SES AMERICOM has integrated Harmonic's latest video encryption technology with SES AMERICOM's IP-PRIME IPTV distribution service. The new Harmonic ProStream 1000 with ProCipher AES scrambling and bulk descrambling technology is a key component of IP-PRIME, which enables large and small telephone company operators and broadband service providers across the U.S. to securely, easily and cost-effectively deliver a full lineup of top quality programming to consumers.

For IPTV operators seeking to accelerate their time-to-market and reduce risk, IP-PRIME offers a fully-managed solution, which includes the origination of more than 200 channels and reliable Harmonic ProCipher encryption, delivered from the SES AMERICOM IPTV Broadcast Center in Vernon Valley, New Jersey and then seamlessly transported to the headend at the telco's central office and ultimately to consumer homes. The IP-PRIME drop-off solution enables telcos to take over the programming signal once it arrives at the operator's video headend.

The IP-based ProCipher technology provides a unique, scalable and high performance AES encryption solution, with the capability to support bulk descrambling of up to 128 services in one rack unit. Harmonic's ProStream 1000 is the industry's first solution that can be easily scaled and configured to provide a wide range of digital video stream processing functions — including multiplexing, scrambling, bulk descrambling, re-encoding and SFN over IP — within an integrated system. In addition to simplifying operations, its compact design saves considerable capital expenditure and facilities space required for traditional receiver/decoder solutions.

"Secure transmission of video content over the IPTV network is a critical requirement for telcos deploying video services," said Alan Young, Chief Technology Officer for SES AMERICOM. "With Harmonic's versatile ProStream 1000 scrambling and bulk descrambling technology, we are able to offer telcos a highly reliable way to transport and distribute hundreds of channels. The ProStream's integrated scrambling, descrambling and re-multiplexing capabilities give SES AMERICOM and the telco operators using the IP-PRIME service more flexibility and a simpler way to deliver secure video to the consumer."

"SES AMERICOM's IP-PRIME service with the ProStream encryption is the world's first implementation of this unique encryption technology within a single 1-RU system," said Nimrod Ben-Natan, Vice President of Solutions and Strategy for Harmonic Inc. "SES AMERICOM has played an important role in helping Harmonic to define the requirements for the AES bulk decryption technology implemented in this project. At Harmonic, we are committed to working closely with our customers to develop and deploy creative and technically advanced solutions that meet their business and technology needs. In this case, the unique ProStream solution with ProCipher AES encryption not only reduces cost and complexity in the IP-PRIME network, it also streamlines the encryption and delivery of aggregated video services."