CANAL+ Launches the World's First HD Digital Terrestrial USB Key Decoder for Pay TV

PARIS, France and CHESEAUX, Switzerland — Vivendi (Paris: VIV) subsidiary CANAL+ Group, leader in the programming and distribution of pay TV offerings in France, Nagravision, a Kudelski Group company (SWX:KUD.VX) and the leading provider of content protection and value-added service technology and SmarDTV, the leading removable device security company, joined forces to successfully deliver the world’s first HD digital terrestrial (DTT) USB key decoder for pay television viewing on personal computers.

Launched in August by CANAL+ under the name LA CLE CANAL+, the device offers subscribers a seamless experience bundling the CANAL+ Group’s premium content with more than 18 DTT free-to-air and local channels. The entire content protection for encrypted premium programming, including rights management on the PC, relies on the Nagravision and SmarDTV solution.

Representing a major worldwide innovation, CANAL+ subscribers can connect the USB key to PCs for anytime, anywhere viewing of the company’s DTT programming bouquet. Plugged into a USB port on the PC and without needing a connection to the Internet, the device allows access to TV programs on a PC. CANAL+ offering includes live viewing, recording of premium content with the PC acting as a PVR, a program guide and two mini antennas for an optimal reception. The device decrypts the content using Nagravision’s conditional access system in a SIM form factor and no external set-top box is needed. The complete solution is available through Nagravision, today.

“LA CLE CANAL+ new service complements our existing offers perfectly, giving subscribers guaranteed continued access to the rich variety of Canal+ Le Bouquet content in high quality HD on their PC wherever they are,” said Jean-Christophe Dekeyser-Donze, Business Development Director for PCTV of the CANAL+ Group. “Additionally, it allows us to reach new target groups who aren’t currently subscribers to the Canal+ service, particularly young adults or frequent and regular Internet users who don’t watch much TV.”

“CANAL+ Group leveraged the technology leadership of Nagravision and SmarDTV to take a lead in the digital television industry by offering yet another method for subscribers to access their programming, anytime and anywhere,” said Pierre Roy, EVP of the Kudelski Group and COO of Nagravision. “We congratulate them on the launch of LA CLE CANAL+.”

“With this revolutionary Nagravision/SmarDTV solution, DTT operators worldwide seeking to reach previously untapped audiences can offer similar services as the CANAL+ Group,” said Eric Chaubert, CEO of SmarDTV.

CANAL+ Group’s LA CLE CANAL+ solution based on Nagravision conditional access and SmarDTV USB HD DTT USB key decoder will be revealed with a live demonstration on the Nagravision stand 1.D69 at the IBC2008 trade show.