The UK’s Open Source Consortium (OSC) has urged telecommunications regulator Ofcom to launch a probe into the potential impact Project Canvas, which is designed to bring internet TV into the living room.

The OSC said that Project Canvass would hit competition hard as partners of the project would enjoy too much control over the platform. It was the fifth complaint against Project Canvass received by the regulator.

Virgin Media, IP Vision United for Local Television and Six TV have already lodged complaints against Project Canvass.

The complainant is of the view that the BBC and other project partners will restrict technological choice.

Lodging a complaint against Project Canvass, the OSC said, “The OSC believes this will have adverse consequences for the device and software sector, diminishing consumer choice and causing inevitable consumer harm.”

Project Canvas, which is backed by the BBC, Channel 4, TalkTalk, Arqiva, ITV and BT, is all set to start operating in the first half of 2011. The new service will be launched under the name YouView.

The upcoming service will provide users with an opportunity to view on-demand movies and TV shows via internet enabled TVs.