MUMBAI: Foxtel announced launch of digital subscription TV platform in Australia with NDS technology.

NDS group plc, a News Corporation company and provider of technology solutions for digital subscription TV, announced its successful completion of the first phase of systems integration for Foxtel Digital.

Foxtel, Australia's leading subscription television provider launched its revolutionary digital TV service, Foxtel Digital, on 14 March 2004 which offers consumers a totally new television experience with an unparallel choice of more than 130 digital channels and services.

"During the preparation for Foxtel Digital, we conducted a global search for technology that could meet the unique requirements of the Foxtel Digital platform. We selected NDS because Video guard conditional access technology met our technical needs and also supports a variety of business models", says Foxtel Director of Digital Patrick Delany.

The digital launch includes ambitious plans to upgrade set-top boxes currently deployed by Foxtel to NDS Video Guard conditional access which will enable existing Foxtel subscribers to enjoy the new extensive digital offering without replacement of the set-top boxes.

NDS General Manager Australia and New Zealand Peter Iles said, "The combination of cable and satellite technologies coupled with the existing Foxtel service presented some unique challenges".

He further said, "Proven NDS technologies helped ensure fast time-to-market and provided the platform to launch Foxtel Digital".

The NDS electronic program guide (EPG) provides Foxtel Digital with innovative search and allows subscribers to view programs by time, genre and sub genre for a full seven days in advance. But the advanced EPG will also provide a synopsis of each program together with classification and parental control and gives viewers an easy way to navigate around Foxtel Digital, providing on-screen reminders when their favourite programs are due to start.