plc is a satellite broadcasting, broadband and telephony services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, with operations in the United Kingdom and the Ireland....
) and DirecTV+ (in DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
). NDS has deployed or activated more than 163 million set-top boxes with its MediaHighway
MediaHighway
MediaHighway is an interactive television middleware software introduced in 1993 by Paris-based Canal+ Technologies SA, part of the Canal+ Group. It is currently owned and developed by the NDS Group, which acquired it from Thomson SA in 2003. According to the manufacturer it is used by 69 million...
middleware.
NDS also supplies interactive TV applications, platforms, and development tools. NDS has over 5700 employees, with offices in the UK, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Leading customers include DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
(in the USA), BSkyB
British Sky Broadcasting
British Sky Broadcasting Group plc is a satellite broadcasting, broadband and telephony services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, with operations in the United Kingdom and the Ireland....
, Sky Italia
Sky Italia
Sky Italia S.r.l. is an Italian digital satellite television platform owned by News Corporation launched on 1 August 2003, when the former platforms TELE+ and Stream TV merged together...
, Sky Deutschland, SKY México
SKY México
SKY México is a company that operates a subscription television service in the Mexico, Central America, Dominican Republic area. It produces TV content, and owns several TV channels...
, SKY Brasil
SKY Brasil
SKY Brasil is a company that operates a subscription television service in Brazil. It produces TV content, and owns several TV channels. 7% of the equity is owned and operated by Globo the remainder is owned by DirecTV.-History:...
, SKY Network Television
SKY Network Television
Sky Network Television Limited , , is a New Zealand pay television service. On 30 June 2011, Sky had 829,421 subscribers, which comprises:*808,617 digital subscribers*20,840 other subscribers...
(in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
), Viasat
Viasat
Viasat is a DBS distributor and TV broadcaster, owned by the Swedish media conglomerate Modern Times Group. Broadcasting from London, the target markets are in the Nordic and the Baltic Countries...
(in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
& Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
), TotalTV
TotalTV
TotalTV is the first Serbian Direct To Home platform, offering over 80 digital TV channels via satellite. Owner of platform is the largest Serbian cable operator Serbia Broadband - Srpske kablovske mreže ....
, Foxtel
Foxtel
Foxtel is an Australian pay television company, operating cable, direct broadcast satellite television and IPTV services. It was formed in 1995 through a joint venture established between Telstra and News Corporation....
(in Australia), China Central Television
China Central Television
China Central Television or Chinese Central Television, commonly abbreviated as CCTV, is the major state television broadcaster in mainland China. CCTV has a network of 19 channels broadcasting different programmes and is accessible to more than one billion viewers...
(CCTV), Yes and Hot
Hot (Israel)
HOT Telecommunication Systems Ltd. is a company that provides cable television, last-mile Internet access, broadband and telecommunication services in Israel. It also provides various data transmission services and network services at different rates, services to the business sector and other...
(in Israel), SkyLife
SkyLife
KT Skylife is a satellite broadcasting provider of South Korea.-Brief history:* December 19, 2000 - Korean Government decided as the official satellite television provider * March 30, 2001 - Established company...
, CanalSat
CanalSat
CanalSat is a French digital satellite and DSL pay television service. It is owned by Vivendi with a 65% share, minority shareholders are Lagardère , TF1 and M6...
(in France), Astro (in Malaysia), Cablevision (in the USA), Tata Sky
Tata Sky
TATA Sky is a direct broadcast satellite television provider in India, using MPEG-2 digital compression technology, transmitting using INSAT 4A at 83.0°E....
, Airtel, Hathway
Hathway
Hathway Cable & Datacom Ltd is a major cable television service operator in India that is based in Mumbai. It has large operations in many cities, including Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore. It has diversified into providing internet via cable and was one of the first to do so in Chennai. In...
, Telecom Italia
Telecom Italia
Telecom Italia is the largest Italian telecommunications company, also active in the media and manufacturing industries. Now a private concern listed on the Borsa Italiana, it was founded in 1994 by the merger of several state-owned telecommunications companies, the most important of which was...
and Den
Den
Den may refer to:*Den , a part of a house similar to the living room: a den is about the size of a living room, but smaller than a family room*Den , a Ukrainian newspaper*Den , a Pharaoh of Egypt...
(in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
).
See also
- Conditional accessConditional accessConditional Access is the protection of content by requiring certain criteria to be met before granting access to this content...
- Interactive televisionInteractive televisionInteractive television describes a number of techniques that allow viewers to interact with television content as they view it.- Definitions :...
- Science and technology in IsraelScience and technology in IsraelScience and technology in Israel is one of the country's most developed sectors. The percentage of Israelis engaged in scientific and technological inquiry, and the amount spent on research and development in relation to gross domestic product , is amongst the highest in the world...
- Silicon WadiSilicon WadiSilicon Wadi is an area with a high concentration of high-tech industries in the coastal plain in Israel, similar to Silicon Valley in California, in the United States. Silicon Wadi is considered second in importance only to its Californian counterpart...