WebProNews

Britain's major online service providers have joined a government initiated plan to deal with the illegal downloading of music and films.

Internet service providers will send warning letters to users who are suspected of illegal file sharing. Around 6 million Britons are believed to have downloaded files illegally over the past year, costing the music and film industries millions in lost revenue.

The plan mirrors similar moves by France to convince Internet service providers to deal with copyright infringement on their networks and countries such as Australia, Demark, Japan and New Zealand are also considering such moves.

Under the government-backed deal, Virgin Media, BskyB, Carphone Warehouse, BT, Orange and Tiscali have agreed to help reduce the illegal sharing of content.

They will send letters to heavy downloaders of illegal content each week during a three-month trail, warning them they are being watched. The ISPs and content owners will then partner with media regulator Ofcom to create a Code of Practice on how to proceed if the letters are not effective.

Possible sanctions against illegal downloaders includes a three-strikes-and -you're out warning, slowing access for illegal downloader's, or filtering to block illegal songs from being downloaded.

"The UK agreement is a big step towards reaching a solution to online piracy, and it shows that the process of engaging ISPs that was set in motion in France last year is gathering real momentum internationally," said John Kennedy, the CEO of the IFPI body which oversees the music industry.