DStv Mobile Deploys Irdeto to Deliver Content to Viewers on the Go

Multichoice Africa Extends its DStv Service to Laptops and Apple devices with Irdeto CAS3

AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands — Irdeto (JSE: NPN), a global software security and media technology company, today announced that it is securing and delivering live TV to mobile devices for DStv Mobile, South Africa’s first-ever broadcast mobile TV service. In partnership with Korean manufacturer Valups, Irdeto is delivering content from DStv Mobile, a Multichoice Africa Group company, to a variety of different devices on the go, including laptops, iPad, iPod Touch and iPhone.

The Valups dongle, which is being branded by DStv as the Drifta, has embedded security hardware and software from Irdeto and works with the Irdeto Conditional Access System 3 (CAS3) solution to provide best in class cryptography. This combination ensures that DStv can provide its customers with their favorite TV programs via a mobile dongle, safe in the knowledge that the content is protected by the most secure and renewable conditional access (CA) solution on the market.

Francois Theron, CEO DStv Mobile says “DStv Mobile was tasked with the challenge of taking Africa into the innovative, exciting and very important realm of mobile TV. An increasing number of Africans can now access broadcast mobile television and Multichoice Africa wanted to be the first to ensure our subscribers could watch their favorite content however and wherever they like. After much research, we chose to work with Irdeto and Valups to develop our mobile dongle as the combination provided us with cutting edge technology that would ensure we could protect our content and provide an excellent customer experience. We launched the Drifta in December 2010 to allow viewers to access multiple live TV channels on their mobile devices for the first time.”

David Canellos, SVP Sales and Marketing at Irdeto, said: “Multichoice Africa is driving the delivery of content beyond the TV to mobile devices in the region. By offering consumers access to content on multiple devices anytime, anywhere, DStv Mobile is able to increase its revenue streams and secure customer loyalty. This is important in an increasingly competitive African broadcast market.”

The Drifta is available from leading retailers in South Africa at around R599 and will launch soon in Ghana, Kenya, Namibia and Nigeria. A low cost monthly DStv mobile subscription is available for new customers and DStv premium subscribers can access the service for no additional fee.