Finally Multicast is coming

I am heartened that BT are now trialling multicast services on their Internet access network in the UK. This is primarily being aimed initially for HD TV streaming, but it is also the medium for true Internet hidefinition radio (as opposed to the current bandwidth limited session based services).

For those where this means nothing, multicast is the equivalent of data broadcasting across Mutiple networks like the Internet. This means it is potentially millions of times more efficient than current pseudo broadcast  methods, and so it will be more commercially viable to have hidefinition audio streams, ie a single hidef source could be received by millions. (although you will need to book multicast capacity - a bit like booking capacity on a satellite transponder, or reserving radio spectrum for your radio station)

I thought this would have to wait for IPV6 roll out, but it appears IPV4 multicast will be initially supported.

It will be great to get some views of any web radio station providers out there?

Simon