Verimatrix acquires Comvenient
March 31, 2011
By Colin Mann
Verimatrix, a specialist in securing and enhancing revenue for multi-screen digital TV services, is strengthening its DVB Conditional Access (CA) capability significantly by integrating the highly respected team and technology from German company Comvenient within Verimatrix.
The pair have been long-term partners in the development of the Verimatrix Video Content Authority System (VCAS) for DVB security solution, and the acquisition greatly expands the company’s ability to penetrate this market with a fresh approach to traditional CA technologies for digital TV operators around the globe. The new relationship provides the framework for the seamless integration and marketing of Comvenient’s DVB technology and expertise within the Verimatrix multi-network solutions architecture.
Comvenient – a spinoff of BetaResearch – has supplied advanced DVB CA systems to more than 100 operators since the company was formed in 2003. The company entered into a strategic relationship with Verimatrix in November of 2008 to generate cross product synergies. Through the acquisition, Verimatrix is able to market an expanded range of DVB security solutions within the VCAS family with the goal of providing secure and scalable solutions for a wide range of platforms.
Verimatrix says that DVB operators will have access to the fullest range of potential secure client devices from a single security head-end to support their business objectives, including new breeds of set-top boxes (STBs), hybrid IPTV STBs and hybrid connected TV devices.
It claims the combination of Verimatrix’s widely adopted solutions for IP-based content protection and Comvenient’s long term expertise in the DVB sector places the combined company in the forefront of future technology development. The combined company will utilise the existing Comvenient headquarters in Munich as its security development and support centre.
“We’ve been able to strategically blend highly complementary technologies and expertise areas,” said Hubert Kukla, CEO of Comvenient, who has been appointed as EVP of Strategic Initiatives for Verimatrix. “The integration of our DVB solution within the VCAS product range has proven to be a natural fit for operators with a large scale mix of hybrid and broadcast networks. Now we can take a broader range of product options to market that address B2B and B2C requirements with a powerful, highly secure, yet cost-effective broadcast CA system.”
“We are very pleased to be consolidating our base of technology with a wide range of proven components developed within such a well respected company,” said Tom Munro, CEO, Verimatrix. “DVB operators should expect more from their DVB CA solution as they develop and grow in a new multi-platform market. With the added resources and expertise of the Comvenient team, we can accelerate our growth as a truly multi-network security vendor, enabling customers to take advantage of a broader, more flexible range of revenue security options.”