QuoteNTL, the largest broadband provider in the United Kingdom, will be testing the file-swapping service as a way to deliver video more cheaply than traditional downloads. Another company, called CacheLogic, will add its data-caching technology to improve the networks efficiency.

I was discussing this topic with a couple of blokes at work a just a few weeks back. I had suggested that the Cable Cos might look to utilise their Settop boxes in a P2P "napster" way for the distributed delivery of video. God I wished I had of thought of it a little sooner and got something down on paper.

Its a great concept and as long as NTL can keep the nodes alive and refreshed it should really help them achieve their VOD targets. Hopefully itll also make it harder for the _authorities_ to pull torrent sites offline as they may well have a _legitimate_ reason for providing their indexing services.

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-6038269.html

More here:
http://informitv.com/articles/2006/02/12/ntltrialsbittorrent/


edit:
The more I think about this, the more cunning it appears. If the content is to be delivered to your PC / HTPC rather than to your settop box, there is nothing stopping NTL (once the tech is proven) from providing NTL Entertainment services to anyone with a broadband connection (in any country).

Damn, someone could finally position themselves as a direct competitor to  Sky

Quote from: NimrodDamn, someone could finally position themselves as a direct competitor to  Sky

It does seem like they want to take Rupert Murdoch head on.

Theyve acquired (assimilated more like) Virgin Mobile recently as well.

I can see a case of shareholder indigestion coming on...

The whole thing is supposedly going to be under the Virgin brand name, seems people regard it as rather more trustworthy than NTL for some reason...