BT’S pay-TV ambitions have been dealt a blow with the delay of a new and potentially ground-breaking service to bring VOD to Freeview. The launch of the YouView service will be delayed six months beyond the summer according to reports in the Daily Mail. The paper says technical problems and discord between the partners mean […]
BT’s New Year introduction of Content Connect has come under immediate fire from Internet groups who claim it implements a two tier service which is anti- net neutrality. The new service allows Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that use BT’s network to charge content firms for high-speed delivery of video. “This is a sea change in […]
Comcast is testing a new service that knits together television and the Internet, in an effort to compete against other integrated service providers. Under the new system, which is being tested in Augusta, content flows through a set-top box that combines features of the Internet with those of a DVR. Users can watch and search […]
The UK Government has revealed plans to spend £830 million (€979m) in an effort to give the UK the best broadband network in Europe by 2015. An action plan – Britain’s Superfast Broadband Future – published by Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, sets out the ambition to create a ‘digital hub’ in every community in the […]
Internet backbone provider Level 3 Communications says Comcast is demanding a recurring fee for transmitting internet movies and “other content” to Comcast customers, accusing the cableco of violating the FCC’s “net neutrality” principles. Comcast says Level 3 is misrepresenting the negotiations between the two companies. “Comcast is effectively putting up a toll booth at the […]
UK broadband minister Ed Vaizey has declared ISPs should be free to favour traffic from one content provider over another as long as they inform customers. Speaking to the FT Conference this morning Vaizey says the market will decide how far ISPs can go in charging for preferential or guaranteed content delivery and QoS. The […]
Erik Huggers, Director of Future Media and Technology at the BBC has described maintaining an open and neutral Internet as “absolutely crucial” to the Corporation’s ability to deliver services. He told delegates at the FT Conference that certain ISPs had at one stage implemented traffic management that had severely affected the quality of users’ iPlayer […]
Neelie Kroes the European Commission’s Vice president for the Digital Agenda says the EU won’t pass laws for net neutrality. Speaking at a Net Neutrality Summit in Brussels, Kroes said: “In general, providers have upheld the principle of open access and end users may access most of the applications and services of their choice.” She […]
UK digital satellite platform Sky has reached its target of 10 million TV customers, equivalent to 36 per cent of households in the UK and Ireland. BSkyB set the target in August 2004, since when a further 2.6 million customers have subscribed. Sky TV now reaches more than 25 million people. Around a third of […]
Erik Huggers, BBC director of future media and technology, says ISPs shouldn’t traffic manage but if they do it must be transparent. He summarised key points made by the BBC in its submission to the European Commission review on net neutrality (being conducted in conjunction with Ofcom) which says the EC’s three targets should be […]