Set-top Box Testing Solution from NDS Selected by Cox Communications

* US broadband and cable giant Cox Communications chooses NDS IEX™ solution to automatically, accurately and effectively test interactive applications on their set-top boxes (STB)
* Quick, accurate testing required as more complicated interactive applications are
rolled out to subscribers on increasingly aggressively schedules
* The highly scalable NDS IEX solution has delivered immediate and accurate results
for Cox



LAS VEGAS (CES) .(The Venetian Hotel, Murano Suite 3201) – NDS, the leading provider of technology solutions for digital pay-TV, today announced that its IEX™ system has been chosen by Cox Communications as its preferred automated set-top box (STB) testing solution. Cox, a multi-service broadband communications and entertainment company, is replacing manual testing equipment with the automated IEX solution provided by NDS. After successfully testing an IEX server over the past year on the Scientific-Atlanta platform, Cox has decided to expand its automated testing program using IEX and to extend automation to include Motorola STBs as well.

The NDS IEX solution combines hardware and software to automatically test all interactive applications on STBs operating in both cable and telecommunications environments. It connects to the STB and runs interactive applications, testing and rating their performance. The system can test a wide range of interactive applications, from simply changing the channel to launching an electronic program guide (EPG), ordering a Pay-Per-View movie or playing an interactive game through your remote control.

As human testing of these actions can often leave more room for error than an automated solution, IEX provides a more accurate and cost-effective alternative to manual testing.

“With the ever-expanding popularity of interactive services and applications now available through the set-top box, requirements and capabilities of testing equipment have skyrocketed over the past few years,” said Steve Tranter, Vice President of Broadband and Interactive Delivery for NDS. “By implementing IEX, Cox was able to see the benefits of test automation within mere weeks as well as the scalability of IEX to meet their specific needs as they change over time.”

“NDS’ automated IEX testing system turns around fast and accurate results which we are using to increase our efficiency and to decrease turnaround time in launching new services,” said Bjorn Andersson, Lead QA System Engineer for Cox Communications. “IEX allows us to test applications on an array of set-top boxes faster and more accurately than we ever have before. We anticipate operational benefits that will result in Cox being a more agile competitor, and look forward to rolling out new services and features to our customers more quickly.”

IEX is a part of the market-leading NDS solutions portfolio which includes VideoGuard®, its proven conditional access solution for Pay TV that is currently deployed on over 78.6 million STBs globally. NDS has expanded its VideoGuard solutions suite with VideoGuard Mobile™ for mobile broadcasting, VideoGuard PC™ to secure content in personal computers, VideoGuard PMP™ for portable media players and RadioGuard™, for the HD Radio platform. NDS also offers a suite of software solutions including middleware, interactive TV applications and digital video recorder (DVR) technology. MediaHighway® is NDS’ market-leading middleware suite. There are currently over 69.9 million cumulative NDS middleware clients deployed, and over 8.8 million NDS-powered DVRs in viewers’ homes around the world.

About NDS
NDS Group plc (NASDAQ: NNDS), a majority owned subsidiary of News Corporation, supplies open end-to-end digital technology and services to digital pay-television platform operators and content providers. See www.nds.com for more information about NDS.


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For further information:
NDS
Cynthia Ritchie T: +44 (0)20 8476 8378
Director, Corporate Communications critchie@nds.com

Breakaway Communications for NDS M: +1 917 731 5734 (at CES)
Kelly Fitzgerald, Managing Partner kfitz@breakawaycom.com

Tracey Sheehy, Account Executive M: +1 908 705 4596 (at CES)
tsheehy@breakawaycom.com