Music companies round on UPC Ireland over illegal downloads

The Irish subsidiaries of Sony Music, Warner Music and Unviersal Music have called for legal action to force Liberty Global-owned UPC Ireland to combat illegal downloading on lines that have already been agreed with the country’s largest telco Eircom.

The music groups are taking legal action after UPC declined to adopt a so-called ‘three strikes’ policy where copyright infringers are given two warnings to desist before their internet service is terminated. UPC has said that any such policy should be the result of legislation.

The case, expected to last eight days, has already heard evidence of alleged copyright infringement by UPC subscribers.