Tata Sky selects NDS systems to create India's most advanced digital and interactive DTH service

Highlights:

  • NDS end-to-end systems to be deployed by Tata Sky to offer an unprecedented range of digital and interactive TV services in India
  • Tata Sky to offer greater choice and superior quality of pay television services to subscribers across India
  • Tata Sky joins other world-leading international DTH operators in deploying proven NDS solutions to support their business

Mumbai, India - January 30, 2006 - Tata Sky Ltd., the DTH venture of TATA and STAR, today announced their partnership with NDS Group Plc, the leading provider of technology solutions for digital pay TV. Tata Sky has chosen NDS end-to-end solutions for the launch of the company's Direct-to-Home (DTH) television service in India in mid-2006. Many leading DTH operators such as BSkyB (UK), Foxtel (Australia), and Sky Italia (Italy) have also deployed NDS solutions for their business.

Tata Sky is investing in building a high quality digital infrastructure in the country to offer a superior television viewing experience to Indian households. The service will enhance the choice for viewers looking for the best of pay television services in the country. Tata Sky aims to become India's largest digital television platform, offering consumers a wide array of programming choices with interactive features and superior picture and sound quality.

Mr Vikram Kaushik, CEO, Tata Sky Ltd said, "We are committed to building a state-of-the-art DTH operation in India for which we have selected NDS to provide end-to-end solutions. This will enable us to transfer control and choice into the hands of subscribers."

Ms Sue Taylor, Vice President and General Manager, NDS Asia Pacific said, "We are delighted to be selected by Tata Sky. This is an endorsement of the NDS position as the leader in conditional access systems. As systems integrator, NDS is uniquely capable of delivering the complex platform in the aggressive timescale set by Tata Sky."

NDS is working with Tata Sky to build a-world-class broadcast infrastructure. NDS systems will play a key role in the end-to-end system architecture and launching the nationwide digital service. The NDS VideoGuard conditional access solution provides superior broadcast security, and enables Tata Sky to offer multiple programming and pricing packages. Value@TV interactive infrastructure will enable Tata Sky to offer interactive services to subscribers. NDS engineers in Bangalore will be key in the design, delivery and service support of the end-to-end solution.

The digital technology of Tata Sky DTH service will eliminate many recurrent problems that consumers face while watching television in India. The DTH satellite signal is always on, thus will eliminate instances of service downtime caused by power cuts and cable cutting. The Tata Sky service will have fixed channel positions and pre-tuned audio levels.

About Tata Sky

Tata Sky Ltd., a joint venture of TATA and STAR, is committed to build a state-of-the-art Digital infrastructure for Pay Television in India. Tata Sky plans to introduce a nationwide Direct-to-Home (DTH) service that would allow it to reach every Indian home, however remote it may be. The service plans to offer its subscribers the best of cable channels, new innovative programming and interactive services.

About NDS

NDS Group plc (NASDAQ/Euronext Brussels: NNDS), a majority owned subsidiary of News Corporation, is a leading supplier of open end-to-end digital pay TV solutions for the secure delivery of entertainment and information to television set-top boxes and IP devices. See www.nds.com for more information about NDS