ISP warns that piracy may affect thermostats

A US-based internet service provider (ISP) has allegedly warned its customers that pirating content may result in a loss of functionality of their smart thermostats.

Torrent Freak reported in December that Armstrong, a US internet provider, had issued the warning to customers of Armstrong Zoom Internet.

In a letter allegedly sent to one of its customers, the ISP noted that it had received a number of copyright infringement notices and urged the customer to stop.

Armstrong explained that if it received additional notifications of infringement, the customer would be removed from its current service level and placed at the lowest service level.

The customer would be able to access email, but internet speeds and the ability to upload or download material would be affected.

The ISP added that other services connected to the internet service may be affected.

“Please be advised that this may affect other services which you may have connected to your internet service, such as the ability to control your thermostat remotely or video monitoring services,” said the letter.

Accused infringers must read terms and conditions and an educational piece about copyright infringement before their full internet service is restored.

In January last year, TBO reported that a group of UK ISPs had started sending written warnings to account holders suspected of accessing illegally shared copyrighted files.

The ISPs are Sky, BT, Virgin Media and TalkTalk and the project is part of Creative Content UK, a public education campaign and programme of email alerts sent by ISPs to residential broadband subscribers when their account is used to infringe copyright.