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Streaming shutdown: Internet providers forced to block illegal sites

Winter is fast approaching for Game of Thrones fans, but it is set to be a long, dark time for those without Foxtel after an Australian court ordered telco providers to block access to illegal streaming sites.

In a landmark decision, Justice John Nicholas ordered providers including Telstra, TPG, Optus and iiNet to take "reasonable steps" to disable access to file sharing sites including The Pirate Bay, Torrentz, TorrentHound, IsoHunt and streaming service SolarMovie within the next 15 days.

And it's not just Game of Thrones fans who will be left stranded outside the seven kingdoms, with some of the biggest streamed TV shows, including The Walking Dead, movies and music to be blocked.

Some of the Game of Thrones cast at the Emmys.

The teclo providers had argued over who will pay to block the streaming sites, with the Federal Court ruling in their favour, and ordering Foxtel and Village Roadshow to front the bill.

"Piracy does great damage to Australia's content creating industries and we were delighted that the government and parliament recognised this by passing these new legislative provisions last year," Foxtel chief executive Peter Tonagh said in a statement.

"This judgement is a major step in both directly combating piracy and educating the public that accessing content through these sites is not OK - in fact it is theft."

Telcos have been ordered to block access to popular streaming sites like The Pirate Bay.

Village Roadshow and Foxtel had launched the legal action back in February in an attempt to make use of new piracy laws.

It remains to be seen just how successful the court order will be, but it follows similar legislation in the UK where a large number of sites were blocked, but with varying results.