BT In 'two-tier Net' Controversy

BT has introduced a argumentative service that a few say could enable broadband providers to emanate a "two-tier internet".

Content Connect, as it is known, allows Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that use BT's network to assign calm firms for high-speed smoothness of video.

It could spell the finish of supposed "net neutrality", where all traffic on the net is treated with colour equally.

Critics say it will moreover lower contest for consumers.

"This is a sea change in the way that calm is delivered by ISPs," Jim Killock of the net liberty promotion organisation, the Open Rights Group, told BBC News.

"It is basically them saying: 'Rather than delivering whatever calm is on the internet as most appropriate you can, here are our services that you will broach by our own network.'"

He mentioned the outcome could be a "fundamental shift" from consumers selecting what video and gaming services they purchase on the internet to "buying services from the internet to bundled services from ISPs".

"This would lower contest and take investment divided from internet companies - that would be bad for everyone."

In addition, net neutrality advocates says that permitting considerable calm providers, such as YouTube, to pay for reward smoothness could put not as big companies at a aggressive disadvantage, reinforcing the gap.

But a orator for BT denied that the gift would emanate a "two-tier internet".

"BT supports the rational of net neutrality, but believes that service providers should moreover be giveaway to set upon blurb deals, should calm owners wish a aloft high quality or positive service delivery."

It mentioned that its new service would speed up download speeds opposite its network - even for those not shopping in to Content Connect - by easing congestion.

Network neutrality is one of the first beliefs of the internet and is meant to make sure that all ISPs provide all web traffic similarly - portion merely as a passage for whatever information is fleeting from calm providers to finish users.

But debates have been distracted around the world as the bomb expansion in internet traffic - and quite video - has put a aria on the existing infrastructure.

In the US, regulators not long ago voted in foster of manners that are written to defend the beliefs of network neutrality.

The EU has blatantly corroborated network neutrality, but has introduced law that allows network providers to succeed traffic on their networks, supposing what they are carrying out is transparent.

The UK regulator Ofcom is approaching to explain its position after that this year.

In the meantime, the UK supervision has already mentioned that it backs a two-speed internet.

Culture apportion Ed Vaizey mentioned in November that ISPs had to be giveaway to examination with new charges to help pay is to expansion in internet services and infrastructure.

"This could add the evolution of a two-pronged market, where consumers and calm providers could select to pay for incompatible levels of high quality of service," he said.

The new gift from BT seems to be the first leading step in that direction.

The service, offered by BT's indiscriminate division, is formed on a new calm placement network built by BT that stores video calm closer to the user, shortening overload on the network and speeding up bucket times.

BT sell - a well-defined section of BT - will start to use the service to broach BBC iPlayer calm on its BT Vision TV service inside of the next few months.

"It will cache iPlayer calm closer to customers on the network, permitting is to calm to be delivered to customers in a more effective and cost-effective way, together with enhancing the on the whole observation experience," a BT orator told BBC News.

"The Content Connect service will moreover be existing to all UK ISPs inside of the same timescales."

The orator mentioned that BT would not stifle or distinguish against other video services on the network, but did not order out that ISPs using the network could do so.

"The treatment of calm on the network - such as prioritisation of calm or bandwidth throttling - is strictly inside of the domain of the ISP and not the indiscriminate provider."