Acceptable Use Policy

The BT IP Network is a resource from which we provide a variety of services to our customers. Our objective in managing this network is to:

  • Provide a high quality, reliable service to our customers
  • Respect the privacy of our customers
  • Protect the security/integrity of our network and systems

To achieve these goals, we encourage responsible use of our network and other ISPs' networks. Compliance with applicable laws is always a requirement.

Policy Statement

Use of the BT IP Network in a way that is contrary to our stated objective or our Acceptable Use Policy is prohibited.

Scope

This Policy applies to the BT IP Network worldwide, and to all customers of the BT IP Network.

Prohibited Uses

Examples of prohibited uses of the BT IP Network are described below. The examples are guidelines and are not intended to be exhaustive.

Illegal/Criminal Activity - The BT IP Network may not be used in connection with criminal or civil violations of laws, regulations, or other government requirements of any jurisdiction. Such violations include theft or infringement of copyrights, patents, trademarks, trade secrets, or other intellectual property; export control violations; fraud; forgery; pyramid or other prohibited business schemes; and theft, misappropriation, or unauthorised transmission or storage of funds, credit card information, personal information, or online services.

Security Violations - The BT IP Network may not be used to violate the security of a network, service, or other system. Examples of security violations include hacking, cracking into, monitoring, or using systems without authorisation; scanning ports; conducting denial of service attacks; distributing viruses or other harmful software; smurf attacks; and unauthorised alteration or destruction of web sites or other information.

Threats - The BT IP Network may not be used to transmit or store material of a threatening nature, including threats of death or physical harm, harassment, libel, and defamation.

Offensive Material - The BT IP Network may not be used to transmit or store material that is illegal according to the relevant national laws. Examples of material that might be subject to these laws may include:

  • Material of an offensive nature, including obscene and pornographic material (particularly pornography involving children)
  • Indecent, abusive, libelous and hateful materials

Please note that this list is not exhaustive. BT does not routinely monitor or police content on the Internet, it's customers or any third party systems. It is the responsibility of the customers, system owners and their end-users to ensure that their use of the Internet is legal according to the criminal and civil laws of the relevant nation states.

Spam - The BT IP Network may not be used to transmit SPAM emails. Spam includes any of the following activities:

  • Sending any unsolicited email that could be expected, in our judgement, to provoke complaints.
  • Sending email that does not accurately identify the sender, the sender's return address, and the email address of origin.
  • Sending unsolicited email without identifying in the email a clear and easy means to be excluded from receiving additional email from the originator of the email.
  • Collecting the responses from unsolicited email.
  • Sending email with charity requests, petitions for signatures, or any chain mail related materials.
  • Transmitting email by or on behalf of a user of the BT IP Network which uses a BT mailbox for responses, or which promotes content hosted or transmitted using BT facilities, or which states or implies in any way that BT was involved in the transmission of such email or content.
  • Posting a single message or messages similar in content, to more than five online forums or newsgroups.
  • Posting messages to an online forum or newsgroup that violate the rules of the forum or newsgroup.

System Security

Networks or Systems connecting to the BT IP Network must be properly configured to prevent unauthorised use. Examples of improper configuration include:

  • Servers that can be exploited to conduct a denial of service attack
  • Mail servers that permit the distribution of Spam i.e. Open Mail Relay
  • FTP servers that may be used by others to illegally distribute licensed software

Other

The BT IP Network may not be used in a manner that:

  • Damages our reputation or goodwill
  • Violates another ISP's acceptable use policy and/or terms of service
  • Disrupts the BT IP Network or any BT IP service
  • Interferes with another's use of the BT IP Network or services

Resale

The resale of BT IP services is not permitted, unless expressly permitted in a written agreement signed by BT.

Attempts

The BT IP Network may not be used to attempt an activity prohibited by this Policy - whether or not successful.

Indirect Use

A violation of this Policy by a person having only indirect access to the BT IP Network through a customer or other user will be considered a violation by the customer or other user. This will be the case whether or not the violation was with the knowledge or consent of the customer or other user. Resellers are responsible for the actions of customers to whom they directly or indirectly provide services using the BT IP Network. We will direct complaints regarding the actions of such customers to the reseller, but reserve the right to take direct action where we deem necessary.

Responses to Violations

BT will determine if an event violates this Policy. Whilst we do not routinely monitor, or censor, communications on the BT IP Network, when we become aware of a violation of this Policy, we may take such action as we deem appropriate to address the violation. Violations of this Policy may result in:

  • A demand for immediate removal of offending material
  • Immediate temporary or permanent filtering
  • Blocked access
  • Suspension or termination of service
  • Or other response appropriate to the violation

When appropriate, we allow a defined period of notice during which violations may be addressed voluntarily. However, we reserve the right to act without notice. We do not accept the liability for actions that we take in response to violations of this Policy. The responses described in this Policy are not exclusive and we may take any other technical or legal action we deem appropriate. We may cooperate with system administrators at other ISPs or other network or computing services providers to enforce this Policy or a policy of another provider. We may involve, and will cooperate with, law enforcement if criminal activity is suspected. Violators may also be subject to civil or criminal liability under applicable law.

Incident Reporting

Complaints regarding violations of this Policy should be directed to the relevant abuse teams. BT IP network customers in the UK should direct their complaints to abuse@bt.coM. BT IP network customers in the rest of Europe should direct their complaints to abuse@eu.bt.net. Where possible, include details that would assist us in investigating and resolving the complaint (e.g. expanded headers and a copy of the offending transmission).

Contact Information

If you have questions or comments about this Policy, please refer to security@eu.bt.net.

Important Customer Information

This Policy is not by itself sufficient to prevent possible harm to persons who use the BT IP Network as a result of violations by other users. BT IP network customers and users are responsible for taking such steps as they deem necessary to protect the security, integrity, and availability of their networks, systems, services, and information. Customers and users of the BT IP network are responsible for restricting their own access to undesired content, sites, and services. BT cannot accept liability for harm that results from violations of this Policy by other users of the network, even when we aware of those violations. This Policy supplements, but does not supersede, the contracts between BT and its customers; if such a contract restricts a use of the BT IP Network that is not addressed in this Policy, the contract will govern with respect to such use. A violation of this Policy by a BT customer is a material breach of the customer's contract with BT and may result in termination or other consequences as specified in the contract. Refunds or credits are not issued in connection with actions taken for violations of this Policy.

Revisions to this Policy

We may revise this Policy at any time, effective when posted to our public web site. Notice of revisions may also be provided via email, fax, or regular mail.

Version 1.8

Last Revision: 19 December 2017