Canvas OK says BBC Trust
December 22, 2009
Although no official announcement is made until this morning, the BBC Trust is giving a provisional go-ahead for Project Canvas. Set-top boxes using Canvas software are expected to be available late next year for about £200 (E220), allowing people to access the BBC's iPlayer and other web services via the TV. Partners are the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five, plus ISPs BT and Carphone Warehouse.
The BBC Trust will order some minor modifications to the BBC's original proposals for Canvas but the 2010 launch timetable will be maintained.
Canvas has come in for heavy criticism from BSkyB, which has argued that issues exist over consortium membership, the lack of a full market impact assessment and potential breaches of European Union state aid rules relating to use of the licence fee.