Shadow
04-08-2010, 14:20
Virgin Media has launched formal complaint to competition regulators over broadband TV venture Project Canvas.
The cable TV and broadband provider claims Canvas is anti-competitive, restricts choice for consumers and threatens the growth of new connected TV services.
It has accused Project Canvas of creating seven myths around itself. Virgin says Canvas is not:
going to provide free TV
an open platform
just like Freeview+
already approved by the OFT / regulators
going to encourage broadband take-up
good for the UK content and creative industries
only opposed by pay TV operators.
Virgin adds that although the venture between the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Arqiva, BT and Talk Talk has been approved by the BBC Trust and the Office of Fair Trading, it has not been approved by Ofcom and the OFT on competition grounds.
Virgin has also launched a competition complaint to Ofcom and the OFT, and Ofcom will have to decide within 60 days whether it needs to investigate further.
Virgin Media added: 'The Canvas partners have significantly exceeded their original claims to be creating a common set of open standards which could have been improved upon by others and are now intent on controlling every aspect of how people watch TV.
'The BBC Trust has already acknowledged, but then completely ignored, the impact that Canvas will have on so many different organisations; from consumer electronics firms to software developers and enterprising new technology manufacturers to independent programme makers.'
More... (http://wotsat.techradar.com/news/virgin-medias-7-myths-project-canvas-03-08-10)
The cable TV and broadband provider claims Canvas is anti-competitive, restricts choice for consumers and threatens the growth of new connected TV services.
It has accused Project Canvas of creating seven myths around itself. Virgin says Canvas is not:
going to provide free TV
an open platform
just like Freeview+
already approved by the OFT / regulators
going to encourage broadband take-up
good for the UK content and creative industries
only opposed by pay TV operators.
Virgin adds that although the venture between the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Arqiva, BT and Talk Talk has been approved by the BBC Trust and the Office of Fair Trading, it has not been approved by Ofcom and the OFT on competition grounds.
Virgin has also launched a competition complaint to Ofcom and the OFT, and Ofcom will have to decide within 60 days whether it needs to investigate further.
Virgin Media added: 'The Canvas partners have significantly exceeded their original claims to be creating a common set of open standards which could have been improved upon by others and are now intent on controlling every aspect of how people watch TV.
'The BBC Trust has already acknowledged, but then completely ignored, the impact that Canvas will have on so many different organisations; from consumer electronics firms to software developers and enterprising new technology manufacturers to independent programme makers.'
More... (http://wotsat.techradar.com/news/virgin-medias-7-myths-project-canvas-03-08-10)