Google, BSkyB in Broadband Alliance

Google teams up with BSkyB to provide broadband users with a UGC video platform, search services and email.

by Helen Leggatt

The union comes just a few months after News Corp., BSkyB’s parent company, made a 3 year, $900m deal to give Google the rights to sell advertising on MySpace, and only a few weeks later Google purchased UGC site YouTube.

BSkyB’s broadband users will be able to edit, upload and share their own videos, including downloads from mobile phones. Could there be some competition here with Google’s site YouTube?

Other aspects of the deal include providing broadband customers with access to a suite of search, communications and advertising services and offering use of a customized version of Google’s email product, Google Mail. Emails will have an @sky.com address.

"These agreements will bring Sky customers a valuable set of services from the world's leading search company, including cutting edge tools for video-sharing and communications," said James Murdoch, Sky's chief executive. "Sky is on track to build a large and successful broadband business and is increasingly well positioned to participate in the rapid growth of online search and advertising."

BSkyB had received 113,000 orders for its free broadband service by the end of October, and has offered 74,000 connections so far.