Viaccess acquires 100% stake in Orca Interactive

March 10, 2008 – Israeli middleware firm Orca Interactive has announced that it has signed an agreement with Viaccess, a subsidiary of France Telecom, for the latter to acquire a 100% stake in Orca for an estimated US$ 21.4mn.

The completion of the transaction is subject to approval by the general extraordinary meeting of Orca Interactive.  Together, the two companies expect to improve their respective market positions and deliver a “powerful integrated IPTV platform” featuring middleware from Orca and content protection from Viaccess.

“Viaccess’s investment in Orca proves that we are standing at the brink of a new era, firmly cementing IPTV’s role in the consolidation of telecommunications services,” said Haggai Barel, CEO of Orca Interactive.  “As a true industry pioneer, Orca Interactive has continuously led the IPTV revolution with cutting-edge technology and a flexible middleware platform designed to make next-generation TV services a reality.  Today’s announcement represents a significant milestone both for Orca and for the IPTV market at large.”