Strikes partnership with ATEME to use its encryption techniques to protect satellite uplinked content
BT is stepping up its efforts to combat the piracy of its subscription-based content through a new partnership with video infrastructure company ATEME.
BT is using the company’s encryption techniques to protect satellite uplinked content, and BT’s Media and Broadcast unit will be offering the technology to its customers around the world to help reduce the number of illegal streams.
ATEME’s encoder uses BISS-CA (Basic Interoperable Scrambling System Conditional Access) encryption.
BT first used ATEME’s encoder during BT Sport’s transmission of the FA Community Shield at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 4th August and it has been used for each of BT Sport’s Premier League live broadcasts this season.
According to anti-piracy company MUSO, nearly 190 billion visits were made to illegal piracy websites last year alone. Of this number, 5.75 billion came from the UK and 17.4 billion from the US. Piracy is especially prevalent in the sports industry and reportedly costs Premier League clubs around £1 million in sponsorship money every game, according to a separate study from MUSO.
ATEME’s encoder can be used across a variety of systems and software and determines the origin of an illegal stream with content being watermarked. Media rights holders can also grant and revoke receiving rights in real-time, securing broadcasts from the source to its end destination.
Dominik Wrona, head of TV outside broadcast at BT, said: “By incorporating ATEME’s encoder in to our satellite solutions we’re able to provide customers with the greatest efficiency and security while also maintaining the highest video quality standards for content in the UK.”