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'ISPs could spend EUR 10 mln to comply with new law - report'(DMeurope Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) France's four biggest ISPs, Orange, SFR, Free and Numericable, estimate that it would cost them some EUR 10 million each to meet the requirements of an anti-internet piracy bill that was approved by the Senate at the end of last year and is due to be debated by the national assembly in early March. Les Echos reports that Orange estimates the cost at EUR 13 million and Numericable at well under EUR 10 million. Free would not comment on the matter. The bill calls for warning e-mails to be sent to internet users who make illegal downloads, and, if these are ignored, to suspend internet service for varying lengths of time between two months and one year. Triple-play customers must still be allowed to use their phone and TV services, which would require changing internal IT systems and software in customer equipment, one operator said. Technical difficulties are greater in non-unbundled areas, but the sanctions must be the same for anyone breaking the future law. Sources at the ministry of culture said it was too early to speak about how much ISPs will have to invest to meet their obligations, as the bill has yet to pass and a study on the necessary investment has not been undertaken. In the end, the government could subsidise part or all of the costs incurred. ISPs would prefer for illegal downloaders to be fined rather than losing their internet access. An amendment to this end was rejected by the senate but will be re-introduced by UMP deputy Lionel Tardy at the national assembly. (Distributed for DMeurope.com via M2 Communications Ltd (www.m2.com)) Copyright ? 2009 M2 Communications Ltd. |