Cooperation of TechniSat and Premiere brings added value for the German viewers

March 29th, Digitalmagazin.weekly: On 20 February, TechniSat has started in a new age: The “Premiere Thema” package can now also be received with Conax receivers and the new Tevistar smartcards. How does the cooperation look like in detail?

Zanoth: Premiere and TechniSat have agreed upon a profound cooperation that allows receiving premium content from Premiere also on the population of the TechniSat digital boxes (digital receiver DIGIT MF4-S). This was made technically possible by attaching the TechniSat server for the Conax encryption and the customer management in Simulcrypt procedures to the Premiere system. Seen under commercial aspects, this cooperation primarily allows a gain, an added value for the German television audience which can enjoy testing a Premiere premium offer totally free of charge and without any obligation. But of course Premiere and TechniSat also expect an increase in the number of subscribers on the one hand and increased sales of digital boxes on the other hand.

Digitalmagazin.weekly: What concrete added value do the viewers who opt for a product from your company have?

Zanoth: At first the viewers, who buy a new digital receiver, TechniSat DIGIT MF4-S, get unlocked free of charge for three month for Premiere Thema. The advantage of this activation is that the viewers do not have to contract any obligation. They neither have to cancel it after the end of this activation nor have to subscribe somewhere for the activation. Once the device is first put into service, a time window of two months is unlocked on the smartcard. If a customer also wants to be unlocked for the third month, he only has to contact TechniSat and indicate his address and the smartcard number and the activation will be effected automatically. After expiration of the activation, the customer has the opportunity to conclude a regular subscription at Premiere. This can be done at any time, even already during the activation time.

Digitalmagazin.weekly: What constitutes the attractiveness of Premiere Thema?

Zanoth: The programme package of Premiere Thema includes premium content for the areas of documentation, series, children's programme and other areas of television. The Premiere Thema package is a large enrichment for every TV household, without any advertising and at a high level.

Digitalmagazin.weekly: With this Premiere is expanding its scope massively. What audience potential can the TV station now additionally achieve?

Zanoth: As the market leader in the digital boxes sector, TechniSat delivers each month nearly 100,000 set-top boxes via its 10,000 specialised dealers, retailers and other additional distribution channels to the German television market. Each of these devices is equipped with an embedded Conax encryption system (Cryptoworks is also integrated). For more than a year we also have been adding the corresponding smartcard to each box. Therefore, the potential amounts now up to over a million boxes and smart cards. A total of about four million addressable digital TechniSat boxes exist on the market, if you also add the devices with a CI slot (Common Interface) to this. This is the largest single population of addressable digital set-top boxes on the German market.

Digitalmagazin.weekly: Premiere now encodes in several encryption systems using simulcrypt and thus has made a strategy change. What does this mean for the pay-TV industry and the competition on this market in general?

Zanoth: Of course, this means first and foremost an opening of the market to the competition which encourages innovation as you know. One example: As familiar and competitive it is for us to see many different car models on the German highways which are filled up with diesel, super and gas, as horrible would be the idea of only allowing to use one single encryption system. Thus, Premiere is well advised – remaining with the example of the cars – not to fill its “fuel” in only one particular car brand.

Digitalmagazin.weekly: Will there be other programme content in the future which can be encrypted with the new TechniSat Tevistar smartcard?

Zanoth: This is planned, of course also with Premiere as a partner. It is obvious that with such a cooperation the viewers will be the winners, because new content, applications and formats are developed, integrated and can be implemented very quickly and purposefully.

Digitalmagazin.weekly: Mr. Zanoth, thank you very much for the interview.

Original article