Topic: BBC will alert users if ISPs throttle iPlayer

[Rik]

Quite possibly, Simon. It's the best of all worlds for the customer, though it still leaves ISPs trying to juggle capacity and demand.

[Simon]

... and with no set income. 

[sam]

but surely capacity / demand can be figured out? It has to be a similar algorithm to what the national grid does?

[Simon]

It maybe a case that the smaller ISPs have to juggle more?  Capacity isn't cheap!

[Rik]

And can't be bought by the hour, or instantly. There's about 2 weeks lead time for extra capacity and a minimum 3 month contract on it. So, for a sporting event, they can try and estimate the extra demand, but they'll be paying for it for 2 months or so after the event, when it will be laying idle.

[sam]

Hmm, and they are paying for it off BT? Or someone like that, right?

[Simon]

Indeed.