INDUSTRY NEWS

Increasing volumes of online traffic over the Christmas period could leave many internet service providers (ISPs) struggling to service their networks, it has been claimed.

According to Broadband.co.uk, UK internet traffic could rise noticeably over the holidays as people log online to check out the Boxing Day bargains and use video services such as the BBC iPlayer to catch up with television.

Edd Dawson, managing director of the consumer website, explained that this year marks the "first mass-market Christmas" for the iPlayer.

"With the BBC having by far and away the best programming over the Christmas period, we would not be surprise to see the ISPs suffer as people catch up on what they have missed," he said.

As of the end of November 2008, iPlayer has amassed some 237 million viewing requests online since its launch, according to the BBC.

Last month, there were 35 million requests to view online, averaging at more than one million a day.