Is Plusnet officially blocking websites now?

[#1]

It is only blocked from the larger UK ISP's.

Can I suggest a VPN - although a foreign web proxy might just work.

[#2]

Suggesting a VPN goes around the problem, not solves it. I don't see why websites have to be blocked by American corporations when we live in the UK and are UK ISP's? They don't even block these websites in the U.S?

[#3]

Because they obtained UK Court Orders

[#4]

Unless is changed very recently, plusnet isn't subject to the court orders and doesn't actively block.

However, they do peer with BT who are subject to the court orders so you can get caught up in the blocking being on Plusnet.

[#5]

Because Plusnet borrow BT's infrastructure.

[#6]

@savas I haven't checked the T&Cs but most such contracts contain an "unless required to do so by law" or similar clause.

[#7]

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@VileReynard wrote:

It is only blocked from the larger UK ISP's.

Can I suggest a VPN - although a foreign web proxy might just work.

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But what is to stop a ISP from blocking a vpn on the grounds of we can't see what you are doing and you may be accessing one of those blocked websites so to keep in line with the law we will block all vpn's ?

Personally I do not think that any VPN is 100% safe, by using one you attract attention to yourself and secondly there is plenty of info on the internet explaining why some vpn's might be vulnerable, after all if a vpn service is required by law to hand over certain details about an individual or monitor that person whilst using a vpn then you can be certain no company is going to take the risk of taking on the authorities by refusing such a request despite all the assurances given by such companies.

Of course they are going to say you are fully protected but are you ?

[#8]

It's "illegal" to access unauthorised content on a web site, in many countries, provided that the web site has been notified by the copyright holder. These are the sites that get blocked.

It is not illegal for the transmitting agent to be unable to read the data you send. This would be an invasion of privacy. LOL!

[#9]

@VileReynard

Because Plusnet borrow BT's infrastructure.

That's not the case, they specifically block, as per all the staff I have spoken to at Plusnet.

@ScottStorey

Unless is changed very recently, plusnet isn't subject to the court orders and doesn't actively block.

However, they do peer with BT who are subject to the court orders so you can get caught up in the blocking being on Plusnet.

Yup, seems like that has changed, because the last time I asked, nobody knew about it, now the agents were all saying that Plusnet block sites as per court order. Either they have no clue and see that and go along with it or they are actually have info on it.

[#10]

I wouldn't go by what the agents are saying to be honest. They will have been told what to say, accurate or not.

@bobpullen is this blocking because of the network migration?

[#11]

Up until fairly recently the 'blocked' torrent sites could be accessed via the 'ptw' gateways (either 'bng' or 'ag') but as these are/have being/been closed that is no longer possible.

AFAIK the sites can be accessed using a TOR browser.

[#12]

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@ScottStorey wrote:
@bobpullen is this blocking because of the network migration?

No. For a long time now, Plusnet traffic has been subject to certain blocks depending on the transit being used. Over the years, much of our non-BT transit has been retired though, and there are likely to be subtle differences between new/old network dependent on routing.

I actually tested a lot of this out of curiosity during the early phases of the network migrations and at the time, using a similar list to the OP, more blocking was seen on the 'old' L2TP network. That's not necessarily the case now though.

I'm not going to get drawn into a legal wrangle because it's not my place to say, but to my knowledge we haven't imposed any additional blocking across the parts of the network belonging solely to Plusnet.