FRANSAT, SAMSUNG and NEOTION Break new Ground for Satellite TV Reception in France

PARIS, April 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

FRANSAT, SAMSUNG and NEOTION today unveiled the new face of satellite reception of free DTT (Digital Terrestrial Television) channels in France. The three companies have combined their skills to integrate a satellite receiver and a DTT module for FRANSAT into Samsung televisions in its 2012 range (ES series). The pack comprises a decryption module produced by Neotion and an access card for subscription-free reception of FRANSAT, the French satellite TV platform owned by Eutelsat.

This new product takes reception of FRANSAT to new levels of simplicity. Viewers no longer need an external set-top-box or a second remote control. They simply need to slot the FRANSAT access card into the module and then insert the module into the Common Interface (CI) of the TV set which is already pre-equipped with a satellite tuner.

The system uses the CI Plus specification which is designed to support the authentication and encryption mechanisms that provide a secure channel between the Conditional Access Module (CAM) and Samsung's integrated digital TV (IDTV). The module developed by Neotion uses Viaccess conditional access and complies with the high technical, functionality and security parameters set by FRANSAT.

This integrated solution is compatible in the first phase with Samsung's ES series of IDTVs (5700/6300/65X0/6710/7000/8000)^[1]. Using the HbbTV standard, these LED displays also enable access to interactive services that will progressively be rolled out on the FRANSAT platform. FRANSAT modules will be commercialised in France at the recommended retail price of 129€. Sales will start in the Boulanger chain of stores and via the Andom, Pulsat, Compétence and DEFI networks of antenna specialists, prior to being progressively extended to other retail outlets.

^[1] For a list of compatible TV sets: http://www.fransat.fr/_fichiers/telechargement/fichiers/fichier_122.pdf

About FRANSAT

FRANSAT is the simple and fast solution to subscription-free reception in France of 19 DTT channels, four HD channels, the 24 regional windows of the France 3 network and additional regional, local and thematic TV and radio channels. FRANSAT is a subsidiary of Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) and is available in France via the EUTELSAT 5 West A satellite located at 5° West.

For more information please visit http://www.fransat.fr.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2011 consolidated sales of US$143.1 billion. Employing approximately 206,000 people in 197 offices across 72 countries, the company operates two separate organizations to coordinate its nine independent business units: Digital Media & Communications, comprising Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, and Digital Imaging; and Device Solutions, consisting of Memory, System LSI and LED. Recognized for its industry-leading performance across a range of economic, environmental and social criteria, Samsung Electronics was named the world's most sustainable technology company in the 2011 Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

For more information, please visit http://www.samsung.com.

About NEOTION

NEOTION is a French high-tech company providing innovative solutions for the international Digital Television market since 2000 and is a listed Company on Euronext since 2006 (Alternext code: ALNEO). We develop and distribute a large range of CI & CI Plus Conditional Access Modules for Set Top Boxes or for Digital TV Set, dedicated to Pay TV Operators seeking to maximise their ARPU and to optimise their costs. NEOTION also presents CI Plus Advanced Modules: a range of disruptive and advanced solutions enabling CI Plus interactivity, security, memory storage and IP, NFC, Bluetooth, Wifi or GSM connectivity for CI Plus TV sets. NEOTION is a leading provider of highly-sophisticated System-on-a-Chip (SoC) Digital TV processors, as well as turnkey sub-systems and reference designs thanks to its own Asic Design Center. More than 100 people work to ensure the company's success; more than 60% have an engineering profile (Research and Development, Support, Qualification). Since it was formed, NEOTION has dedicated over 30 M€ budget to R&D and has successfully registered more than 30 patents which it owns. NEOTION is an active Member of several Standardization and Digital TV committees, namely DVB and CI Plus LLP.

For more information please visit http://www.neotion.com

FRANSAT DTT satellite module associated with a Samsung TV in the ES series pre-equipped with a satellite tuner. For additional photo material see http://www.fransat.fr/_fichiers/telechargement/fichiers/fichier_121.pdf

SOURCE Eutelsat Communications