Detica, a business and technology consultancy, has urged the UK Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) to shift the focus of its consultation process away from enforcement when considering legislative options for addressing illicit peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing.

Instead Detica has called for stronger collaboration between ISPs and the entertainment industry, with the aim of making it easier for consumers to download music and films legally whilst also providing ‘fair trade’ for artists:


Detica is essentially supporting the somewhat slow but existing movement towards a voluntary framework, in which ISPs and the entertainment industry work together to warn and prevent customers from downloading illegal content.

However we're less sure about the music subscription model, which is already been pursued by larger providers; if not handled correctly it could run the risk of becoming a highly anti-competitive force next to existing online music stores (e.g. iTunes) and subscription services.

Existing services might find it difficult to compete with alternatives offered at the point of connection from ISPs. UK Music recently hinted that some form of finalised agreement with providers to tackle piracy was getting closer (here).