Pace signs new deal with NET Serviços in Brazil

Pace set to help NET’s transition to advanced digital services; partnership marks one million set-top box milestone

Pace plc today announces that it has signed a deal to expand its two year partnership with NET, the largest multi-service cable company in Latin America. Under the deal, Pace will develop new platforms to enable NET to deploy advanced digital services to its customers. Pace has also reached a significant milestone by shipping one million of its SD Zapper set-top boxes to NET.

With their extended partnership, NET will work with Pace, the leading developer of digital TV technologies for the payTV industry, to roll-out three new platforms for 2011. These will include the SD set-top box, a high definition (HD) interactive set-top box and a HD PVR. These platforms will support NET’s transition to complete digitised television services for its subscribers through an HD interactive set-top box. The Pace design means that users can quickly and easily upgrade to PVR capabilities by simply inserting a hard disk drive into their existing device.

Mathias Hautefort, President Pace Europe, commented that: “As a pioneer in the fast-developing Latin American market, Pace has been able to work with operators such as NET to define the development of payTV in the region. This expanded partnership with NET is a major success for Pace. We are delighted at their decision to work with us to develop and deploy digital services across Brazil via devices that put end users’ need for simplicity and user-friendliness at their core.”

José Felix, President of NET Serviços, added: “There is an increasing demand for HD television in Brazil and we needed a solution that would match this and support future customer requirements to scale-up as new services come to market. We selected Pace to support our project as Pace has a proven track record of delivering industry leading technology solutions and expertise in our market – both essential to positioning ourselves at the forefront of innovation.”

The solution integrates the Nagra Conditional Access system, OpenTV Middleware and Teleidea EPG application. The HD set-top box family is fully interactive and means NET’s subscribers can enjoy state-of-the-art payTV applications such as Video on Demand, HD 3D and interactive games.

About Pace plc
Pace plc (LSE:PIC) is a leading technology developer for the global payTV industry, working across satellite, cable, IPTV and terrestrial platforms. Pace has one of the world’s most experienced specialist engineering teams, developing intelligent and innovative products and services for both payTV operators and retail markets across the world.

Pace employs over 2000 people in locations around the world, including France, the USA, India and China. Pace’s international headquarters are in Saltaire, West Yorkshire, UK.

About NET
NET Serviços is Latin America’s largest multi-service cable company, offering pay TV, broadband internet access and voice services through a single cable. NET Serviços’ network provides services in 93 cities, including São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Porto Alegre, Curitiba, Florianópolis, Manaus, Brasília and Goiânia. According to 2010 2ST quarter results, the company has 4,2 million pay tv clients, 3,5 million broadband customers and 3,1 million fixed telephony lines.