With India working towards getting into a fully digitised mode, this year’s ‘Convergence 2015’ will act as a destination where companies will showcase some of the world’s best technologies to help stakeholders achieve targets.

One such company is China based Cloud Vision Networks Technology (CVN), which will be showcasing its Conditional Access System – JetCAS. And leading it from the front is the company’s CEO and president Eugene Zhang.

Zhang ventured into the business in 1993, with 20 years of experience in company operation management.

Since 1999, he was engaged in domestic TV broadcasting industry, and worked in Hong Kong DVN Holdings as the executive vice president of its subsidiary DVN, to be in charge of domestic digital television business and the management of all-service operation management including R&D, manufacture and sales of products.

In 2010, he served in Cisco Systems as the general manager of its wholly owned subsidiary Cisco Systems (Shanghai) Video Technology in China, to be in charge of the R&D, manufacture and sales of cable television products in China.

It was in 2012, when Zhang resigned from Cisco System and started his own business; after successfully raising funds from Fosun Capital Investment, he founded Cloud Vision Networks Technology (CVN).

As he gears for the big day, Indiantelevision.com’s Seema Singh talks to him about his plans for India, the products on display and more…

Excerpts:

What products and services are you exhibiting in Convergence? Can you elaborate on the product and its benefits?

We are exhibiting our core product Conditional Access System - JetCAS.

JetCAS, the fourth generation system, is a researched and developed conditional access system by Cloud Vision Networks (CVN), with independent intellectual property rights, over a decade experience on digital TV business and advanced idea on design from absorbing international advanced technology achievements.

What are the kinds of services and solutions you offer?

Cloud Vision Networks Technology was established on 8 February, 2012. We are engaged in product technology development, production and sales of hardware and software products, technology application services and other businesses involving broadcasting and TV networks two-way transformation and digital TV in broadcasting and TV industry.

Are you looking at any strategic partnerships in India? If yes, can you elaborate on the same?

We have an excellent strategic partner in India, Xperio Labs. We will work together to develop the market of Indian broadcasting industry.

Which are the regions you are available in China? How many customers do you have in China? Which are the regions you are looking at in India?

CVN is available in more than 17 provinces and 90 cities and about 800 towns, and also covers 120 million customers in China.

We do not limit the regions that we are going to provide our service and products in India to.

How would you say is your service better than those of your competition?

Our CAS has never been commercially cracked and the security level of our smartcard is evaluated as the highest international smartcard level -- EAL5+.

We also own other advantages, such as cost, marketing, sales capability and excellent product performance, which make CVN the leading company in broadcasting and TV industry.

How much have you already invested in the technology in China and how much further are you will to invest in China?

CVN puts more than 30 per cent of sales amount into R&D every year, and considering our quick steady development, the investment in future can only be more.

Are there any investment plans in the Indian market? If yes, please share details.

CVN will plan to invest in Indian market according to the market development of Indian broadcasting industry.

What is your manufacturing capacity in China?

Our manufacturing capacity is more than 10 million smartcards per year.

Can you elaborate on the kinds of solutions you provide in different sectors? How does it benefit the stakeholders?

Multi-direction development is always an important strategy for CVN, except the main business of JetCAS, we also dabbled in other sectors, such as Downloadable CAS, DRM, OTT middleware, Public Wi-Fi and so on.

Our stakeholders are happy and satisfied to see that the profit of company is maintaining a fast growth.

Have you done R&D on the Indian cable TV sector? If yes, what are the findings?

CVN has finished a basic market research through a local professional research company in India. We are glad to see India has a very broad market with potential, which make us more confident that we can achieve a win-win goal with local customers in this beautiful country.

What is 'JetCas', how does it function and help the broadcasters? Do you think a product like this will be helpful to the Indian cable TV industry as well?

JetCAS provides a total solution on open conditional access system, which is a perfect combination with cable TV, satellite TV, analogue TV and broadband networks. It provides a controlling on payable TV and media design with its comprehensive management console, 4th generation smartcard-device technologies and network access management, so as to control programme authorisation on subscribers.

What are the similarities and differences between the Indian and Chinese broadcasting and TV industries?

Speaking of the similarities between the Indian and Chinese broadcasting and TV industries, they both have plenty of customers and broad market.

Since they are both developing nations, they are filled with business opportunities.

Of course there are also a lot of differences between these two countries, such as different specifications, requirements, business models, and so on.

CVN's Conditional Access System (CAS) is the most advanced digital TV encryption system in China. What is your take on the Indian CAS market?

We are providing our best product in India, which is the securest and most reliable CAS system, because we value the Indian CAS market so much.

How will digital TV change the dynamics of the broadcasting industry in the near future?

The development of the Internet and broadband technology is making the revolutionary changes in the radio and TV industry, digitised and networked broadcasting and television has become radio and television industry development inevitable trend.

Digitisation can extend cable TV channels from dozen sets to hundreds sets, the extensional channel resources can provide more kinds of services for cable operators. After digitisation, cable operators can provide not only broadcast programmes but also professional and personalised programmes; not only unidirectional broadcasting but also interactive VOD; not only radio, film and television programmes but also a variety of information service.

In short, digital TV will bring more market opportunities and business models to the broadcasting industry.