25 November 2008
Demand for internet bandwidth could exceed supply by 2012, which could lead to broadband 'brownouts', it has been claimed.
According to Nemertes Research, growth in the use of bandwidth hungry applications such as video streaming could compromise quality.
Indeed, the group claims that declines in internet performance could prompt consumers to look elsewhere for such services.
Analyst Mike Jude said: "I'm not saying that the internet is going to crash in 2011, but that people's expectations are going to be throttled."
He said that the popularity of remote working is partly responsible for boosting internet traffic as people demand "seamless communications".
Meanwhile, Francesco Caio, an internet researcher who was asked by the government to review the future of the UK's internet network, said the growth in livestream services could push up broadband prices.
His comments came after the BBC announced plans to stream BBC One and Two live over the internet, joining its other digital channels.
© 2008 Adfero Ltd
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