City base for software firm

Hi-tech investment is expected to create about 100 jobs

A company providing software for use in supplying digital television services such as pay per view is setting up an operation in Belfast.

Latens Systems, which was set up last year, is investing £2.5m in the project.

The investment is expected to create about 100 new jobs over the next four years at its headquarters in the south of the city.

The company will develop software for use in accessing new digital television services such as 'pay-per-view' (PPV) video on demand (VoD), which are becoming increasingly important with the application of broadband technology.

The chairman and chief executive of the company, Jeremy Thorp, said they had come to Northern Ireland because of the level of skills available.

He said: "Belfast had been chosen as the location for the start-up because of the ready availability of skilled software developers and the quality of the telecommunications network."

Mr Thorp said that the company would be offering "a radically new conditional access (CA) system that would prevent unauthorised access, copying and broadcast of television material".

"Our aim is to develop a suite of highly innovative software products for the broadband industry," Mr Thorp said.