Article

Securing Mobile TV Content Purchasing and Protection

The television industry is changing. Mobile TV is a major new concept that is about to change the way television is consumed. The prevailing television industry business models have been the advertiser-funded free-to-air (FTA) model and the pay-TV subscription model. Mobile TV will also take advantage of new ways to monetize the content. Among them are pay-per-view and other concepts that are more flexible than the traditional monthly channel package subscription.

The developing delivery mechanisms have, unfortunately, also brought new issues such as illegal copying of copyrighted content.

To take advantage of the new business models and to address the issue of illegal copying, solutions are needed to secure content purchase processes and content protection.

18Crypt secures mobile broadcast content

In traditional pay-TV, the concept of conditional access (CA) is used for content protection. The CA approach regulates the viewers access to a content stream. It doesnt, however, provide any means to control the reuse of received and possibly stored content. While this may be adequate in fixed location TV viewing, for mobile TV a more sophisticated approach is required.

18Crypt is an open, ETSI approved standard for service purchase and protection (SPP). 18Crypt secures that the content stream is not inappropriately copied and provides means for operators and television channels to implement different ways to charge for the content.

18Crypt is optimized for mobile broadcast and it supports the protection of any kind of IP content transmission. 18Crypt also comprises DRM components, which provide the operator with the option to utilize the DRM functionalities as well. For an operator, combining DRM and SPP technologies provides a potential for cost savings.

Based on proven technologies

18Crypt content encryption is based on IPSec, ISMACryp or SRTP (Secure Real-time Transfer Protocol). ISMACryp and SRTP can also be used to protect the stored content. 18Crypt uses strong AES-128 and RSA protection algorithms.

Among the supported business models are

Subscription based (limited time or open ended)
Program based
Event based (e.g. a sporting event)
Pay per view
Token based

18Crypt utilizes OMA DRM 2.0 for rights object management. This allows implementing advanced business models that benefit from advanced rights management features of OMA DRM 2.0, such as rights object superdistribution.

18Crypt has been specified by two organizations that have defined standards for DVB-H Mobile TV broadcasting: OMA BCAST and DVB. 18Crypt can also be used with DVB-H devices that are not equipped with cellular capabilities.

Smart Card Profile

In addition to 18Crypt, OMA BCAST has specified Smart Card Profile for mobile TV service purchase and protection. Both systems have been included in the OMA BCAST ESG specification. Smart Card Profile for broadcast transmission is expected to reach OMA standard approval in 2007. Whereas 18Crypt is commercially available today, Smart Card Profile is expected to be available for operator deployments during the first half of 2008.

Smart Card Profile is an evolution of the service protection solution designed for the cellular network mobile TV system MBMS. Mobile TV operators willing to utilize Smart Card Profile, once the technology becomes available, may build their SPP solution today using DRM Profile (18Crypt) and utilize a future migration path from the DRM Profile to Smart Card one. The migration path will be available for mobile TV systems using OMA BCAST ESG.

Open end-to-end solution

18Crypt and Smart Card Profile are open, future-proof technologies. By choosing them, mobile broadcast operators avoid vendor lock situations and enjoy flexibility, as no vendor specific handset or SIM properties need to be supported. 18Crypt support is implemented as a part of Nokia Mobile Broadcast Solution for both OMA BCAST and DVB-IPDC deployments. Nokia also intends to support upcoming open mainstream standards, such as future Smart Card Profile for mobile broadcast.

About the author

Timo Argillander is the independent editor of the Mobile TV Forum newsletter. Timo is a consultant and journalist specializing in digital media content and technologies.

He contributes articles to various publications, covering developments in mobile TV, digital TV, and the Internet. He also acts as a strategic advisor to media and technology companies and governmental organizations.

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