INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS AGREE PIRACY PLAN

Six of the UK's biggest internet providers have agreed on a plan with the music industry to tackle illegal downloading.

The plan will involve the service providers sending letters to thousands of the most prolific downloaders warning them that their activity has been detected and is being closely monitored.

Over the past year, 6.5 million Britons are thought to have downloaded files illegally.

The cost of such activities is estimated to cost the music industry £1 billion over the next five years.

In an effort to tackle the problem, the six biggest providers BT, Virgin Media, Orange, Tiscali, BSkyB and Carphone Warehouse have all signed up to a government drive addressing unlawful file sharing.

Reports suggest that those caught downloading illegally and continue to ignore warnings could be subject to 'online surveillance' as well as having their internet speeds reduced.

Fergal Sharkey, the former Undertones singer and chief executive of British Music Rights, said: "This is something of a step into the unknown for the internet providers, music industries and ministers.

"But we can't go on without it - no business can survive after losing as much revenue as the music industry has."