The move follows last month's UK High Court Order and O2 is the latest of the broadband companies to follow the order.

A Spokesperson says:

 "The main U.K. internet providers were ordered by the high court to block access to specific IP addresses and URLs used by The Pirate Bay website."

At the time of the ruling, BPI CEO Geoff Taylor said: 

"The High Court has confirmed that The Pirate Bay infringes copyright on a massive scale. Its operators line their pockets by commercially exploiting music and other creative works without paying a penny to the people who created them. This is wrong - musicians, sound engineers and video editors deserve to be paid for their work just like everyone else."

At the moment, Sky, Everything Everywhere, TalkTalk and Virgin Media have already blocked the site. 

Internet· o2· The Pirate Bay· UK

O2 Is The Latest To Block The Pirate Bay

The move follows last month's UK High Court Order and O2 is the latest of the broadband companies to follow the order.

A Spokesperson says:

 "The main U.K. internet providers were ordered by the high court to block access to specific IP addresses and URLs used by The Pirate Bay website."

At the time of the ruling, BPI CEO Geoff Taylor said: 

"The High Court has confirmed that The Pirate Bay infringes copyright on a massive scale. Its operators line their pockets by commercially exploiting music and other creative works without paying a penny to the people who created them. This is wrong - musicians, sound engineers and video editors deserve to be paid for their work just like everyone else."

At the moment, Sky, Everything Everywhere, TalkTalk and Virgin Media have already blocked the site. 

The Pirate Bay's Logo

Sky Broadband has begun blocking access to the file sharing website The Pirate Bay. They follow Virgin Media and Everything Everywhere (Orange and T-Mobile's network) who have already blocked access to The Pirate Bay.

The UK High Court demanded Sky block access after complaints by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) that claimed that The Pirate Bay has infringed copyright regulations by providing magnet links to movies, music and other media.

O2 and Talktalk said they were still working to implement the ban while BT has been given extra time to make the necessary changes. It is expected that it will be implemented within the next fortnight.

A Statement from Sky said: "We have invested billions of pounds in high-quality entertainment for our customers because we know how much our customers value it. It's therefore important that companies like ours do what they can, alongside the government and the rest of the media and technology industries, to help protect their copyright." 

      

BT· Everything Everywhere· File Sharing· News· o2· Sky blocks The Pirate Bay· Sky Broadband· TalkTalk· Technology· The Pirate Bay

Sky Blocks Access To The Pirate Bay

The Pirate Bay's Logo

Sky Broadband has begun blocking access to the file sharing website The Pirate Bay. They follow Virgin Media and Everything Everywhere (Orange and T-Mobile's network) who have already blocked access to The Pirate Bay.

The UK High Court demanded Sky block access after complaints by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) that claimed that The Pirate Bay has infringed copyright regulations by providing magnet links to movies, music and other media.

O2 and Talktalk said they were still working to implement the ban while BT has been given extra time to make the necessary changes. It is expected that it will be implemented within the next fortnight.

A Statement from Sky said: "We have invested billions of pounds in high-quality entertainment for our customers because we know how much our customers value it. It's therefore important that companies like ours do what they can, alongside the government and the rest of the media and technology industries, to help protect their copyright." 

      

The Pirate Bay is a Swedish website that hosts links to download mostly-pirated free music, video and more.

Sky, Everything Everywhere, TalkTalk, O2 and Virgin Media needs to prevent any of their users accessing the website.

"Sites like The Pirate Bay destroy jobs in the UK and undermine investment in new British artists," - The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) Said.

The BPI's chief executive Geoff Taylor Said: "The High Court has confirmed that The Pirate Bay infringes copyright on a massive scale"


"Its operators line their pockets by commercially exploiting music and other creative works without paying a penny to the people who crated them."


"This is wrong - musicians, sound engineers and video editors deserve to be paid for their work just like everyone else"




The ISPs said they would not block the site unless a court order was made. Virgin Media told the BBC they will now comply with the request.

"As a responsible ISP, Virgin Media complies with court orders addressed to the company but strongly believes that changing consumer behaviour to tackle copyright infringement also needs compelling legal alternatives such as our agreement with Spotify, to give consumers access to great content at the right price."

Breaking News· ISPs· News· o2· sky· TalkTalk· The Pirate Bay· virginmedia

The Pirate Bay Must Be Blocked By UK ISPs, Court Rules

The Pirate Bay is a Swedish website that hosts links to download mostly-pirated free music, video and more.

Sky, Everything Everywhere, TalkTalk, O2 and Virgin Media needs to prevent any of their users accessing the website.

"Sites like The Pirate Bay destroy jobs in the UK and undermine investment in new British artists," - The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) Said.

The BPI's chief executive Geoff Taylor Said: "The High Court has confirmed that The Pirate Bay infringes copyright on a massive scale"


"Its operators line their pockets by commercially exploiting music and other creative works without paying a penny to the people who crated them."


"This is wrong - musicians, sound engineers and video editors deserve to be paid for their work just like everyone else"




The ISPs said they would not block the site unless a court order was made. Virgin Media told the BBC they will now comply with the request.

"As a responsible ISP, Virgin Media complies with court orders addressed to the company but strongly believes that changing consumer behaviour to tackle copyright infringement also needs compelling legal alternatives such as our agreement with Spotify, to give consumers access to great content at the right price."

Mobile company O2 has launched a new smartphone that allows users to transfer money, up to £500 via text message. The O2 app can be used by anyone with an iPhone or Android phone and is called O2 Wallet.

The service will be free at first but O2 said it will plan to charge 15p for each money message sent by text. O2 also intends to allow users of phones with near-field communication (NFC) chips to make contactless payments in high street shops. O2 has announced that over 100 retailers have agreed to accept payments from this service. It also has announced that it is in talks with rail companies to try and allow customer to purchase tickets using this app.

Users will also benefit from a search facility that compares how much goods cost by scanning the bar code, the ability to load money onto the app from their debit cards and a transaction history that keeps track of what they have spent.

Security issues has been raised about this app, however James Le Brocq, managing director at O2 Money said: "We believe it will transform the way people manage their finances and spend money."

He added that "all personal details, pin codes, passwords and other financial data were held on remote central servers rather than on the mobile device.

O2 wallet has been trialled internally for months and has undergone extensive testing with security experts, This is, we believe, the safest and most secure way to deliver mobile payment services." 

Android· Application· Banking· iPhone· News· o2· Technology

O2 Launches Text Message Payment App

Mobile company O2 has launched a new smartphone that allows users to transfer money, up to £500 via text message. The O2 app can be used by anyone with an iPhone or Android phone and is called O2 Wallet.

The service will be free at first but O2 said it will plan to charge 15p for each money message sent by text. O2 also intends to allow users of phones with near-field communication (NFC) chips to make contactless payments in high street shops. O2 has announced that over 100 retailers have agreed to accept payments from this service. It also has announced that it is in talks with rail companies to try and allow customer to purchase tickets using this app.

Users will also benefit from a search facility that compares how much goods cost by scanning the bar code, the ability to load money onto the app from their debit cards and a transaction history that keeps track of what they have spent.

Security issues has been raised about this app, however James Le Brocq, managing director at O2 Money said: "We believe it will transform the way people manage their finances and spend money."

He added that "all personal details, pin codes, passwords and other financial data were held on remote central servers rather than on the mobile device.

O2 wallet has been trialled internally for months and has undergone extensive testing with security experts, This is, we believe, the safest and most secure way to deliver mobile payment services." 

Mobile data connection speeds of of 100 Mb/s or over is something that we can benefit from, and this future sensation called 4G is not too far away. At the moment the UK uses the 3G network and compared to the upcoming 4G has terrible speeds with a UK average of 1.5 Mb/s or in good coverage areas 7.5 Mb/s.

Trials were held in December last year by O2. The mobile companies are getting ready to use the 800MHz spectrum, which has recently been freed up on the 18th of April by switching off the Analogue TV signals. They tried the 4G trail using the 2.6GHz spectrum, which was meant to be the 3G expansion but was left unused because of legal trouble between the networks. Although we might have to wait until next year until we start to see 4G being rolled out to us its definitely something worth waiting for.

The CEO of O2 explained that the 4G services will be a huge benefit to consumers and business:

"The forthcoming spectrum auction is a watershed moment for the UK mobile industry, releasing the airwaves that will power a whole range of exciting next generation mobile services.  The new spectrum will increase capacity, quality and speed (we estimate that mobile broadband capacity will increase by 20 to 40 times from today's levels), and will allow us to deliver true connectivity through a suite of innovative digital services."

3G· 4G· Android· iPhone· News· o2· Technology

What Will Be The Successor To 3G?

Mobile data connection speeds of of 100 Mb/s or over is something that we can benefit from, and this future sensation called 4G is not too far away. At the moment the UK uses the 3G network and compared to the upcoming 4G has terrible speeds with a UK average of 1.5 Mb/s or in good coverage areas 7.5 Mb/s.

Trials were held in December last year by O2. The mobile companies are getting ready to use the 800MHz spectrum, which has recently been freed up on the 18th of April by switching off the Analogue TV signals. They tried the 4G trail using the 2.6GHz spectrum, which was meant to be the 3G expansion but was left unused because of legal trouble between the networks. Although we might have to wait until next year until we start to see 4G being rolled out to us its definitely something worth waiting for.

The CEO of O2 explained that the 4G services will be a huge benefit to consumers and business:

"The forthcoming spectrum auction is a watershed moment for the UK mobile industry, releasing the airwaves that will power a whole range of exciting next generation mobile services.  The new spectrum will increase capacity, quality and speed (we estimate that mobile broadband capacity will increase by 20 to 40 times from today's levels), and will allow us to deliver true connectivity through a suite of innovative digital services."

Well it looks like the new iPhone 4S is out! Every Apple store with a huge queues! From what i've heard so far is that in the O2 Store the white iPhone 4S is outselling the Black iPhone 4S, I can see why. I personally prefer the white iPhone 4S over the black one, not sure why but I just do. :-)


In the U.S their Apple stores are opening at 8a.m so hurry before they are all gone!

Apple· iphone4s· o2

iPhone 4S is out!

Well it looks like the new iPhone 4S is out! Every Apple store with a huge queues! From what i've heard so far is that in the O2 Store the white iPhone 4S is outselling the Black iPhone 4S, I can see why. I personally prefer the white iPhone 4S over the black one, not sure why but I just do. :-)


In the U.S their Apple stores are opening at 8a.m so hurry before they are all gone!