UK ISPs are threatening to cripple websites that don't pay them first. Barry Collins fears a disastrous end to net neutrality You flip open your laptop, click on the BBC iPlayer bookmark and press Play on the latest episode of QI. But instead of that tedious, plinky-plonky theme tune droning out of your laptop?s speakers, you?re left staring at the whirring, circular icon as the video buffers and buffers and buffers...
That?s odd. Not only have you got a new 40Mbits/sec fibre broadband connection, but you were watching a Full HD video on Sky Player just moments ago. There?s nothing wrong with your connection; it must be iPlayer. So you head to Twitter to find out if anyone else is having problems streaming Stephen Fry et al. The message that appears on your screen leaves you looking more startled than Bill Bailey. ?This service isn?t supported on your broadband service. Click here to visit our social-networking partner, Facebook.?