French electronics giant, Thomson, has signed a license agreement with US cable-industry research-and-development organization, CableLabs, for the latter's CableCARD Host Interface License Agreement (CHILA) specifications and associated intellectual property. The CableCARD Host Interface specification defines the interface between the digital cable set-top box and the CableCARD module distributed by the cable operator, thereby providing a standard platform for two-way interactive devices. Signing the agreement will enable Thomson to build set-top boxes and other devices, complete with a CableCARD removable security interface, that can be sold to cable subscribers via retail. The devices will be capable of receiving and displaying advanced services such as EPG's and VOD, and will enable additional interactive applications through support of CableLabs' OCAP middleware specification.
Thomson's signing of the CHILA agreement comes a month or so after the company unveiled a new line-up of digital cable products that includes a triple-play residential gateway, a hybrid cable-IP set-top box, and a VoIP wireless cable modem. The company says that the signing of the agreement is in accordance with a "Two-Year Plan" to expand its product line and client base. "Thomson's pioneering DOCSIS cable modem solutions and position as a major modem provider to North American MSO's is firmly underpinned by our leadership in digital set-top boxes and broadband modems worldwide," Frédéric Kurkjian, VP of the Worldwide Cable Business Unit of Thomson's Access Platforms & Gateways arm, said in a prepared statement. "We have recently established solid commercial relationships with major MSO's in Europe, Asia and Latin America, who are leveraging our set-top box technologies to provide their customers with the ultimate in broadband services. Embracing CHILA and OCAP is the most logical next step in our development. These specifications are one of the most important industry standards emerging for the cable industry and the licensing agreement is a major milestone in Thomson's growth strategy for the US cable market. Committing to build our next generation of cable access solutions on the accepted, open standards set out in the OpenCable specifications will help us bring new and exciting products to this dynamic marketplace." Other companies that have signed the CHILA agreement to date include ATI Technologies, Broadcom, Digital Keystone, LG Electronics, Panasonic, Micronas, Sunplus Technology, and Video Without Boundaries.
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