YouView Broadband ISP Based UK IPTV Service Begins Final Customer Trials

The subscription free YouView (Project Canvas) broadband internet based video-on-demand (VoD) and catch-up TV (IPTV) service, which will be bundled by a number of big UK ISPs (e.g. BT, TalkTalk etc.), has reportedly agreed to begin the final stage of its “alpha” trial with 350 homes (currently being trialled by 100 staff from the Joint Venture partners).

According to the FT, thousands of YouView set-top-boxes (expected to cost up to £200) could find their way into homes within just four weeks of the trials completion, which assumes that the trial itself will be a success. The move is likely to be seen as a gesture of confidence in the project, which has suffered from repeated delays and was originally targeted to launch during late 2010.

The service, which is now expected to launch before the end of this summer (between Q2 and Q3 2012), is a Joint Venture project between the BBC, ITV, BT, Channel 4, TalkTalk, Arqiva and Channel 5 (Five). Unfortunately YouView will ultimately enter a highly competitive market of internet capable devices and could find it difficult to gain a share. It will surely need an impressive selection of content to beat the big boys like Sky (Sky Broadband) and Virgin Media.