Advanced Digital Broadcast, a leading international digital set-top box manufacturer, today announced it has signed a POD-Host Interface License Agreement (PHILA) with CableLabs, the research and development consortium of cable operators representing the North American cable industry. ADB's signing of the PHILA license is another strong public endorsement of its continued commitment to the OpenCable initiative.

The PHILA and related OpenCable™ specifications provide ADB with a license to the patented DFAST technology for a standardized and secure communications link between an individually addressable CableCARD™ security module and a digital host device, such as the ADB set-top box . The card-sized CableCARD™ module, supplied by cable operators to their customers, is inserted in the card-slot in the set-top box to authorize access to encryption-protected digital programming, including premium cable services.

"ADB has been an early, enthusiastic and dedicated supporter of OpenCable™, and we view signing the PHILA license as another key step in our efforts to accelerate the availability of OpenCable® devices and OCAP middleware for the cable industry," said Bill Luehrs, corporate executive vice president and president, Americas, for ADB.

"Our involvement with the OpenCable Project at CableLabs also includes an on-going commitment to supply visiting engineers to work on-site at CableLabs to help develop the OCAP middleware test suite. In 2004, ADB expects to introduce cable interactive set-top boxes with OCAP middleware, and we are keenly focused on helping to move the standards forward and supporting them with compatible hardware and software platforms." Luehrs said.

"ADB has consistently shown a real commitment to CableLabs and the OpenCable Project. In particular, ADB has played an essential role in developing test suites for OCAP, and has become a front runner in the development and deployment of OCAP-enabled products," said CableLabs President and CEO Dr. Richard R. Green.

Advanced Digital Broadcast (ADB) Americas, headquartered in Chicago, Ill., serves North and South America with innovative digital technology and products for the cable television industry. ADB was established in 1995 and has shipped more than two million set-top box units throughout Europe, the Middle East, the Far East, Australia and Africa. It has consistently developed and introduced leading edge and cost-effective set-top boxes, software services and broadcast system technologies, helping to expand and enhance the digital TV markets in more than 15 countries around the world. For more information go to www.adbglobal.com.