Virgin Media sends out warning letters
3rd July 2008
Virgin Media has sent over 800 letters out to broadband customers suspected to have downloaded music illegally.
As part of a campaign run in conjunction with the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), users who are thought to have been using "unauthorised peer-to-peer file sharing networks" such as Limewire or BitTorrent will be warned to stop their activities, reports the BBC.
While the BPI wishes that broadband providers cut off any customers seen to have downloaded music content illegally, Virgin has insisted that the letters are part of an educational initiative.
Virgin Media’s Asam Ahmad told the BBC: "It is important to let our customers know that their accounts have been used in a certain way but we are happy to accept it may not be the account holder that’s involved."
Adding: "It could be someone else in the family or someone living in a shared house."
Meanwhile, the Register reports that Virgin Media has denied rumours of plans to use new "bandwidth throttling hardware" in an effort to target peer-to-peer downloaders.
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