Recent
news has made it clear that it’s only a matter of time until CableCARD
technology meets its ultimate demise. It’s an outdated technology that simply
has not kept up with the times and is actually hindering the natural
progression of the industry, which is increasingly leaning towards mobile.
While there was reason for CableCARD implementation in the
first place, the industry’s technology has advanced and most MSOs are ready to
move on. Security was one of the primary reasons CableCARD was introduced and
there are currently a plethora of more effective offerings available. Downloadable
conditional access solutions, for example, eliminate the need for CableCARDs
while maintaining condition access (CA) independence and have been deployed for
many years.
Two available solutions that utilize downloadable
conditional access strategies are OMS and XCAS. Check out their respective
merits below.
Open Media Security (OMS) –
Already deployed in North America since 2010, OMS can support a variety of CA systems, however
they must conform to the OMS Key Ladder. A key benefit of OMS is that it allows for
multiple companies to provide solutions and maintains interoperability between CA and the STB. OMS is already
proven an effective alternative to CableCARD.
Exchangeable Conditional
Access Solution (XCAS) – Developed in Korea and deployed internationally by many service providers, CA
systems and STB manufacturers, XCAS uses KLAD
technology
and offers more flexibility than the OMS as well as some additional security,
though at the cost of some
added complexity.
There are additional CA strategies that do not offer the
benefit of being downloadable. One strategy involves Digital Transport Adapters
(DTAs). DTAs have recently seen improvements to allow some interactivity but
they are still much simpler and less powerful than STBs. DTAs are currently
prohibited under the FCC’s Integration Ban but an active petition is seeking to
change this.
There are many alternatives at the ready to be widely
adopted once CableCARD requirements are officially removed, which is likely to
happen in September when the Satellite
Television Extension and Localism Reauthorization Act of 2014, also known as
STELA, goes before the Senate. The bottom line is that it’s time for
CableCARD to go and for widespread adoption of other, more effective strategies,
like OMS and XCAS, to take place.
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