Carphone Warehouse banks on Canvas for TV

Carphone Warehouse, the UK ISP and mobile phone retailer that acquired IPTV service provider Tiscali UK, is putting its TV plans on hold until Project Canvas plans become clearer.

The company’s broadband arm TalkTalk recently signed up as a partner in Canvas, the proposed UK video-on-demand platform that would see content delivered over the internet to Freeview and Freesat set-top boxes and connected TV sets, joining the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and BT.

Speaking during a trading update, CEO Charles Dunstone said the company would be “foolhardy” to try and compete against established TV providers BSkyB, Virgin Media and Freeview. Instead, he said, Carphone Warehouse would have a much better chance in succeeding with Project Canvas when it is ready.

Since acquiring Tiscali TV last year, Carphone Warehouse has done little with the service other than rebranding it TalkTalk TV this month.