Project Canvas is a proposed partnership between the BBC, ITV, C4, Five, BT and Talk Talk to build an open internet-connected TV platform, subject to BBC Trust approval.

While the partners to the venture pledged that the technology would be an open specification, the DTG accused that they are developing a separate standard, which does not involve key players such as set-top manufacturers and television makers.

A spokesman for Project Canvas reportedly said that they are encouraged by the wide range of consumer electronics companies who have expressed an interest in manufacturing Canvas-compliant devices.