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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.
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