Virgin plans action on pirate subscribers

Virgin Media is planning to take action against subscribers who illegally download copyrighted material.

The provider will work with the British Phonographic Institute and potentially television and movie studios under the scheme which, according to the Sunday Telegraph, will be implemented in coming months.

The BPI will pass details of users it believes are breaking the law to Virgin. They will be sent warnings and, if they continue to download content believed by the BPI to be pirated, disconnected.

A spokesman for Virgin Media said: "We have been in discussions with rights holders organisations about how a voluntary scheme could work.

"We are taking this problem seriously and would favour a sensible voluntary solution."

The scheme is similar to a "three strikes" approach mooted by the Government earlier this year.

Ministers said they would force ISPs to take action with legislation if no voluntary solution was found by April next year.