Rennes, May 15th, 2019

In order to develop technologies that protect video content, Viaccess-Orca, a subsidiary of the Orange Group, is joining b<>com. The first step in this long-term partnership is a unique innovation in watermarking that tracks pirates who redistribute illegal streaming services.

The development of streaming platforms has come with significant piracy threats for broadcasters.

As an example, according to a beIN Sports survey, 3.5 million people in France use illegal streaming sites to watch soccer matches, costing €400 million in revenue.

Fighting against pirates who redistribute illegal streaming services is therefore a strategic imperative for broadcasters.

b<>com and Viaccess-Orca have joined together to provide broadcasters with innovations that can meet this challenge.

Dynamic watermarking to fight new forms of piracy

Illegal streaming services are proliferating, and the threat is mutating, making it necessary to offer new technologies in order to fight this new type of piracy. That's why the teams at b<>com and Viaccess-Orca are working in tandem with the goal of developing a dynamic watermarking solution that addresses the various piracy threats that broadcasters face and makes it possible to directly identify the source of the piracy. This innovative, flexible tracking algorithm solution enables the real-time digital marking of video streams (including 4K formats) regardless of what device is used (TV decoder, tablet, smartphone, or web player).

b<>com's technological proficiency in cybersecurity is supplemented by Viaccess-Orca's expertise in content protection and pirate stream analysis.

The collaboration between the two entities is part of a long-term partnership.

The first technology demos by Viaccess-Orca and b<>com will be available at ANGA COM in Cologne, Germany, from June 4 to 6, 2019 in Hall 8 - Stand K31.

"b<>com is particularly proud and happy to count Viaccess-Orca among its members. Protecting content and people for a balanced, ethical use of digital technologies is of critical importance in our view

Since our creation, we have been working in the field of cybersecurity, and are developing solutions to address the major 21st-century industrial challenge that it represents.

The arrival of Viaccess-Orca strengthens our strategy and will enable us to define a broader ambition and provide cutting-edge technologies more quickly on a market that is changing at lightning speed," says Bertrand Guilbaud, CEO of b<>com.

"Content protection is critical for Viaccess-Orca. The emergence of new forms of piracy such as live restreaming of content on the internet means that we need to provide suitable solutions to our clients. This collaboration with b<>com is even more important for Viaccess-Orca in order to offer more innovative anti-piracy services that fit into our broader content security product offering and meet the expectations of content providers and rights-owners," adds Paul Molinier, CEO of Viaccess-Orca.

About b<>com
Created in late 2012, the b<>com Technology Research Institute is a tech provider and an innovation accelerator for every business that uses digital to increase its competitiveness. b<>com brings together multicultural disciplines and talents in augmented reality, virtual reality, and immersive media formats, in the fields of applied artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, 5G networks, Internet of Things, cognitive technologies, and e-health. Thanks to its world-class engineering team, its technology platforms and its unique mix of scientific and industrial knowhow, b<>com offers its clients technology solutions that give them an invaluable competitive edge. For more information, visit www.b-com.com and follow b<>com on Twitter at @IRT_bcom.

About Viaccess-Orca
Viaccess-Orca is a leading global solutions provider of OTT and TV platforms, content protection, and advanced data solutions for a personalized TV experience. The company offers an extensive range of innovative, end-to-end, modular solutions for content delivery, protection, discovery, and monetization. With over 20 years of industry leadership, Viaccess-Orca helps content providers and TV operators shape a smarter and safer TV and OTT experience. Viaccess-Orca is part of the Orange Group and the company's solutions have been deployed in over 35 countries, reaching more than 27 million subscribers. For more information, visit www.viaccess-orca.com or follow the company on Twitter @ViaccessOrca and LinkedIn.

Press contacts
b<>com:
Heidi Lambert | heidilambert@hlcltd.demon.co.uk | +44 1245 476 265
Marion Carcreff | PR manager | marion.carcreff@b-com.com | + 33 6 38 27 98 99

Viaccess-Orca
Atika Boulgaz | Global Communications Director | +33 1 44 45 64 60 | press-relations@viaccess-orca.com