Industry news

The internet 'needs' infrastructural improvements

The internet could grind to a halt if improvements are not made to its infrastructure, according to an industry firm.

AT&T has revealed that the current network will reach its capacity by 2010.

Jim Cicconi, the US telecommunication firm's vice-president of legislative affairs, warned that the current system would not be able to cope with changing trends of usage including increasing amounts of video being uploaded.

"The surge in online content is at the centre of the most dramatic changes affecting the internet today," he said.

"In three years' time, 20 typical households will generate more traffic than the entire internet today."

He added that new high-speed fibre optics cables need to be introduced in order to prevent networks being overloaded as a result of websites such as BBC's iPlayer and YouTube.

Meanwhile, the BBC's internet chief warned internet service providers not to try and charge content providers.

Entering the row that began last year when ISPs complained that the iPlayer was causing extra traffic, Ashley Highfield wrote in his blog that "unlimited broadband should mean unlimited".