The Business Software Alliance (BSA) has claimed UK businesses are still ignoring software licensing laws after securing its biggest settlement this year by catching four organisations red-handed.

Despite the BSA’s ongoing awareness programme, a six-figure settlement has been agreed with a northern-based travel company after it was found using unlicensed versions of Microsoft software, specifically SQL Server and the corresponding SQL CALs, Visio, Project, Office and Windows Server.

The firm has also had to purchase legal versions of the software, resulting in further costs of more than £100,000.

The BSA also revealed that enforcement action has been taken against Durham based Philips Collection Services, a debt recovery agency, for the alleged installation of unlicensed copies of Microsoft and Adobe software on approximately 100 office computers.

After failing to respond to a software audit request, sent in June 2007, the BSA chose to take the case to court. The company faces a court hearing and if the BSA is successful will be forced to hand over requested information as well as pay settlement costs.

Financial settlements have also been agreed with developing recyclable packaging firm Procurasell and with online marketing group, Webevents Ltd. T

Najeeb Khan, vice chair of the UK Country Committee at BSA, said: “One of these cases in particular, illustrates the high consequences of running unlicensed software to cut costs – clearly a false economy.

“Not only do the settlements take significant chunks out of the companies’ profit margins, they also send negative messages to staff and customers that these firms are willing to resort to unscrupulous measures to save money.

“We hope these cases serve as an example to businesses that BSA will continue to reinforce the importance of managing their software. The IT industry takes the protection of intellectual property rights very seriously and companies that continue to neglect this area of their business need to be reminded that unlicensed software is not a viable option,” added Khan.