Major International Deployment of Ultra HD Services Relies on Alticast’s AltiProtect Conditional Access Solution for Security

South Korea’s CJ Hellovision is Latest Service Provider to Launch Ultra HD Services

Alticast, a global partner for the delivery of media entertainment, has been selected to provide the security for the ambitious rollout of Ultra High Definition (Ultra HD) video services by CJ Hellovision, South Korea’s largest cable television operator which now offers both live and on-demand Ultra HD programming to all of its more than 4.3 million subscribers. 

The key to the secure delivery of CJ Hellovision’s Ultra HD programming is the deployment of Alticast’s AltiProtect conditional access system (CAS) using the Alticast Download and Exchange framework (XCAS).  The deployment began in November 2014 when CJ Hellovision rolled out new set-top boxes (STBs) and smart TVs using AltiProtect.  The company is also remotely swapping the legacy CAS on its previously deployed HD STBs to AltiProtect and this process is slated to be complete in April.

“Ensuring the security of our Ultra HD services is a major concern and the reason we selected Alticast to supply the critical conditional access component,” said Hong-Ik Kim, Smart Engineering Team Manager at CJ Hellovision.  “Their AltiProtect CAS not only ensures that our Ultra HD programming is delivered securely, its outstanding performance, interoperability and security allow us to easily expand our multiscreen services to new devices.”

“This deployment of Ultra HD is the latest example of CJ Hellovision’s history of constant innovation and validation of the AltiProtect solution and its capabilities,” said Mansoo Han, Chief Marketing Officer of Alticast.  “Securing content continues to be a critical concern for service providers worldwide as they offer Ultra HD and other services to an ever increasing array of devices inside and outside the home.  Our AltiProtect solution specifically addresses service providers’ most demanding security requirements on both STBs and consumer-owned devices.”

Alticast’s proven AltiProtect CAS solution enables service providers to ensure their programming content is securely delivered and viewed only by authorized subscribers.  Proven in major deployments, AltiProtect is currently installed on millions of STBs deployed by multiple cable operators worldwide and is ideal for both legacy STBs and next-generation devices that are based on either hardware-enabled security (e.g. CableCARD) or non-hardware security.  Complementing AltiProtect is the AltiProtect Downloadable and Exchangeable framework (XCAS), which allows operators to seamlessly and remotely swap CAS systems.  This reduces costs by eliminating truck rolls and preserving investments in legacy STBs while also speeding the introduction of new devices.

About CJ Hellovision

CJ Hellovision is South Korea’s largest multiple systems operator (MSO) and provides its more than 4.3 million subscribers with a full suite of broadband data, voice and video services, including hundreds of channels of live and on-demand programming.  More information is available at http://eng.cjhellovision.com/

The Latest on Life After CableCARD

With the obligation to use the CableCARD security scheme now a thing of the past, the question is: what will replace it? This is the question examined in an article from Light Reading, “Who will own cable’s Content Security?.”

Alticast CTO and President, John Carlucci, was interviewed for this article, which gives insight into the issues with replacing CableCARD with downloadable security for set-top boxes and where the future lies. The FCC are in the process of creating  an advisory board to look into alternative security options and this article is well worth reading by anyone interested in life after CableCARD.  

The Demise of CableCARD Opens Major New Benefits for DCAS

If you haven't yet seen this, click on the link below to watch John Carlucci, President and CTO of Alticast, North America, discuss the demise of the CableCARD.

http://trk.cp20.com/Tracking/t.c?7vcbw-l8b24-rn3gdw8&_v=2

The End of the CableCARD

Written by John Carlucci, Alticast US CTO

From time to time, we reflect on the end of CableCard...

The US House of Representatives passed legislation that will sunset the CableCard generating separable security requirement over two years. In September, legislation was introduced into the Senate that allows for a working group to investigate a substitute that would stimulate creation of “competitive devices”.  Bill S.2799 (http://www.opencongress.org/bill/s2799-113/show) suggests a “software-based downloadable security system”.  The charter for the working group is shown below. 

• (1) IN GENERAL- Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission shall convene a working group of technical experts representing a wide-range of stakeholders, to identify, report, and recommend performance objectives, technical capabilities, and technical standards of a not unduly burdensome, uniform, and technology- and platform-neutral software-based downloadable security system designed to promote the competitive availability of navigation devices in furtherance of section 629 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 549).

Moving Past CableCARD

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.

Could this be the End for CableCARD?

It’s not often that cable operators have disliked an initiative as much as they have CableCARD. Fortunately, several years after the FCC banned cable companies from including integrated security in consumer set-top boxes, the unbelievably long reign of CableCARD is likely coming to an end, pending Senate approval in September.

Late Tuesday, the House passed the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Reauthorization Act of 2014, which aims to give satellite operators the power to import distant network signals when local affiliate stations aren't available and, some would argue most importantly, eliminates the requirement that cable operators separate security from set-tops in the form of a CableCARD.

Without facing the limitations brought on by CableCARD, cable operators will be able to drastically cut down on hardware costs and more fully support downloadable conditional access techniques. The Satellite Television Extension and Localism Reauthorization Act of 2014 will also level the playful field between cable operators and satellite and telecom TV providers by removing burdens that only apply to operators.

It’s no secret how many within the cable industry feel about CableCARD and the House’s recent vote demonstrates its recognition that it is time for change. Though the House’s vote is a step in the right direction, the battle to end CableCARD isn’t quite over. The bill still needs Senate consideration and approval to become law and allow CableCARD to finally be put to pasture.

Check out the full story on the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Reauthorization Act here from Light Reading.

Forget Unplugging the Coffeemaker; STB Power Consumption is Under Fire

According to Bloomberg, there are 224 million cable TV set-top boxes (STBs) currently deployed in the U.S. Many of these are constantly humming and over 47 million STBs are filled with outdated CableCARD technology that’s anything but “green.” In fact, a recent FierceCable story stated that cable boxes are the second biggest energy suckers in homes. Not only is this damaging to the environment, but it’s also costing consumers more in energy costs.

However, as living room staples, STBs aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. Experts predict that the number of cable boxes will grow 29 percent by 2040 in the U.S. alone, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and more STBs mean increased energy consumption.

So what do we do about it?

There are several ways to reduce STB power consumption. In fact, in late 2012 15 industry-leading multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) and equipment manufacturers took a voluntary approach and launched a multi-step initiative that aimed to save $1.5 billion in annual residential electricity costs and reduce carbon emissions by the equivalent of four power plants each year. The initiative included tactics like only producing STBs that meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR 3.0 (ESv3) efficiency levels and utilizing new technology to enable STBs to run at a reduced power level when they aren’t in use.

The agreement, which is detailed in this National Cable and Telecommunications Association report, also pledges that participants will support ongoing research to solve the problem of high STB energy consumption. Participating companies developed a dedicated Energy Lab to continue research and also committed to regular industry meetings on the subject.

Another simple change we can make immediately to reduce STB energy consumption beyond the strategies already in place is to remove an outdated, but still required, piece of technology inside STBs called CableCARD.

This strategy to remove the outdated CableCARD component is guaranteed to reduce the impact STBs have on the environment as it doesn’t rely on consumer behavior whatsoever. CableCARDs, which are comprised of PCMCIA cards loaded with conditional access (CA) software, were created as a response to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) 1996 mandate for separating security from the set-top itself. Since it was implemented almost two decades ago, CableCARD technology has remained completely unchanged despite the fact that the cable industry is virtually unrecognizable. Removing CableCARD from STBs will have numerous benefits; decreasing energy consumption is just one of them.

While it’s important to note that there isn’t a “one size fits all solution” that will completely solve the STB energy consumption issue, there are many actionable steps that can be taken throughout the industry to contribute to a more energy efficient process.

STBs are critical components in most of our TV viewing lives, so it’s important that we do what we can to reduce their “environmental footprint” as much as possible.

Check out the FierceCable article on STB energy consumption here.