(31 March 2009 1:30 pm)

MUMBAI: NDS, which Indian cable TV operators find expensive, is coming out with cheaper digital pay-TV solutions to specifically address this market.

For allowing cable operators the flexibility to select solutions that would suit their budget and strategy, the News Corp-owned company has tied up with Noida-based HCL Infosystems.

NDS, which has so far been successful in getting Hathway Cable & Datacom and Digital Entertainment Networks as its clients in India, now hopes to broaden its reach in the expanding digital cable TV market in India with a more flexible pricing approach. According to the multi-system operators (MSOs) Indiantelevision.com spoke to, NDS' digital pay-TV system costs around 30 per cent higher than the other competing providers.

The collaboration between NDS and HCL will aim to address this gap by opening up a consortium of vendors to deliver a complete array of services. The alliance will offer pre-integrated solutions to minimise the operational cost.

The alliance will also be able to offer solutions that provide operators with the foundation for migrating to digital and a "comprehensive but flexible" roadmap for the future. This will soften the process for operators to offer a wider range of new services, including IPTV and a variety of next-generation converged solutions.

Says NDS senior VP and GM Asia Pacific Sue Taylor, “With HCL and NDS, operators will get access to a choice of solutions. Our open standards-based solutions help operators keep costs down while offering a future roadmap that maximises choice. Together HCL and NDS are offering the most flexible range of solutions available.”

NDS aims to tap the independent operators even as the leading MSOs have already aligned with the digital pay-TV solution providers for migrating from analogue to digital cable TV.

Says HCL EVP George Paul, "With this tie-up we aim to offer technology solutions that are affordable, scalable and relevant to cable operators in India. We are sure that our collaboration with NDS, as part of our growing consortium of co-operating vendors, will promote the growth of the Indian digital cable TV market."

NDS, which had a base in Bangalore, set up its Mumbai and Delhi office to offer technology support and expand its digital pay-TV business in India. Among the DTH service providers, the company offers its solutions to Tata Sky and Bharti's Airtel Digital TV.

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