Usenet posts by Telewest blueyonder Internet service subscribers are been blocked by other news providers because of complaints over spam.
In a notice to users yesterday, Telewest explains that a Usenet Death Penalty has been put in place because many spammers are using its customers" poorly configured computers as relay agents. Telewest has been criticised in postings to groups such as news.admin.net-abuse.usenet for failing to curb the abuse. However it has now pledged to take more active steps to address the issue, which its says it regards as "very serious".