BT and BPI in a row over actions on 100,000 illegal downloaders
Many are on the sidelines anticipating the outcome of the debate between UK’s leader in broadband services and the British Pornographic Industry (BPI).
The astounding claim of 100,000 illegal downloaders using BT Broadband made by the BPI was rejected by BT, saying the evidence provided by BPI is erroneous. The numbers consists of broadband users within the BT bandwidth suspected of sharing files illegally, but the ISP said that only a small fraction were actually correct IP addresses linked to their customers.
BT was not only taken aback by accusations of inaction, it also claimed that the submitted information was inaccurate and could not be substantiated sufficiently for them to take action against the alleged illegal downloaders. The company also said they have agreed to send out letters to a thousand suspected illegal downloaders at the turn of this year.
But this doesn’t seem enough. The chief executive of BPI, Geoff Taylor, expressed dismay over the lack of action from BT on their noted subscribers involved in piracy. Further, the BPI pointed out that a leader such as BT should do something about having a high traffic of illegal materials. Taylor said, operating a commercial service in the knowledge that is used as an avenue by criminals should not be tolerated, and BT should take steps right away to ensure that such breaking of laws will be corrected within their company. He further highlighted such action should be conducted at the expense of BT’s funds and not imposed on its consumers through higher bills.
Contrary to innuendos that it’s merely protecting its subscribers by saying so, BT clarified it is merely defending its services within the bounds of law, and will not take action just yet as they may be simply caught in a tricky situation with BPI.
For more information, visit: IT Pro Portal
Security issues for routers
In a letter addressed to all its subscribers, the Be Broadband Blog has said that they have been informed of a possible security problem which could target the BE Box. The crux of the problem, according to the letter, was that it would enable someone else to change the settings on your router.
In an effort to get everyone, including people who didn’t read this letter, protected, they decided to update the password automatically for all its subscribers. The password will be unique to each subscriber and will be the individual serial number which is found at the bottom of the BE Box. A guide is available for changing the password subsequently at their website.
Be wanted to emphasise that the wireless key was not being modified, but it was the administrator web interface’s password that was being changed.
The script was automatically run on the 7th of September. For subscribers who didn’t want Be to do this, they were allowed to stop it by downloading and running the tool from their website.
For their more tech – savvy customers, a detailed explanation was given with regard to the problem. They said that the BE Box was under threat from an XSS which was working in tandem with a CRSF and enabled a remote attacker to carry out actions on the Web UI by using a JavaScript without the knowledge of the subscriber.
The short term would see the halting of this occurrence by setting the password as the serial number of the customer’s BE Box.
After this had been done, if any unauthorized person attempted to hack your router, you will be asked to enter your Admin password. Do not enter it or else the attack will become successful. Do not enter your password when it randomly asks for it.
Be said that they would be working with Thomson in the long run in order to make the firmware’s resistance to these attacks better.
Significant discount for 50 Mbps connections
Virgin Media, in a recent announcement, has brought about significant discounts in their 50 Mbps broadband package, meaning that unlike most other broadband providers, high – speed internet doesn’t have to come with a high price as well.
New customers enrolling in the UK with Virgin Media will only be charged a mere £18 per month for the first 3 months of their subscription in order to access the high speed XXL 50 Mbps package, though users will have to pay through Direct Debit or eBilling.
Access to this top speed internet broadband package will also entail users having to subscribe for the £11 per month virgin phone line service and, after the promotional 3 month period, the cost of the package will increase to a nominal 28 pounds monthly.
If new customers do not require the Virgin phone line, then they can choose not to take up the offer and can still be up for the 50 Mbps service. However, the promotional price of the service for the first 3 months increases to 33 pounds monthly and then 38 pounds after the expiration of the promotional period.
All broadband packages being offered by Virgin Media also come with a free modem as well as a Wireless N router, free PCGuard Total, free installation, 100 free photo prints every month, unlimited storage space on their network and automatic backup. Virgin Media also offers the best downlink and uplink speed currently available in the UK regardless of the chosen package.
This promotional deal from Virgin, according to an industry expert, provide amazing value for money with the best speed possible. For people who download a lot or stream TV or music through iPlayer or Spotify, this deal should be hard to resist!
Virgin Media is currently working on launching a new broadband service which should enables its users to have downlink speeds of about 200 Mbps and is putting in a lot of effort to ensure that a lot of subscribers get onto their 50 Mbps package before they roll the 200 Mbps package out.
Metered broadband pushed by Verizon
It was not too long ago when Verizon, deemed the best wired and wireless broadband network in the United States, never said a word or lifted a finger on issues pertaining to a metered broadband service.
It all changed when Verizon CTO Dick Lynch spoke before peers in the broadband service industry in a recent Houston gathering. Lynch reportedly said the future of broadband service will have to be seen in the coming days as something that could be priced based on bandwidth consumption.
Although wireless carriers have since operated on usage charges, broadband has been always put at a flat rate. Verizon currently offers Fios, its fiber-to-the-home network, on unlimited bandwidth capacity and cost of $55 per month for 15Mbps service. Fios is nearing completion since it was constructed five years ago, and is aimed at serving 15 million American homes with some of the speediest in the country.
Lynch said that even with this powerful capacity, the company is studying its management of bandwidth and traffic knowing that forever offering such service without price structures is difficult to attain. This came after Verizon head revealed that it spend $17 million this year along to keep its 3G wireless network, deploy its 4G wireless broadband service and expand its global IP network.
The Verizon boss also said it is keeping its options open and considering their long time subscribers don’t see their price meter plan the same way they do; and also because recent developments toward broadband models might just hamper such plans. Lynch also said the government should push for business-friendly regulations to make their industry come up with flexible solutions and workable plans that would favor the people, instead of coming up with rigid solutions that would put the broadband networks at peril.
Click here for more information related to this post: CNET
More questions loom on stopping illegal filesharing
Since the campaign against illegal filesharing started years ago, it has not waned at all as seen recently by an increase of artists supporting the move.
Now, there is a plan to give three chances to users who engage in illegal file sharing. This means that once they are warned about illegally sharing files three times, then they could have their internet connection cut. It’s like in baseball … strike three keeps you out of the scene. Or is it just for the moment? And could there be another chance to go to the bat?
The debate continues while artists like Radiohead and Keane openly expressed their support to the three – strike ruling. Obviously dismayed at the continuing illegal filesharing, the two music greats wish for users to stop the activity of distributing their music. They recently joined the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC), avid campaigners against piracy where George Michael, Patrick Wolf and other UK music industry personalities also belong.
The three – strike rule would mean that a series of sanctions will be issued to users who take part in the illegal distribution of music online. It asks that broadband service providers will issue two warning letters to users repeatedly violating copyright laws, particularly music; and the final sanction will be that the providers cut the offender’s connection from the service.
BT, while emphatic with the artists’ concern, said this move would mean they will increase their service costs. The leading provider in UK explained that the measure would mean additional operational and management expense, which in turn could be tolled on their subscribers.
Such a move has been analyzed by internet service providers, saying the annual bills of each consumer will most likely increase with additional £2 each month.
BSkyB gets ASA reproach over unfair ads
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) recently issued a ban against airing of the BSkyB advertisement citing the unfair and misleading attacks on broadband companies BT and Virgin Media.
The internet speeds of service providers, along with concerned groups and individuals, raised their concern over the BSkyB campaign. The ad claims, “If you’re in a Sky network area, we don’t slow your broadband speed down at peak times – unlike Virgin Media and BT.”
The advertisement watchdog supported their decision to ban BSkyB, citing among others that only extremely heavy users would experience slower speeds during peak times, which is but an understandable connectivity and speed situations.
The ruling from ASA stated that the BSkyB campaign breached advertising guidelines on substantiation, truth and comparisons with competitors. It further issued a warning against the BSkyB to refrain from making similar unfair and misleading claims.
On the other hand, BSkyB retorted that all BT and Virgin Media subscribers could be likely affected by their fair use and traffic management policies. They argued broadband speeds of users exceeding “fair use” during peak hours would be experiencing what they claim. This particularly happens, said BSkyB when “heavy users” who are using on popular applications at busy periods with bigger bandwidths.
ASA explained that both BT and Virgin Media do not intend these slower peak-hours speed as implied by the BSkyB advertisement. The regulatory body stated that the public, particularly subscribers to the two internet service providers, would infer from the claim that their speeds are really affected and such slower connection is intended by the two providers.
Particularly to the consumers with low-bandwidth web browsing services, the BSkyB advertisement would make them think the services of both Virgin Media and BT are really slowing down their speed, even if such is not the case, ASA continued to explain.
To read more related information, click here: guardian.co.uk
Plusnet announces shorter, more flexible contracts
Leading broadband service provider Plusnet recently announced it is offering more affordable schemes for its subscribers, and cutting their offered 18-month contract lengths to just 12 months.
This was announced by Plusnet chief executive Anthony Vollmer, who said that the customers can now enjoy greater flexibility and cheaper services from their company. This would give both existing and new subscribers of Plusnet the choice to leave the service after a year, instead of being tied down longer if they have other plans.
Apart from this good news of cheaper rates and shorter contracts, Plusnet also announced that they made available the no-contract broadband plan. This will mean customers may opt to pay for hardware and the connection at the same time.
Subscribers have been reported to be hassled and dismayed with existing service contracts, not just with Plusnet but other broadband providers as well. This is because most broadband packages offered come with fees for set-up, as well as hardware purchase, that come when they sign-up a contract or when they choose to leave it. When customers opt to change service providers, or are unsatisfied with the connectivity and speed, most would simply pay out the remainder of their contract. With Plusnet’s no contract broadband package, the subscribers have the choice to save when they purchase both the connection and the hardware needed.
Those planning to avail of Plusnet subscription can also avail of the company’s offered bundles of broadband service connection and home phones. Options like the unlimited broadband packages with internet connection can now be purchased from Plusnet.
The service that comes with greater speeds of 8MBps and download limit of 10GB is now available for subscribers at only £5.99. Plusnet said their cost is considered the cheapest when it comes to stand-alone broadband package.
Far-flung Scottish communities get BT access
With the news that the existing BT telephone exchanges in far-flung rural Scottish areas will get an upgrade, communities see themselves getting faster internet services. More so for the Scottish government that has witness piling up of complaints from the border towns, and increasing demands for improved broadband network service.
BT, the largest broadband internet provider in the United Kingdom, recently announced it has allotted a £3 million fund to upgrade accessibility of about 50 rural towns in Scotland. The company is currently undertaking finalization plans with the Scottish government which is expected to have a positive end in the next few weeks.
Scottish finance secretary John Swinney expressed the remote areas are anticipating speedier accessibility to more homes. He said communities have been frustrated with the existing internet services they are getting, mostly small and medium sized businesses who are burdened with unreliable connections. But with the successful initiation of BT’s move at Inverness, Culloden and Dingwall telephone exchanges, their frustrating experiences will soon end.
Swinney went on to say that there is a stark margin between high levels of broadband availability in more populated and larger areas of the country, and the weak connections in the rural areas. The BT plans is expected to close this gap in the coming months, he said.
BT announced that their provided stable broadband service over phone lines distancing some seven miles away from exchanges is twice the current reach of existing broadband services in rural Scotland. With this, businesses in the remote areas are expected to be boosted with the more effective services and faster internet speed.
This BT plan came amid a continuing debate with the UK government of the latter’s broadband tax proposal that, if approved, a 50 pence monthly tax would be collected from subscribers with a fixed telephone line.
More information related to this post at: news.bbc.co.uk
Orange’s broadband service has been restored
Broadband services have been restored to all Orange customers after a full outage on Thursday, reported Orange.
Orange said that another incident whereby customers were unable to get access to their emails on the Blackberry phones had been solved as well. They said that this problem was due to some ‘vandalism’ of critical cables’
Orange have not mentioned as to the reason for the problems for their broadband customers, but they said that they had taken care of the problem soon after it was identified.
However, a BBC News website reader, Kieran Casey, said that he had noticed the problem at 0900 BST on Thursday. At about 1400 BST, he mentioned of a conversation with Orange, who said that the repairs would take ‘another few hours’.
Mr Casey said that, considering the size of Orange, the fact that they had this problem for such a long time was quite unbelievable and ridiculous. Orange Broadband, which ran under the name Wanadoo previously, has a customer base of nearly 1 million in the fixed broadband sector in the country.
The firm, with over 15 million mobile customers, had made a recent announcement saying that they would merge their UK mobile operations with T-Mobile.
A spokesperson for Orange said that they were aware of Blackberry customers experiencing problems in accessing their emails. The spokesperson also said that they were aware that it was due to a vandalism of the cabling infrastructure which had been supplied to them by a third party provider in Heathrow, London.
In another incident, said the spokesperson, some broadband customers may have had a problem accessing the internet. They said that they were able to confirm the solving of this problem and that full service had been resumed for all their broadband customers.
Source - BBC News
Local broadband shops to be opened by BT
High Street will finally get to find out more about the super – fast total broadband service being offered by BT with the opening of 2 shops by BT, where potential customers can go for a full – demonstration of this service.
This unique idea will see the opening of stores in Whitchurch, near Cardiff this week and then in Muswell Hill, North London during the next week.
These stores will be first ever retail stores to be opened in the country which focus exclusively on broadband in the country. They invite people to ‘come in and experience the future of super – fast broadband from BT’.
BT is hoping that these stores, which could see more branches being opened if successful, will be useful in convincing people who don’t have a broadband connection to get one by signing up for it.
The Marketing Director of BT Retail, Matthew Dearden, says that the BT Retail Super – fast broadband shop in Whitchurch is the first of this type of store to have opened in the high streets of Britian, with another shop being scheduled to open in Muswell Hill in London the following week.
This showcase will enable them, according to Dearden, to show the locals everything they need to know about super – fast broadband which is being trialled in that area. These demonstrations, he added, will enable them to see a wide variety of business and home apps which will increase the quality of their lives.
BT Retail have undergone a recent upgrade, enabling it to provide top download speeds of about 20 Mbps. They plan to further install 1.5 million fibre internet connections by next year. This would enable the speeds to go upto 40 and 60 Mbps.
Source - T3.com
