Cable TV
NDS ties up with Korean Co.s to develop CableCARD security
MUMBAI: News Corporation company NDS has formed an alliance with Korean companies for the development and certification of an OpenCable compliant CableCARD (formerly known as Point of Deployment) for supply to cable TV markets in Korea and the USA.
Korea has officially adopted the OpenCable OCAP standard for the roll out of digital cable TV and the Korean Ministry of Information and Communication is preparing to deploy digital cable television to between five and eight million households in Korea over the next five years.
“This year Korean cable TV operators will start commercial deployment of OpenCable systems,” said NDS Asia Pacific V-P and general manager Sue Taylor in an official statement.
The alliance comprises NDS that will contribute its ‘VideoGuard’ conditional access technology embedded within the CableCARD removable security module, InteracTek that will contribute software engineering and design expertise, and Nasco that will manufacture the device in Korea and also contribute sales and marketing expertise in Korea and the USA.
The alliance has already commenced development of the CableCARD module and targets delivery within twelve months.
The NDS Korea integration and testing lab will utilise their expertise to work closely with the Korean partners for the integration of NDS conditional access, interoperability testing and certification of the CableCARD module by the Telecommunications Technology Association (TTA) of Korea.
MUMBAI: When margins wobble, liquidity talks and in Q3 FY25-26, cash did most of the talking. Den Networks Limited closed the December quarter with consolidated revenue of Rs.251 crore, marginally higher than the previous quarter but down 4 per cent year-on-year, even as profitability stayed resilient on the back of strong cash reserves and disciplined cost control.
Subscription income softened to Rs.98 crore, slipping 3 per cent sequentially and 14 per cent from last year, while placement and marketing income offered some cheer, rising 15 per cent quarter-on-quarter to Rs.148 crore. Total costs climbed faster than revenue, up 7 per cent QoQ to Rs.238 crore, driven largely by higher content costs and operating expenses. As a result, EBITDA dropped sharply to Rs.13 crore from Rs.19 crore in Q2 and Rs.28 crore a year ago, pulling margins down to 5 per cent.
Yet, the bottom line refused to blink. Profit after tax stood at Rs.40 crore, up 15 per cent sequentially and only marginally lower than last year’s Rs.42 crore. A healthy Rs.57 crore in other income helped cushion operating pressure, keeping profit before tax at Rs.48 crore, broadly stable quarter-on-quarter despite the tougher cost environment.
The real headline-grabber, however, sits on the balance sheet. The company remains debt-free, with cash and cash equivalents swelling to Rs.3,279 crore as of December 31, 2025. Net worth rose to Rs.3,748 crore, while online collections accounted for 97 per cent of total receipts, underscoring strong cash discipline across operations, including subsidiaries.
In short, while Q3 showed signs of operating strain, the financial backbone remains solid. With zero gross debt, steady profits and a formidable cash war chest, the company enters the next quarter with flexibility firmly on its side proving that in uncertain markets, balance sheet strength can be the best growth strategy.
