An apparatus comprising: a smart card interface configured to receive smart cards; a radio frequency transceiver module; a smart card (106, 500) compatible with the smart card interface, the smart card comprising: a dielectric substrate forming a card body; and an RF antenna arrangement (108, 502) carried by the dielectric substrate; and an RF transmission line (114, 506) having a first end configured to connect with the RF antenna arrangement, and having a second end configured to connect with the RF transceiver module; and a card circuit module associated with the smart card interface, wherein the RF antenna arrangement is physically and electrically isolated from the card circuit module; characterized in that the apparatus is a video services receiver; the smart card is programmed to support operational functions of the video services receiver; wherein the RF antenna arrangement and the RF transceiver module are configured to cooperate to support programmed wireless data communication functions of the video services receiver; wherein the card circuit module is programmed to support one or more of the following functions: setting capabilities or permissions of the video services receiver; locking or unlocking access to certain features or functions of the video services receiver; and access control to video subscription services; wherein the smart card interface is further configured to read data stored in the smart card circuit module if the smart card (106, 500) is physically and electrically coupled to the smart card interface; wherein the apparatus further comprises an electrically conductive chassis surrounding the smart card interface, wherein: the card body has a circuit end and an antenna end opposite the circuit end; the RF antenna arrangement (108, 502) is located at the antenna end of the card body; the smart card interface receives the circuit end of the card body when the smart card (106, 500) is inserted into the smart card interface; and the antenna end of the card body extends from the electrically conductive chassis when the smart card is inserted into the smart card interface. a smart card interface configured to receive smart cards; a radio frequency transceiver module; a smart card (106, 500) compatible with the smart card interface, the smart card comprising: a dielectric substrate forming a card body; and an RF antenna arrangement (108, 502) carried by the dielectric substrate; and a dielectric substrate forming a card body; and an RF antenna arrangement (108, 502) carried by the dielectric substrate; and an RF transmission line (114, 506) having a first end configured to connect with the RF antenna arrangement, and having a second end configured to connect with the RF transceiver module; and a card circuit module associated with the smart card interface, wherein the RF antenna arrangement is physically and electrically isolated from the card circuit module; characterized in that the apparatus is a video services receiver; the smart card is programmed to support operational functions of the video services receiver; wherein the RF antenna arrangement and the RF transceiver module are configured to cooperate to support programmed wireless data communication functions of the video services receiver; wherein the card circuit module is programmed to support one or more of the following functions: setting capabilities or permissions of the video services receiver; locking or unlocking access to certain features or functions of the video services receiver; and access control to video subscription services; setting capabilities or permissions of the video services receiver; locking or unlocking access to certain features or functions of the video services receiver; and access control to video subscription services; wherein the smart card interface is further configured to read data stored in the smart card circuit module if the smart card (106, 500) is physically and electrically coupled to the smart card interface; wherein the apparatus further comprises an electrically conductive chassis surrounding the smart card interface, wherein: the card body has a circuit end and an antenna end opposite the circuit end; the RF antenna arrangement (108, 502) is located at the antenna end of the card body; the smart card interface receives the circuit end of the card body when the smart card (106, 500) is inserted into the smart card interface; and the antenna end of the card body extends from the electrically conductive chassis when the smart card is inserted into the smart card interface. the card body has a circuit end and an antenna end opposite the circuit end; the RF antenna arrangement (108, 502) is located at the antenna end of the card body; the smart card interface receives the circuit end of the card body when the smart card (106, 500) is inserted into the smart card interface; and the antenna end of the card body extends from the electrically conductive chassis when the smart card is inserted into the smart card interface.