Broadband providers could charge up to £3 a month for access to 'free' on-demand services like the BBC iPlayer as they upgrade their networks.
Media regulator Ofcom warns a surge in demand for TV on-demand could force broadband providers to perform urgent upgrades to keep their networks afloat.
The surge could come if the BBC's proposed Project Canvas enables millions of homes to watch on-demand video through their TV screen instead of PCs.
Ofcom's Converged Communications in Tomorrow's World report found that the UK's internet backbone networks 'are running at close to their maximum capacity'.
"In the case of extreme traffic demands, the costs to upgrade core networks might be in the region of £1 - £3 per household per month on top of existing subscriptions," the report added.
"Given the increase in value of data consumed in the the home, this increase in price might be acceptable."
The report goes on to say that with an upgraded network, the cost of providing high capacity internet will return to current levels in the next decade.
