broadband news

Filesharers - we'll cut you off say BT

Big brothers BT and BPI are working together to identify broadband customers infringing music copyright through the process of file sharing.

The biggest broadband provider is threatening to disconnect subscribers although it is not yet established whether they will implement the 'three strikes and you're out' procedure that the record industry has adopted. BT has four million retail broadband customers and is obviously collaborating in making a serious stand over file sharing in peer to peer networks.

The broadband provider recently sent an email to one of its broadband customers, reproducing evidence collected by the BPI, alleging that she had participated in a network sharing of Biology, the Girls Aloud song. Shame indeed. The BPI (formerly known as British Phonographic Industry) is the body that represents the British recorded music business.

Geoff Taylor, the Chief of UK record industry trade body the BPI, says that "Establishing partnerships with broadband providers is the number one issue for the BPI, and we are beginning to form positive working relationships with BT, Virgin Media and most of the other major ISPs."

Broadband provider BT are reluctant to comment on communications with individual customers. But they do say broadband customers similarly infringing copyright will be warned in the same way.

Collecting this kind of evidence does not mean BT is monitoring customers' broadband connection. However, file sharers be warned. The BPI are able to collect lists of IP numbers participating in peer to peer network sharing and identify the broadband customer. Working with the broadband providers, it can then ask for the individual account holder to be identified and the broadband provider is able to do so, without sharing the information with the BPI.

It is possible for hardcore file sharers to evade the BPI and their broadband provider's scrutiny. But it is the mass market the record industry are hoping to chasten.

22/07/2008
Author: CompareBroadbandUK staff writer

Next broadband news story

Everyone wants mobile broadband and they want it fast
- The demand for mobile broadband means there is pressure on service providers to roll out a megafast 1000Mbps service.
24/07/2008

Read all our broadband news stories

Sign up to our broadband newsletterStay updated with our free broadband and mobile broadband newsletter.