Music stars from bands including Radiohead, Blur and Keane have backed plans to introduce a new three-strike system to deter people from illegal filesharing.

The Featured Artists Coalition (FAC), which also includes George Michael and Billy Bragg, has given its support to the new sanctions that will be used to stop broadband users from distributing music illegally over the internet.

Under the plans, those found to be filesharing will be sent two warning letters from their broadband provider urging them to cease doing so.

If such measures have little effect, internet service providers will then restrict the customer's bandwidth so they can no longer carry out the activity.

However, while the FAC has backed the plans, BT has been less positive about the potential impact of the regulations.

It recently claimed to the Mirror that the cost of tackling internet piracy could be passed on to customers and lead broadband bills to rise by £24 a year.