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Belfast software company Latens is to establish a research and development centre in India in a bid to expand its global presence and product development capabilities.
The company, which employs more than 60 people at its headquarters on Stranmillis Embankment, develops software for pay television that prevents piracy and helps TV operators protect revenue. The new R&D centre in Hyderabad is set to open in May and aims to employ around 20 people by the end of the year.
“Although the global markets are currently facing tough challenges, Latens continues to grow rapidly,” said Anne Gallagher, Latens chief operating officer.
“The opening of our R&D centre in India enables us to continue developing new and innovative products, allowing us to better serve our existing and future customers across the world. We are fully committed to the delivery of industry leading solutions for digital Pay TV, and the Latens R&D centre in Hyderabad will be central to this,” she added.
Latens is working with Derry based software company Singularity on the venture.
Singularity has have already experienced success in India, and will be leasing office space to Latens in Hyderabad.
“Latens is a company that is going places and we’re delighted to be associated with its rapid, international growth” says Padraig Canavan, chief executive of Singularity.
Latens did not reveal how much it intends to invest in the new facility but a spokesman said it was a “quite considerable” amount. Latens engineering director Mark Crum will head the project.
The firm’s business is 100% export-based, and it currently sells its software in more than 20 countries in Europe, North and South America, India and the United Arab Emirates.
It has more than 100 pay TV operators on its client list and offices in Atlanta and Singapore, as well as Belfast. Its software enables operators of IPTV and broadband Pay TV networks to securely deliver entertainment services to set-top boxes, PCs, mobile devices and home networks.
sross@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
