Las Vegas - AT&T (NYSE: T) and other Internet service providers are considering ways to filter trafficking in unauthorized copyrighted content on their networks via peer-to-peer services, The New York Times' Bits Blog reported from the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. AT&T SVP of external and legal affairs James Cicconi said during a panel discussion that his company is already discussing potential content filters with producers including NBC Universal.

"We are very interested in a technology based solution and we think a network-based solution is the optimal way to approach this," Cicconi told the panel.

"We recognize we are not there yet but there are a lot of promising technologies. But we are having an open discussion with a number of content companies, including NBC Universal, to try to explore various technologies that are out there."

Similar efforts have been criticized by consumers, such as Comcast's alleged throttling of its customers' peer-to-peer traffic, now under investigation by the FCC.

"Whatever we do has to pass muster with consumers and with policy standards. There is going to be a spotlight on it," Cicconi added.

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