BT Wholesale has releaved it has been developing a content delivery platform to try and ease the burden on the infrastructure brought on by the increasing usage of web based TV playback systems like the BBC’s iPlayer, 4oD and Five on Demand.
Called “Content Connect” the service is being developed by BT Wholesale with BT Retail and other ISPs trialling it. Currently several thousand users are testing the service with a planned launch next year.
With the uptake of streaming services, providers are needing to find alternative ways to reduce the overall load on their networks, hundreds of users each watching the same program over the internet takes its toll on finite resources. Bringing the content closer to the edge of the network reduces the load on the core infrastructure and will also decrease the time it takes for a user to download a show to watch it.
The ideal answer is to cache the programmes at the Exchange, as close to the user as possible but this would involve co-operation from all ISPs to enable a service like this. Only time will tell what and how this service will work and how much benefit it will give to the end user.