BT takes action to combat broadcast piracy with ATEME encryption

BT is stepping up its efforts to combat the illegal piracy of premium subscription-based content through a new partnership with video infrastructure company ATEME. BT is using the company’s encryption techniques to protect satellite uplinked content in the most secure way possible, and will be offering this technology to its media and broadcast customers around the world to help reduce the number of illegal streams.

BT claims to be the first in the UK to provide the industry with ATEME’s encoder which uses BISS-CA (Basic Interoperable Scrambling System Conditional Access) encryption. The company first used ATEME’s encoder during BT Sport’s transmission of the FA Community Shield at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 4 August and it has continued to be used to protect each of BT Sport’s Premier League live broadcasts this season.

TV piracy is an escalating problem, and according to anti-piracy company MUSO, nearly 190 billion visits were made to illegal piracy websites last year alone. Of this number, 5.75 billion came from the UK and 17.4 billion from the US.

Piracy is especially prevalent in the sports industry and reportedly costs Premier League clubs around £1 million in sponsorship money every game, according to a separate study from MUSO. As the quality of sporting piracy streams continue to improve and hackers are managing to hide their identity, new ways of protecting sporting content are imperative to secure the integrity of the industry.

By using ATEME’s encoder, BT’s Media and Broadcast unit plans to deliver the highest video quality at minimum bitrates with minimum latency, while keeping broadcasts secure. The BISS-CA protocol used in ATEME’s encoder is a match for high-quality video transmissions as the secure encryption tool enables broadcasters to protect themselves against piracy.

ATEME’s encoder can be used across a variety of systems and software and determines the origin of an illegal stream with content being watermarked. Media rights holders can also grant and revoke receiving rights in real-time, securing broadcasts from the source to its end destination.

Dominik Wrona, head of TV outside broadcast at BT Media and Broadcast, said: “For BT it’s imperative that we protect broadcasters from the threat of illegal piracy and ensure that those watching the content legally are getting the best viewing experience possible, wherever they are in the world. By incorporating ATEME’s encoder into our satellite solutions we’re able to provide customers with the greatest efficiency and security while also maintaining the highest video quality standards for content in the UK.”