UK-based firm launches low cost set-top box

Mumbai, Oct 23 (UNI) UK-based News Digital Service (NDS) today unveiled its low cost Conditional Access System (CAS) set-top box, designed for 72 million strong subscribers in the Indian cable market.

CAS has been customized for the Indian market with an 'open system' to enable cable operators to upgrade the functions as per market needs. The system will also be easy to operate, possess a short lead time for rapid development and will be priced within the range of small operators.

''India is a substantial part of our revenue stream and the price will depend on our talks with cable operators,'' NDS Asia-Pacific Operations Director David Godfrey confirmed.

The model marked for India has had successful runs in east Europe and Africa, both emerging cable markets like India, and will be available pan-India with the metros being the initial primary markets.

NDS has a customer base of 75.4 million active smart card base from 50 platforms in 35 countries. It earned USD 32 billion on pay TV during the last fiscal and employs 750 people in India at its sales office in Mumbai and research and development office in Bangalore.

UNI