NDS Group plc, a News Corporation company and a leading provider of technology solutions for digital pay TV, today announced that Shanghai Cable Network Co. Ltd. selected NDS VideoGuard conditional access for the expansion of digital cable TV services in the Shanghai metropolitan area.

Shanghai Cable Network will now be able to simulcrypt programming broadcast on their network, a requirement for future business growth. Shanghai Cable Network broadcasts to more than 3.5 million households, making it one of the largest single-city cable TV networks in China. Shanghai Cable Network is a leader in digital broadcasting in China, and was one of the first network operators in China to offer digital broadcasting and broadband services on a two-way network.

Shanghai Cable Network has commenced a trial launch of digital broadcasting services using NDS VideoGuard conditional access and a customized electronic program guide developed by NDS. NDS Beijing engineers developed the simulcrypt, installed the trial system and completed system testing requirements in just a few months. Simulcrypt is a protocol that enables two conditional access systems to run in parallel on a single broadcast network. With simulcrypt Shanghai Cable Network will be able to broadcast programming encrypted through two systems within a single broadcast network, thereby creating more opportunity to carry programming from other programmers and broadcasters on the local broadcast platform.

Shanghai Cable Network gains further strategic advantage from using the NDS dual algorithm conditional access system developed especially for China. The dual algorithm authentication will enable encrypted services from a content provider to be carried on the Shanghai Cable Network, and enable the two operators to cooperate on authorization of subscribers. This is the first time worldwide that NDS systems have utilized a dual algorithm authentication method.