Web could collapse as video demand soars

Lewis Carter
Telegraph
April 7, 2008

The internet could grind to a halt within two years under the pressure of booming demand for online video, experts have warned.

Soaring visitor numbers to video websites such as YouTube and the BBC’s iPlayer are putting the copper wires, which underpin parts of the internet, under severe strain.

Experts warn that unless billions of pounds is spent on upgrading the web’s infrastructure, it could slow down or even collapse. An internet meltdown would have a disastrous impact on the economy.

Larry Irving, co-chairman of the Internet Innovation Alliance, an American industry group lobbying for universal improvements in the web’s network, said: “Our streets in cities like London or New York were designed for a certain amount of traffic.

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