The BBC's Head of Digital Media Technology, Anthony Rose, has posted a new blog update (here) where he talks about some of iPlayer's (IPTV) recent and future improvements. Rose's blog touches on what appears to be a plan by the BBC to switch from iPlayer's existing Akamai based Content Distribution Network (CDN) to Level 3 Communications.

The problem, as explained by a spokesman from Zen Internet in a quote given to Thinkbroadband, is that using this method could increase the cost to UK ISPs. Unlike Akamai, which is effectively free (though not to the BBC), Level 3 charges large networks to receive traffic:


Some larger UK ISPs, especially Tiscali, have already been very vocal in their somewhat questionable belief that the BBC should pay them to distribute the iPlayer's Internet TV content, thus helping to reduce their costs.

It's a shaky idea that would set a dangerous precedent for net neutrality, though if the BBC's latest move does indeed place a further and more direct cost burden upon ISPs then the issue is once again likely to rear its ugly head.