The controversial YouView (Project Canvas) service, which claims to have developed an "open standard" for bringing subscription free broadband ISP based internet TV services (e.g. BBC iPlayer ) directly into homes via special Set-Top-Boxes (STBs), has received another sharp blow after BSkyB ( Sky Broadband ) joined Virgin Media in lodging an official competition complaint with Ofcom and the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

Back in August 2010 Virgin Media complained that the service would be anti-competitive, a proprietary closed platform, and could limit consumer choice instead of expanding upon it. However the OFT had to throw out its own investigation in May 2010 because it did not have jurisdiction to review it under the merger provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002.


Virgin Media contested that it could not use the standard because YouView wanted to impose their own interface upon the platform, including the YouView channel listing and search facility. This would have been entirely controlled by the Joint Venture (JV) partners, allegedly allowing them to give preference to their own content.

BSkyB, much like Virgin Media, also has its own user interface and Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) to protect. Sky is also angry at the use of public money to fund what they perceive as being their competition and believes that the internet-enabled television (IPTV) market already has sufficient competition. If by that they mean BT Vision and a few niche alternative platforms then we'd have to say.. no.


At present YouView is supported by several major broadcasters and ISPs, including the BBC , ITV , BT , TalkTalk , Channel 4, five and Arqiva. It is set to launch during the Q1-2011, with both BT and TalkTalk planning to be among the first to introduce related products.

At the end of September the governments Culture Secretary, Jeremy Hunt (MP), gave his support by remarking upon how he envisioned new local TV services that would "exploit the potential of new platform technologies, such as YouView ... to grow their service and improve their cost-effectiveness."

Certainly more than a few consumers would like greater choice of TV services than those offered by BT , Sky and Virgin Media UK. The principals upon which YouView were based seem like a good model. However in practice there do appear to be some significant problems and such complaints are clearly not without merit. It's now up to Ofcom.