Broadband News

The BBC, ITV and BT plan next generation Freeview service

Friday, 12 December 2008

By Garnet Roach garnet@consumerchoices.co.uk

The BBC, ITV and BT have joined forces to work towards offering a new broadband television service.

The new broadband Freeview service could see on-demand programming including the BBC iPlayer and the ITV Player available direct to TV set-top boxes by early 2010.

Project Canvas, as the enterprise has been called, still needs BBC Trust approval but aims to get ISPs and device developers on board too and will also be available on Freesat.

Michael Grade, ITV executive chairman, said: “This proposal will bring catch-up from the PC to the TV set in your living room, and all for free. This makes convergence a reality. It will also future-proof our free-to-air platforms, Freeview and Freesat. We are delighted to be working with the BBC, BT (www.BT.com) and other ISPs to bring this idea to fruition for viewers.”

Project Canvas would also serve as a platform for Kangaroo, the joint commercial broadband TV venture from the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 which is currently waiting on the outcome of a Competition Commission investigation.

Mark Thompson, BBC director general, said: “Audiences tell us that they want more services through their television set. I am pleased that the BBC is working with industry partners such as device manufacturers, ISPs and other content providers on proposals which will bring real benefits for consumers.”

However, Michael Phillips, BroadbandChoices.co.uk product director, warned that consumers would need to be careful about how much they were downloading to their PC over any broadband catch-up service.

“Consumers would need to be mindful of their broadband download limits,” he said. “Recent research has shown that 86 per cent of broadband customers still aren’t aware of, or don’t understand, their download limits. If they were to exceed them they could face punitive charges. ISPs must make the limits clear and broadcasters must clearly highlight the size of various types of content.”

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