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Irish ISP Wins Major Legal Victory Against Record Companies

Posted by Soulskill on from the just-say-no dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The High Court in Dublin ruled today that there was no precedent in Irish law to force ISPs to identify and disconnect people accused of illegally downloading copyrighted files. The court case was spurred by objections to the recording industry's three-strikes system from Irish internet provider UPC. Earlier this year, Eircom, one of Ireland's other large ISPs, gave in and implemented the system, as we discussed previously. This resulted in many of the more 'technical' users leaving that ISP in droves. Nice to see an ISP willing to take a stand."

9 of 96 comments (clear)

  1. Economics by Nidi62 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    And people here say the economy doesn't fix itself when corporations do things consumers don't like.

    --
    The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
    1. Re:Economics by RingDev · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Only if consumers have choice. In the US, were most of the country only has 1 or 2 choices for broad band services, there is no meaningful choice.

      -Rick

      --
      "Most people in the U.S. wouldn't know they live in a tyrannical state if it walked up and grabbed their junk." - MyFirs
    2. Re:Economics by Lumpy · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Satellite is not really broadband. Anyone who has had to live with it for more than a day will agree to this.

      Most of the united states has 0 to 1 choices for broadband, large swaths of this country has ZERO broadband accessibility. By geographical square meters, most of the USA has no connectivity other than Dial up or Satellite.

      Based on population, it's still dismal. I know people in NYC that cant get broadband. CableTV Broadband wont work, and DSL wont work as the building has wires from 1907, or were half assed and can not carry what is needed. They can watch low channel cable TV, but the RG59 30% shield garbage installed by the lowest bidder in the late 80's just wont cut it. And the phone wires are as bad or worse.

      That's the problem in the United states... Companies whine about letting competition use "their" wires, while ignoring the fact that they took Public money to build those wires. Corporations here like to believe that any public funds for telecommunications are a free gift to their shareholders.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
    3. Re:Economics by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Same old rubbish US wahwahwah excuse. No one is talking about US broadband covering every single inch of the land. Any decent size city can have dozens of ISPs, but they don't. We still have the silly system of local authorities giving companies local monopolies rather than having them compete. We have companies blocking municipalities from installing their own infrastructure, and winning, thanks to legal delaying tactics. Only when we stop this bullshit will we get competition and better service, with customers having the ability to choose from various suppliers instead of 1 DSL, 1 cable, and if they're lucky, FiOS.

    4. Re:Economics by frank_adrian314159 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      ... the economy doesn't fix itself when corporations do things consumers don't like.

      Yeah. That's why there's ACTA.

      --
      That is all.
    5. Re:Economics by sjames · · Score: 5, Insightful

      So you're claiming that as long as it is in theory possible to pay a gadzillion bucks you don't have there is a market choice?

      By that theory, government isn't a monopoly either. I COULD in theory hire the world's largest mercenary army to topple it and install my own.

      I could also point out that a T1 is NOT consumer broadband at all.

    6. Re:Economics by sjames · · Score: 2, Insightful

      So of course, in New York City there's hundreds of broadband providers to choose from due to the very high population density. OH, WAIT!

    7. Re:Economics by Ephemeriis · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Or you can get a business class line, like a T1.

      You have choice. You just don't want to pay for it.

      First of all, a T1 barely qualifies as "broadband" these days. It's only 1.5 Mbps. That's not horrible... But it isn't terribly impressive when compared to the 10+ Mbps advertised for most residential connections.

      Second, a business class connection like a T1 is not a "choice" for a residential connection.

      That's like suggesting that somebody build their own cell tower because the reception is spotty where they live.

      --
      "Work is the curse of the drinking classes." -Oscar Wilde
  2. Re:Bullcrap by Nadaka · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The density argument is also bullshit. With a the exception of a few ultra dense asian cities, US cities are no more or less dense than similar sized cities around the world. And we still have high priced crappy service with mono|duo-polies is those markets as well.