UK ISPs want the BBC to pay for their network upgrades
…and I would like the BBC to buy me a new car.
The ISPs weren’t too bothered when people were downloading huge amounts of illegal data. The file-sharers didn’t really have any grounds for complaint when the ISPs curtailed their activities. Now that it’s all above board and they actually have to deliver on their “unlimited” service plans it’s a bit different.
I don’t recall the ISPs asking YouTube/Google or Facebook to subsidise their operations. I’m sure they realised that these commercial entities would tell them exactly where they could stick their fibre optic cables. The BBC should (continue to) take a similarly dismissive approach.
Interestingly, the BBC estimates that their new iPlayer service is already responsible for 3-5% of all UK net traffic.