FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, October 10, 2005
Magnet Networks Selects Widevine® to Protect VOD, Broadcast Content
Rapid deployment required of Region’s First Triple-Play over ADSL+2 and Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH)
Seattle, Wash. Oct. 10, 2005 –Widevine Technologies, the most deployed provider of comprehensive downloadable conditional access systems (DCAS) and digital rights management (DRM) for video operators, today announced that Magnet Networks of Dublin, Ireland, has chosen Widevine Cypher® to provide content security for its complete video broadcast and video-on-demand (VOD) service—the first triple-play access deployment in the region using ADSL+2 and FTTH.
Magnet Network’s decision to select Widevine—the preferred comprehensive content security solution for more than 60 customers worldwide—was primarily based on the maturity of Widevine Cypher, which enabled a rapid roll-out of service to thousands of households at the time of launch.
Magnet Networks is the first company to offer triple-play services to Ireland using FTTH technology, beginning in December 2004. Most recently, they launched their ADSL2+ multi-play digital service to homes in parts of Dublin, and plans are in place to expand to the rest of the city over the next few months. Outside Ireland’s capital, the company plans to expand its services to Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford by mid-2006. The ADSL2+ triple-play access deployment is part of a €65m (USD $78.3 million) network investment strategy to be implemented over the next three years.
”We selected the Widevine solution because of its comprehensive nature,” said Ingvar Gardarsson, CEO of Magnet Networks. “Cypher delivers both conditional access and digital rights management capabilities with a hardware encrypted head-end and offers software-based downloadable virtual smartcards on client devices. This approach dispenses with the need for physical smart cards, resulting in a savings of time, labor and associated costs to combat potential piracy.”
Widevine Virtual SmartCard™ clients are deployed on all set- top boxes Magnet uses in their service domain. Integration of the system will be conducted by leading broadband solutions provider Industria, who selected it for Magnet Networks.
“Industria will be integrating the Widevine solution into the strong software platform already employed by Magnet Networks,” says Industria CEO Gudjon Mar Gudjonsson. “This will result in a much more flexible content protection set-up than its predecessor and allows both Industria and Magnet to grow and evolve our business models in the future.”
About Widevine Technologies, Inc.
Widevine is the most widely deployed provider of content security solutions for IP video operators worldwide. Widevine enables telco, cable and satellite operators to generate new revenue opportunities through the secure distribution of their video distribution, identification and tracking of digital content.
Utilizing a combination of hardware and software-based encryption, Cypher persistently encrypts both digital broadcast and video-on-demand (VOD) content, regardless of video infrastructure, network protocols or compression technologies. An innovator in the industry, Widevine invented the downloadable, software-based Cypher Virtual SmartCard™ client which today protects more IP video set-top boxes and devices in the industry than any other vendor. Widevine Virtual SmartCard clients quickly and affordably enable operators to combat piracy on set-top boxes, personal video recorders and other devices within the home. Widevine Secure operators are guaranteed to encrypt studio and broadcaster content, across any video distribution network and on any Widevine Secure device.
Widevine is a privately held corporation headquartered in Seattle, WA, funded by Charter Ventures, Constellation Ventures, PaceSetter Capital Group, Phoenix Capital Partners, VantagePoint Venture Partners and Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd (DNP).
For more information see Widevine Technologies at www.widevine.com.
About Magnet Networks
Magnet Networks is an Irish company utilizing the latest in broadband technology to provide residential and business customers with multi-play digital telephony, internet and television services.
Magnet Networks is a fully owned subsidiary of US-based private equity investment company Columbia Ventures Corporation (www.colventures.com), holder of extensive telecoms interests on both sides of the Atlantic and elsewhere, and a sister company of Irish broadband wireless specialist service provider Leap Broadband (www.leap.ie) and Hibernia Atlantic (www.hiberniaatlantic.com), owner/operator of Ireland's only direct fiber-optic link with North America and the UK.
To assist with the design and implementation of both its FTTH and ADSL2+ network rollouts, the company has partnered with leading broadband solutions provider and systems integrator Industria (www.industria.com).
About Industria
Industria is a leading total broadband solutions provider and systems integrator involved in the design, implementation and operation of multi play broadband networks for investment companies, utilities, property developers and telecommunication companies. The Industria range of turn-key products and services enables network owners to connect to a range of broadband services including IPTV, video-on-demand, internet, telephony, security and to other broadband services from varying service providers. Through its next-generation network management and billing platform, Industria provides the software systems to manage and drive network revenue. Industria operates in Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Poland, Bulgaria, the UK and Ireland. For further information on Industria and the company's activities, visit www.industria.com.
Media Contact:
For Widevine:
Eric Moser
Tel: +1 312 329 3908
mosere@ruderfinn.com
For Magnet Networks:
Rab Christie
+353 (0) 879978163
rab@industria.com
All trade names, trademarks, and/or service marks appearing herein are owned by their respective holders. |
