DTH
Philips to transfer its CryptoWorks Conditional Access activities to Irdeto
BANGALORE: Royal Philips Electronics and Amsterdam headquartered Irdeto, a player in content security and a subsidiary of multinational media group Naspers announced that they have reached a preliminary agreement on the terms of the transfer of Philips’ conditional access (CryptoTec) business unit to Irdeto. No financial details of the transaction were disclosed.
Philips’ CryptoTec business unit develops and sells content protection (more generally known as “conditional access”) products such as advanced security systems for cable, satellite, terrestrial and IP networks under the name ‘CryptoWorks’. In addition to conditional access for digital TV, Irdeto also offers software-based content security for IPTV services as well as multiple DRM and conditional access products for premium mobile content and mobile TV (DMB and DVB-H).
Says Philips Digital Networks CEO Hans Streng: “The conditional access industry is moving towards consolidation, and Philips has been looking into various options for the CryptoTec business. Reaching this agreement with Irdeto is considered to be the solution that offers the best future-proof direction for customers and staff. CryptoTec will thus find a new home where conditional access is the absolute core of the business. Philips will continue focusing on promoting open-standards DRM.”
“With the acquisition of Philips’ CryptoTec, Irdeto will strengthen its position in the pay media industry, and will now have over 300 customers on six continents. Customers using CryptoWorks will continue to be fully supported and in addition to this can now also benefit from a broader choice of content security solutions,” says Irdeto CEO Graham Kill.
The acquisition will also enable Irdeto to further strengthen its position in China, where it currently already plays a market-leading role in securing China’s digital television migration, with nearly 50 customers in that country.
Philips CryptoTec employees will transfer to Irdeto when the transaction is completed, which is expected within the next months, subject to customary regulatory clearances and procedures.
Irdeto is one of the leaders in content security, and provides comprehensive solutions for digital content protection in Digital TV, IPTV and Mobile environments. The company’s support, sales and R&D offices are located worldwide with corporate headquarters near Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Irdeto offers both hardware and software based solutions.
DTH
DD Free Dish e-auction heats up with 26 MPEG-2 slots sold in two days
Hindi movies, GEC and news dominate; Star Utsav Movies tops Day 2 at Rs 213.45 crore
MUMBAI- The bidding war on DD Free Dish is turning into a blockbuster and the slots are selling faster than popcorn at interval. Prasar Bharati’s 8th annual MPEG-2 e-auction delivered another strong day on Tuesday, with 18 more channels securing spots across movies, regional music and news buckets, taking the two-day total to 26.
Day 2 belonged to the movies and news categories. In Bucket A (Hindi Movies), Star Utsav Movies led the pack at Rs 213.45 crore, pipped only narrowly by Zee Action at Rs 213.4 crore. Goldmines landed at Rs 13.35 crore and Zee Anmol at Rs 13.3 crore, showing razor-thin price bands and fierce competition. Bucket B saw Zee Bioscope top at Rs 10.6 crore, Bhojpuri Cinema Rs 10.5 crore, B4U Bhojpuri Rs 10.2 crore, while Showbox, Unique TV and B4U Music each closed at Rs 10.25 crore.
News channels in Bucket C stayed tightly bunched: NDTV, Aaj Bharat, Zee News and India TV all secured slots at Rs 8.6 crore, with News Nation and ABP News slightly higher at Rs 8.65 crore. Bucket D rounded out with Russia Today at Rs 9.75 crore and GTC Punjabi at Rs 7.92 crore.
Day 1 had already set a premium tone, with eight slots snapped up – six in Bucket A+ (Hindi/Urdu GEC, starting reserve Rs 15 crore) and two in Bucket A (Hindi/Urdu Movies, starting Rs 12 crore). Sony PAL topped Day 1 winners at Rs 16.55 crore, Star Utsav Rs 16.25 crore, Shemaroo TV Rs 16.35 crore, Zee Anmol, Colors Rishtey and Sun Neo at Rs 16.40 crore each. Sony WAH took a Bucket A slot at Rs 13.95 crore and Zee Anmol Cinema at Rs 13.45 crore.
The surge reflects broadcasters’ hunger for DD Free Dish’s estimated 43–45 million rural and semi-urban households, where Hindi GEC and movies remain advertising goldmines.
The auction runs under the revised E-auction Methodology 2025 (amended 9 January 2026), with escalating reserves – Round 2 Bucket A+ at Rs 16 crore, Round 3 Bucket A at Rs 13 crore – and stricter eligibility to weed out speculative bids. Channels must be operational, available in the relevant language, and already carried on at least one private DTH, DD Free Dish or registered MSO.
With premium genres flying off the shelf, the coming rounds will test how deep pockets really are as reserves climb and tactical down-bidding gets harder. In India’s largest free-to-air universe, these auctions aren’t just about slots – they’re about who gets to stay on the screen that reaches deepest into the heartland.
