Erik Huggers has warned that the debates around Project Canvas going on within the BBC Trust could delay the project until 2011.
With the likes of Sky fiercely against the BBC's involvement in Canvas, the Trust is taking its time considering whether to push on with the IPTV project.
The BBC believes it is uniquely placed to drive a UK standard and minimum hardware specification for IPTV under the Project Canvas label.
Confident
Huggers, the BBC's Head of Future Media and Technology, believes that the Trust's delays are going to slow Project Canvas' arrival to the market.
"My hope is that before the end of this year we will get interim conclusions from the BBC Trust," Huggers said at The Media Festival in Manchester, and quoted in the Telegraph.
"If we get those and they are pointing in the right direction – if they are positive – then I am fairly confident that it is possible to launch in 2010, although it will be towards the end of 2010.
"If we do not get those, I'm afraid we will not be able to launch until 2011."
Canvas Xmas
BBC IPTV Programme Director Richard Halton had insisted that the boxes would on sale by Christmas 2010, and it appears that Huggers is trying to pile on pressure for the Trust to hurry up on approval so this is the case.
Of course, some, including Sky, would suggest that the BBC Trust is better off fully weighing up the arguments than rushing into a decision.
Via Telegraph
