AfterDawn: News

Many users would disregard threatening emails from ISPs

According to a new survey by music consultancy Music Ally, many users would completely disregard warning letters from ISPs threatening to shut off their Internet for piracy offenses.

The survey was given to US, UK and French citizens, and published by the research firm The Leading Question.



The study also shows that most consumers would prefer to download music legally from their ISPs rather then from their mobile carriers or from their cable providers.

46 percent of those studied chose their ISP as the "ideal music provider" compared to 10 percent who chose their cable or satellite TV company, and 5 percent who chose their mobile operator. An even smaller number, 3 percent, chose handset manufacturers such as Nokia or Apple as their preferred provider.

"ISPs need to find new added value offerings as their core service of offering access to the Internet becomes increasingly commoditised," noted Tim Walker, CEO of The Leading Question, on Music Ally's Website.

"Music looks like a good bet both for keeping existing customers and getting new ones, particularly if you can bundle in a music service so that it 'feels' free or very cheap."

To the other matter at hand, 41 percent of those surveyed "admitted to using P2P services said they would stop downloading unlicensed music if they were sent a warning letter from their ISP." 63 percent said they would stop if they were threatened with having their Internet service shut off.

"While warning letters from ISPs may be enough to sent out an important message to all music fans, the may not be enough to dissuade the real target group of file sharers from downloading music without paying," added Paul Brindley, CEO of Music Ally.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 19 Jan 2009 14:18

• Previous article

• Judge tells RIAA no damages without proof

• Next article

• Dish Network adds 1080p programming to IP-DVR

• 6 comments

• windsong

  Never answer them. As soon as you do, you become a more refined target. Might as well make the noose yourself.

  19.1.2009 15:51 #1

• beanos66

  isp's don't want to be policemen they want to be shopkeepers, and what are shopkeepers good at ? making you pay more for the same old product

  19.1.2009 16:52 #2

• domie

  ISPs don't care about piracy - they pay lip service to the authorities because they know the end consumer who pays the highest monthly subscriptions is a "pirate"
  In the UK , Virgin Media is rolling out its 50 mb broadband line to replace the current 20 mb line with the advertising slogans "download an entire album or film in xxx seconds " - now who on earth is that aimed at ? the casual web surfer or someone who downloads and pays for tracks from itunes or another alternative ? I don't think so.
  I think most people know now it doesn't matter if your line is 2 mb , 20 mb or 50 mb - it won't connect you to yahoo or any other site any quicker.

  19.1.2009 18:22 #3

• Hunt720

  I have never recieved one of these letters, but I hear that they generally don't come from ISPs but rather from various company-hired moles who will download enough of a file from you to determine that you are sharing one of their studios copywrighted properties (film/song/etc) . Then they use your IP to determine your ISP and get the ISP to slap your wrist ....or worse.
  
  That's what I've read anyhow, is that true?

  19.1.2009 18:26 #4

• domie

  yes it's true - that happens in the UK with the wonderful lawyer firm of Davenport - Lyons , who make their money by snooping on the net via p2p programs and logging info and then actually contact the companies that hold the copyright on the infringed work and prostitute themselves and their services to go after the supposed "violator" to threaten him into parting with cash - a bit like ambulance chaser lawyers on steroids.
  
  however, this is something different with UK authorities trying to get the ISPs to send out the letters themselves and participate actively into snooping on what people use their internet connection for.

  20.1.2009 08:58 #5

• Mez

  domie, I agree with the duplisity of the ISP. They are in it for the money. Virgin and Comcast lead the industry with hard hitting, effective measures against P2P. Comcast sent out a soothing letter probably after too many persons left Comcast. They stated they would lift bandwidth restrictions sometime this year. The cable companies did not have enough bandwidth to compete with fiber. They were taking bandwidth from the internet to bolster the TV bandwidth. TV is where their profits lie. They had to reduce P2P to make the service work with less bandwidth. There is a new multiplexing method that is comming out this year. Apparently Virgin beat Comcast to the punch being the first huge ISP to instal the technology. With double the bandwidth they can match fiber making P2P not much of an issue.

  26.1.2009 09:16 #6