IPTV services will grow 70% by the year 2015 says The Director of Project Canvas and Internet TV shows at the BBC, Richard Halton. Speaking to the IPTV World Forum he was talking about the UK market in particular and the world market in general when he talking about the rapid market growth. The rise will also coincide with a big jump in broadband connections too.

Currently IPTV services represent less than 10% of the global broadband useage, but the growth trend is rising rapidly.  Current and especially in the UK, the online tv market is very aggressive, the two biggest commercial operators are Virgin Media and Sky TV holding the lions share of the IPTV market.

“Canvas has real potential to grow the whole market for connected TV,” said Richard Halton Halton predicted as they welcomed their newest partner when infrastructure firm Arqiva became its seventh member, joining broadcasters the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, and telecoms providers BT and TalkTalk.

On the subject of Project Canvas Halton said that the timetable for launch will not be finalised until the BBC Trust has given its final approval for the project, which will not happen until an announcement comes from the U.K.’s Office of Fair Trading (OFT), which is currently examining documents submitted by Project Canvas, with a consultation period running until 7th April 2010.

Project Canvas has run into a storm of protest from rivals in the UK such as Sky TV and Virgin Media. “Sky in particular have their own perspective on this,” admitted Halton, dismissing some of the satellite firm’s recent arguments as “not particularly consistent”. However, he added that Project Canvas will take on board certain comments from Sky going forward.

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4. Project Canvas TV on Demand Project Could Be Delayed Until 2011
5. Local TV Group Six TV Join Opponents Of Project Canvas