Broadcasters such as the BBC and ITV should pay ISPs to cover the costs associated with the delivery of online TV content, it has been claimed.

The call was made by broadband ISP Tiscali's Director of TV Simon Hunt, and comes soon after a similar plea was issued by BT, Digital Spy reports.

Mr Hunt believes the practice would not be unusual given that the BBC spends money to ensure its content can be accessed by digital satellite TV viewers.

"The example I always come back to is the BBC and satellite - the BBC spends a lot of money on Sky so we can watch its programmes at home," he told the news provider.

Mr Hunt therefore questioned why ISPs were expected to deliver online TV for free.

Last month, the BBC's Technology Correspondent, Rory Cellan-Jones, noted that posturing from BT could signal the beginning of the end for net neutrality in the UK.

In a blog for the BBC, Mr Cellan-Jones revealed he had been contacted by BT about the large costs associated with providing bandwidth to deliver iPlayer programmes.

In an email, BT warned that ISPs "could not be expected to pay for everything in a highly competitive broadband market", Mr Cellan-Jones said.