MUMBAI: NDS is planning to relocate some of its staff from its research and development division and managers from India and Israel to its Chinese facility in Shenzhen where its R&D, engineering and customer support staff are housed. The leading provider of technology solutions for digital pay-TV today announced that it would treble its investments in local people and infrastructure in 2010 as it increases development of solutions, partnerships and services for customers in China and the rest of the world.
 
This is to add to the 73 per cent increase in its headcount it has effected over the past 12 months in China. NDS plans to further its partnerships with Chinese companies in the consumer electronics space, semiconductors, systems integration, and digital-TV applications market.

As part of this, it has partnered with Changhong, a leading set-top box (STB) and CE manufacturer, to develop a range of interactive applications for the Chinese market, targeted at convergence and the Next Generation Broadband (NGB) initiative. NDS will market these applications to other regions, as part of a drive to increase export opportunities for Chinese CE and STB manufacturers. NDS is also partnering with leading value-added TV service provider DOXTV, to bring DVR and push VOD functionality in China.  
 
“We believe that Chinese digital-TV technology will have a major impact on the global pay-TV market, as other countries start to seek out Chinese knowledge, experience and products. We already have significant resources in China, and accelerating our investment now and in the future allows us to rapidly increase our support for the dynamic and growing Chinese digital-TV market,” said Sue Taylor Chairman, NDS China, Senior Vice President and General Manager Asia Pacific.

“NDS supports the government’s initiatives by providing tailor-made solutions for NGB and Three Network Convergence, while forging stronger links with local vendors to jointly develop solutions for the Chinese market,” continued Taylor.