Advanced Television

FLO approves conditional access standard

July 11, 2008

The FLO Forum, a body of more than 95 supporting global wireless industry leaders and dedicated to the open standardisation of FLOTM (Forward Link-Only) technology for mobile multimedia broadcast, has taken another step forward with the approval by the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) of the Forward Link Only Open Conditional Access (OpenCA) Specification.

The completion of the OpenCA Specification, published as TIA-1146, creates a standards-based environment that enables multiple vendors to implement content security systems within the FLO architecture. The specification is the eighth FLO standard approved by the TIA, following the publication of TIA-1130 Forward Link Only Media Adaptation Layer Specification earlier this year.

The OpenCA specification provides a standard interface for conditional access (CA) systems to interoperate, ensuring that FLO network operators have the flexibility to use multiple CA solutions. Through the standard interface, they can replace an entire CA system seamlessly with another system, or run multiple systems concurrently in a “Simulcrypt” setting. This provides operators with greater control to respond to changing security demands or business model requirements. The framework also enables content providers to offer a wider choice of premium mobile content while reducing the risk of piracy, and thus helping to create a compelling end-user mobile TV experience

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