O2 has criticised a law firm's decision to send letters to its subscribers over illegal filesharing.

ACS: Law is contacting a number of alleged filesharers and offering them a chance to settle their cases with rightsholders and content owners out of court, reports BBC News.

According to O2, the letters could be viewed as the attempt of lawyers to "bully or threaten" its home and mobile broadband customers.

The company added: "We prefer the 'win-win' approach of encouraging the development of new business models that offer customers the content they want, how they want it, for a fair price."

ACS: Law has since claimed that its letters do not either bully or threaten any of the recipients.

News of the letters has emerged after O2 launched a new mobile broadband tariff for its customers.

Subscribers can take up a 1GB a month tariff with unlimited Wi-Fi on either a 30-day or 18-month contract.