New iPlayer features could clog business networks

The latest version of the iPlayer makes it possible to download HD content and link directly with social networks, so that once you’ve watched a show you can zip over to Facebook and recommend it to your friends.

Sounds great, but WAN optimisation company Blue Coat is warning that the extra demand the new features could put on business networks could end up being very costly.

The ability to automatically download future episodes of a favourite programme is likely to cause the most problems.

The potential bandwith usage, especially if HD shows are being downloaded, could slow down business networks to the extent that more bandwith has to be purchased.

Trials of the revamped iPlayer suggested that the new features are likely to be popular, with 18,000 people linking the BBC iPlayer to Facebook or another social network and 70,000 people using the automatic download feature.