Internet Service Providers Strike Music Piracy Deal

Six of the UK's biggest internet service providers have agreed to take tougher sanctions against users who download music illegally.

BT, Virgin, Orange, Tiscali, BSkyB and Carphone Warehouse will now send warning letters to their most prolific violators.

For many parents, it will be the first time that they have been made aware of their children's internet habits.

The agreement, signed in collaboration with the Government, also wants ISPs to go further in order to make their users aware that sharing music is illegal.

But many ISPs, including some who have signed up to the memorandum, are thought to be against music industry proposals to disconnect users who ignore warnings.

The “three strikes and you're out” rule is already under consideration in France. But it has previously drawn caution from internet providers in the United Kingdom, including the Carphone Warehouse.

The memorandum states that ISPs and representatives from the music and film industries must draw up proposals on how to best tackle the worst offenders of the 6.5million illegal downloaders in the UK.

It's thought that creating legal file-sharing sites will be at the top of their agenda. Their findings will then be presented to the Government who will draw up any future legislation.

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