Satellite equipment shops have pitched a new product – Xtra TV Box Verimatrix. Let us recall that the marketing strategy of Xtra TV was constructed on card access, not bound to receivers. That is, to become a satellite platform subscriber, one just had to purchase a conditional access card to use it for subscriber’s existing receiver.

Xtra TV Box Verimatrix is another telling sign of media groups’ channels satellite encryption, anticipated in the market in the autumn of 2018. The issue has been discussed for a long time, but the final decision was repeatedly postponed. Judging by such indirect signs like starting up own production of receivers by paid satellite platforms; the encryption is not so far off.

The Mediasat obtained information that Xtra TV would abolish conditional access cards, and its services would be available only with Xtra TV Box Verimatrix. We enquired with the company to comment in on, but we have not received any official reply yet. Therefore, the destiny of conditional access cards remains undisclosed.