IPTV English News by InformITV (25/05/2009)
Alternative to Canvas based on open standards While the BBC is attempting to define and promote its own view of broadcast and broadband convergence with Project Canvas, broadcasters in France and Germany have been coming…
Alternative to Canvas based on open standards
While the BBC is attempting to define and promote its own view of broadcast and broadband convergence with Project Canvas, broadcasters in France and Germany have been coming up with their own version. It appears to be based on existing open standards and they are aiming to work with the European Broadcasting Union to develop the draft specification for possible submission to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, which seems promising.
Hulu in hulaballoo over number of users
Hulu, the online video site, is serving up more streams but has been serving fewer users, according to Nielsen. Hulu is in the top two or three video sites, but still comes some considerable way behind YouTube, which accounts for over half the video clips viewed online in the United States. There is now some controversy over the actual number of users Hulu has. Hulu prefers to believe comScore figures of over forty million, while others put the figure at less than a quarter of that.
Sky paints Trust into a corner on Canvas
Sky has criticised Project Canvas, the proposed joint venture between the BBC, ITV and BT, saying that the proposals are insufficient for a proper consultation. The pay-television operator argues that the BBC Trust should have submitted the proposals to a full public value test, requiring a market impact assessment by the communications regulator Ofcom. It also warns that the plan could merit investigation by the Office of Fair Trading and could breach European state aid laws.
BT Vision numbers rise but rate of growth falls
The number of customers for BT Vision reached 423,000 by the end of March. The British telecommunications company added 25,000 BT Vision customers in the last quarter, the lowest increase since the service was launched. At this rate, assuming linear growth, it could take five years for BT Vision to reach a million homes.
Mobile satellite services receive European approval
The European Commission has selected Inmarsat and Solaris Mobile to provide mobile satellite services across Europe. These could include high-speed internet access, mobile television and radio, and emergency communications. On the day of the announcement, Solaris Mobile revealed that an “anomaly” could affect the S-band payload on the satellite from which it plays to deliver its services.
