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 […]
Virgin Media will use BT’s telegraph poles to extend the reach of its high-speed network, following the Ofcom ruling that requires BT to open up its infrastructure to rivals. It is believed the move could enable Virgin Media to expand its network from around 12 million homes to around 16 million homes over the next […]
The European Parliament has adopted a non-legislative report on enforcement of intellectual property rights, calling for tougher application of intellectual rights and copyright harmonisation at the EU level. Meanwhile, civil liberties activists warn that such moves would undermine fundamental freedoms in the bloc. “Online piracy is an infringement of copyright and causes serious economic damage […]
Warning emails will be sent out by mid-October to people in France who have made illegal downloads, says anti-internet piracy body Hadopi. The new authority was supposed to be ready to act in April, then June, then September, but it has been held up by legal complications. Now the body says that it has sent […]