iPlayer and the net

BBC is offerring a new Internet download and broadcasting service for a wide range of BBC television programmes (currently in Beta Phase) and ISPs are already complaining that this new service will use a large amount of bandwidth and places an intolerable strain on networks. Some ISPs want to sniff traffic and limit download speed for IPlayer traffic. BBC download service is potentially less dangerous that Joost, that offers P2P TV, because it tolerates higher delay of traffic and can for the moment be run at flexible quality of service (for example, at peak or off-peak network times). BBC tries in this way to redesign its value-chain and deliver its services via Internet, cable and other platforms. Digitisation permits, therefore, to rewrite the rules of production and distribution of content. However, BBC plans do crash with network's operators own plans of convergence. In this case, it can be suggested to include in the strategy a collaborative approach and include the largest number of potential value-chain participant in the project.