BT is offering consumers a simple way to store important files and photographs to protect against accidentally deleting things or losing hardware.

BT Digital Vault Basic is a free service open to BT and non-BT customers. It offers 2GB of space if you sign up before 7 January 2007 or 1GB if you sign up after that and are not a BT broadband customer - BT broadband punters will continue to get 2GB.

Or for £4.99 a month you can get BT Digital Vault which will automatically store a backup of any important files. You tell the system which files or folders to watch and it will automatically take a backup whenever the file is changed. You get 20GB of space.

The information is encrypted before it is sent for storage in a data centre.

Along with standard storage, customers can also use a photo album to share pictures with friends and family.

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