The BBC is making daily programme schedule information available in TV-Anytime format as part of an experimental trial service. The data set provides details of programmes for a seven day period and is currently updated as a daily snapshot, rather than a realtime feed. The data will initially be available for three months and usage is limited to non-commercial purposes. The pilot is being provided as one of the data services on the BBC Backstage web site, which provides data, resources and support for users who wish to build prototypes and proofs of concepts using BBC material. The result of over five years of development by the TV-Anytime Forum, the TV-Anytime specifications provide standards for the rich description of radio and television programmes for use in products such as digital video recorders. The TV-Anytime specification can be downloaded from the European Telecommunications Standards Institute as TS102822. Also, after more than two years of work by the "Registration Taskforce" of the TV-Anytime Forum, the TV-Anytime CRID has become an RFC -- the Internet community's version of an International Standard -- Its number is RFC4078.
Alternative Payment Methods (APMs) – comprising digital wallets, instant payments, and QR payment systems – are experiencing explosive growth that's reshaping the global financial services marketplace. According to the latest worldwide market study by ABI Research , the combined global transaction value for APMs is projected to reach $142 trillion by 2030. What's particularly fascinating is the underlying driver behind this trend: a growing desire for financial sovereignty, with nations developing domestic payment ecosystems rather than remaining dependent on international financial networks. Payment Ecosystem Market Development In 2024, approximately 45 percent of the global population used digital wallets – a remarkable adoption rate for a technology that barely existed a decade ago. China leads this transition, with 95 percent of its population using WeChat's payment functionality. WeChat exemplifies the "super app" phenomenon, where payment capabilities are in...