Eircom enacts three strikes rule

Amhran Nua

Well, it seems they went ahead and enacted a three strikes rule in Eircom.

EIRCOM WILL from today begin a process that will lead to cutting off the broadband service of customers found to be repeatedly sharing music online illegally.
Ireland is the first country in the world where a system of “graduated response” is being put in place. Under the pilot scheme, Eircom customers who illegally share copyrighted music will get three warnings before having their broadband service cut off for a year.
The Irish Recorded Music Association (Irma), whose members include EMI, Sony, Universal and Warner, reached an out-of-court settlement with Eircom in February 2009 under which the telecoms company agreed to introduce such a system for its 750,000 broadband users.
The mechanism by which it operates was challenged in the courts by the Data Protection Commissioner.
Mr Justice Peter Charleton ruled in the High Court that a broadband subscribers internet protocol (IP) address, which Eircom will use to identify infringing customers, did not constitute personal information.
It is understood that, during the pilot phase, Eircom has agreed to process about 50 IP addresses a week. Irma is using a third-party firm, Dtecnet, to identify Eircom customers who are sharing, and not simply downloading, a specific list of its members’ copyrighted works on peer-to-peer networks. The operation of the scheme will be reviewed after three months.

Just in case anyone is confused over what that means, your internet can be cut off if your internet habits are categorised as "suspicious".

No court of law is involved, no proof is required, no intervention from the justice system. Indeed, you don't even need to be pirating anything, if you are downloading open source ISOs you can be cut just as quickly.

Ireland is the first country on earth to have this enacted. This also goes against EU rulings on the matter.

There is no proxy, no encryption and no possible disguising of your internet browsing habits against this, if the company that is providing internet access thinks you are acting suspiciously, they can and will cut you off.

On general principles I just got off the phone with a very nice man in BT about transferring over our internet connection, I'll save money on a faster service and have been assured that BT has no intention of enacting a three strikes rule. Took about ten minutes.

This is the best way to deal with the issue - tell everyone you know, your friends and family, to move away from Eircom and go to another provider. Its time to push back against this overweening corporate presence in our homes and on our communications network. If its not internet they are delivering, its not money they'll be getting.

Biggins

Switched away from Eircom some time ago.
Another reason why I'm glad I did so.
Expect their ass to be hauled up in the European court at some stage for going against any possible rulings.

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Hmm.. Even more reason to crack their crap wep codes and download of someone elses internet.
I'm on NTL so no reason to do this by the way.

moonpurple

there are other companies you can use... :rolleyes:

Biggins

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Hmm.. Even more reason to crack their crap wep codes and download of someone elses internet.

If your in Germany, its the law now that your net access HAS to be password protected by the way.
See here: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_GERMANY_WIRELESS_PASSWORDS?SITE=SCCOL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Savman

Eirwho?

Menengroth™

Hopefully they lose a tonne of customers due to this, so they realise such a move is untenable. Would never use eircom, and I advise anyone using it to move, now!

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Hmm.. Even more reason to crack their crap wep codes and download of someone elses internet.

Only if you don't like them, otherwise their net could prove a useful backup if yours ever goes down!

Bonito

*Eircom have less than 6 months left due to being rip offs*

Fúck you very much Eircom. €57 for unlimited 3 meg broadband and unlimited calls. So, why the fúck were my bills €100 a month? Eh eh eh? Yeah, exactly. I now get 7megs and unlimited calls from UTV for €47 a month. And yes, it's ALWAYS €47 a month. It only changes if I ring directory inquiries or outside Ireland, NI, IoM, England, Scotland & Wales.

UTV kicks ass. :cool:

BTW. A 3 meg Eircom line speed test came back as barely 2 megs. I speed tested my UTV broadband and I'm getting 6megs. :cool:

PK2008

Quick question:

Is downloading 20 GB of pr0n per day considered suspicious?

bonerm

Great to see Eircom doesn't apparently even want subscribers now.

I wonder is it just a case of Eircom wanting an excuse to cut off their more intensive users (ala Esats 'no limits' service several years ago)?

TPD

On UTV as well here, never had any hassle with them. Can't see this ending well for Eircom.

Bonito

PK2008 wrote: »

Quick question:

Is downloading 20 GB of pr0n per day considered suspicious?

Depends on where you're downloading from I think.

Knarr

Amhran Nua wrote: »

There is no proxy, no encryption and no possible disguising of your internet browsing habits against this, if the company that is providing internet access thinks you are acting suspiciously, they can and will cut you off.

How come I can access/use pirate bay with a proxy using an eircom network when its a banned/blocked site then?

Amhran Nua

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I'm on NTL so no reason to do this by the way.

Are NTL not UPC as well?

Cable operator UPC has resisted requests from Irma to implement a “three strikes” system and the case is in the courts next month. Last night, a spokeswoman for UPC said it does not see any legal basis for monitoring or blocking its subscribers’ activities.

We need to send a clear message about sidestepping the laws of the land to companies that try this, and if that means putting them out of business, well the people will have spoken. I'm in contact with a few people at the European level as well to see what can be done.

kylith

Bonito wrote: »

Fúck you very much Eircom. €57 for unlimited 3 meg broadband and unlimited calls. So, why the fúck were my bills €100 a month?

Line rental.


Eircom will haemorrhage customers over this.

Amhran Nua

Knarr wrote: »

How come I can access/use pirate bay with a proxy using an eircom network when its a banned/blocked site then?

Because you were accessing a proxy, Eircom have no means of telling what you do in that case. In this case, if the amount of data you download and upload is deemed to be suspicious, goodnight; you cannot hide that. There may be other flags as well, but thats all they need. Or they might just cut you off because they don't like your name.

Justice means accountability and thats what we don't have in this situation.

Bonito

kylith wrote: »

Line rental.


Eircom will haemorrhage customers over this.

I know but the crazy thing is, that €57 was supposed to include our line rental. Lying bástards. :mad:

landsleaving

Well that was a terrible move on their part.

If they're legit going to enforce this, half their customers will be cut off by about 6pm today

Biggins

Knarr wrote: »

How come I can access/use pirate bay with a proxy using an eircom network when its a banned/blocked site then?

Eircom have the legal right to ask a court to order access to the service that is providing you with the proxy service.
From those subsequent files, they can trace you by the way.

zootroid

Well hopefully people will see what is going on and switch to an alternative provider. Hope Eircom loses a fortune over this

Biggins

zootroid wrote: »

Well hopefully people will see what is going on and switch to an alternative provider. Hope Eircom loses a fortune over this

They eventually will I suspect.

kylith

Bonito wrote: »

I know but the crazy thing is, that €57 was supposed to include our line rental. Lying bástards. :mad:

I was paying them over €100 so I assumed that it included line rental even though I haven't had a phone in the house in about 6 years. It was crap too, could barely get online between 6pm and 9pm.

I'm now paying the same money for 10meg broadband and NTL basic telly. Much better.

Going to look into that fibre optic line soon.

Snowie

weve got a month left to go before we can switch...... BT pirate bay here I come

mikom

Amhran Nua wrote: »

Eircom enacts three strikes rule

Supposedly Andy Reid downloaded three Dubliners albums illegally......that's why he no longer plays for us.

Br4tPr1nc3

i had eircom broadband a couple of years ago,
it was a 2mb line, cos 40 euro for the broadband alone, and then another 40 on top for line rental.

gladly moved on to ntl, 10mb line for 40 euro a month, no line rental.

much much better!

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Biggins wrote: »

Eircom have the legal right to ask a court to order access to the service that is providing you with the proxy service.
From those subsequent files, they can trace you by the way.

That's why you use Tor or a proxy from Somalia.

Bye bye eircom... lol...

This is exactly what we needed actually. Something solid to dent their income

Fupping idiots...

Nemanja91

I'm with eircom and since all this has come up I am thinking of moving, to get UPC broadband do you had to have chorus tv aswell?

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Nope, we just have the broadband from UPC.

Ciaran500

Amhran Nua wrote: »

Because you were accessing a proxy, Eircom have no means of telling what you do in that case. In this case, if the amount of data you download and upload is deemed to be suspicious, goodnight; you cannot hide that. There may be other flags as well, but thats all they need. Or they might just cut you off because they don't like your name.

Justice means accountability and thats what we don't have in this situation.

Eircom isn't monitoring anything, they get a list of IPs from a private firm and then send warnings onto you.

Amhran Nua

Ciaran500 wrote: »

Eircom isn't monitoring anything, they get a list of IPs from a private firm and then send warnings onto you.

Six of one half dozen of the other in fairness. This is like making vodafone responsible for crimes that might be organised using their phone networks.