NDS has decided to adopt Microsoft’s enhanced television solution based on open standards. Microsoft, in a statement, said the link with NDS would also be targeted at the current generation of digital set-top boxes, “enabling Microsoft to offer the most comprehensive enhanced TV platform solution available.”

Dr Abe Peled, speaking exclusively to Interspace, said: “NDS’ core business is conditional access and interactive applications in head-end software. We do have operating middle-ware systems of our own to support those applications, and this is deployed in 1.5 million boxes. While being DVB compliant and offering HTML-support, it is nevertheless not our core business. This alliance with Microsoft allows our customers to see a forward path on their existing platforms evolving to more interactivity, embracing Internet standards as well as other emerging standards like OpenCable. This now becomes part of the Microsoft TV solutions platform, and we hope this will benefit current customers, and a very cost-effective solution, and entry, into markets where Microsoft is active. We expect NDS to benefit accordingly.”

NDS’ first client will be GloboCabo, where Microsoft has an equity stake, “and we hope this will prove to be a good win for us,” says Peled, suggesting the technology will be implemented this year.

Peled said while Microsoft is not yet releasing its pricing policy he expected the overall result of the agreement to mean lower costs. “They have the volume, which is why I have decided we are not in the operating systems business, where you need huge volumes. Up to now we have been system-agnostic, providing solutions whatever the operating system.”