Virgin Media aren't the only internet service provider in talks with record label trade body the BPI about participating in some kind of anti-P2P warning letter campaign.
As previously reported, Virgin recently agreed to send out letters to any of its customers that the record companies reckon are illegally sharing music online, telling them they are evil and will almost surely go to hell if they don't both cease and desist with immediate effect, or something like that.
Virgin's activity in this area follows increased efforts by the record companies to persuade the ISPs to take a more proactive role in policing P2P file sharing, efforts that have been aided by indication by the government that if the ISPs cannot agree a voluntary code with the content owners then ministers may try and pass new laws forcing them to.
According to Digital Music News, other ISPs are now likely to follow Virgin's lead, with even those who really really don't want to get involved in the messy business of shouting at their copyright infringing customers accepting that they might have to. DMN quotes one top level ISP exec as admitting: "The British government just put a gun to our head".
Citing sources met at last week's London Calling convention, Digital Music News claim more than one label exec said meetings between ISPs and label reps are ongoing, with Tiscali, Talk Talk and BT among the net firms involved. They add that UK Culture Minister Andy Burnham and Feargal Sharkey, the head of music publishing body British Music Rights, who has been most vocal on the music industry side on the need to find a voluntary rather than legislative system, are both playing key roles.
Sharkey is quoted as being optimistic that a widespread agreement between the labels and net firms will be reached without any more government intervention, observing: "At this moment, I am completely optimistic. Three months ago these guys wouldn't even get into the same room".
The BPI has also confirmed talks with ISPs are ongoing, with the label trade body's spokesman, Matt Phillips, telling DMN: "While Feargal is playing an important role on behalf of the authors community, so too are we. In terms of voluntary solutions with ISPs [on anti-piracy measures], BPI is negotiating on the labels' behalf, arranging the Virgin Media campaign, for instance".