Mobile TV chip co Siano wins major Chinese deal

Siano will provide receiver chips to four Chinese phone makers

Mobile TV chip-maker SianoSiano announced that its CMMB receiver chip, the SMS1180, has been selected to power CMMB mobile TV for leading Chinese phone makers ZTE, Tianyu, CEC Telecom and MP3/4 giant AIGO.

The Chinese Broadcasting Authority estimates that Siano will be the CMMB chip provider for up to a potential 30 million handsets and 10 million MP3 and MP4 players annually. The deal, which will extend and diversify the chip-maker’s reach within the Chinese CMMB industry, is estimated to be worth between $50-100 million in sales.

The newly upgraded CMMB devices, planned for market launch in early 2009, will be fully compliant with the CMMB Conditional Access System (CAS), and with provisioning for the Secure Broadcast System that has been defined as part of CMMB devices by SARFT (The Chinese State Administration for Radio, Film and Television). Conditional Access System CAS is meant to enable pay-TV services that will be added in 2009 to the existing CMMB free-to-air channels; and Secure Broadcast System SBC is meant to block pirate, unauthorized broadcasting of CMMB signals.

Siano’s high performing CMMB receiver chip will enable access to TV content from over around 30 channels, providing first-class picture quality, the lowest possible power consumption levels and exceptional reception; including deep indoor locations and whilst traveling at fast speeds.

Siano CEO Alon Ironi said, “We are witnessing more and more leading Chinese brands deciding to use Siano’s CMMB receiver in their new models. We estimate that CMMB will ultimately become the most popular mobile TV technology worldwide and look forward to witnessing huge market ramp-up in China in 2009”.

The CMMB standard, based on the Chinese homegrown technology known as STiMi (short for Satellite and Terrestrial Interactive Multiservice Infrastructure), is currently deployed in over 100 cities in China including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou with nationwide coverage, supported by the addition of satellite broadcast, planned for 2009.

The Siano chip comes bundled with software drivers for Windows XP/Vista, Linux, and Windows Mobile.

Siano's largest investor is JVP. JVP managing partner Erel Margalit said, "I hope that there won't be any problems because of the way the market is behaving today. We've always said that Israel's chip market can lead the consumer and media industry. Very strong technology is needed for these installations, and to take our ability into these markets is where the value is today in my opinion."

On this basis Siano leveraged its last round of fund raising in August when it raised about $18 million. Since its founding, Siano has raised $51 million from JVP, DFJ Tamir Fishman Israel, Star Ventures, Walden Venture Capital, BVP and the Taiwanese electronics company Inventec Appliances.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on January 27, 2009

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2009

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