With the launch of the new and rather good BBC i-player, internet service providers (ISPs)are demanding that the BBC help pay the costs of upgrading the network infrastructure of the ISPs in order to cope with the demand for the service.
ISP's claim that the i-player is putting too heavy a burden on their systems which will cause them to need to upgrade.
The truth of the matter though is that ISPs have for some time been able to get away with telling people half truths and putting them on broadband packages which are to the advantage of ISPs and not the customer.
Too often ISPs have labelled their packages "unlimited broadband" or "up to 8 meg", when they know that their packages actually limit the amount that can be downloaded and 8 meg is impossible for more than 80% of the country.
It does also seem an odd state of affairs that ISP want to sell the benefits of the internet, but when the BBC launches a service which really harnesses the future potential of the internet, ISPs all go around moaning.
The truth is that ISPs have had it all a little easy, often failing to invest in their own network infrastructure and have instead just raked in the cash. You have to ask what is so wrong with the ISPs that a 3-5% increase in net activity causes them such problems, because the 3-5% figure is the actual extra strain that the BBC i-player has added.
No the BBC should not pay for upgrades. Do Facebook get asked to pay if people are using that service, similarly Google do not seem to have been asked either. The ISPs should pull their finger out and make the necessary investment themselves.
2 comments:
Quite right.
Spot on Nich! Bloody robbing ISPs.
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