Heck, this is not really that shocking of a news story, but the BBC is expressing their thoughts about the fact that P2P networks have no intention of going anyplace. Even with all of the legal snags and problems many of the companies running these things have run into, most people collectively seem to believe that we will have P2P networks around for years to come.

Once several high-profile legal cases against file-sharers are resolved this year, firms will be very keen to try and make money from P2P technology.

The expert panel probed the future of P2P at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier in January.

The first convictions for P2P piracy were handed out in the US in January.

William Trowbridge and Michael Chicoine pleaded guilty to charges that they infringed copyright by illegally sharing music, movies and software.

Since the first successful file-sharing network Napster was forced to close down, the entertainment industry has been nervous and critical of P2P technology, blaming it for falling sales and piracy.

But that is going to change very soon, according to the panel.