Broadband braces itself for Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

It's widely predicted to become the biggest selling computer game of all time, but online first person shooter (FPS) Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 won't be gunning down the internet, according to broadband providers.

The game has attracted more than two million pre-orders in the US alone, while in the UK Play.com has been reported as taking more than 150 pre-orders per minute at peak times. Versions will be available for both the Xbox 360 and Sony PS3 consoles, as well as PC, with millions of players competing online against other FPS players across the world. The game will probably shift a million copies per day during the first week.

It has led to fears that the internet may not be able to cope with the demand, especially in light of recent problems with internet traffic after the death of Michael Jackson. However, UK ISPs were quick to ensure gamers there was nothing to worry about.

A spokesperson for TalkTalk said: "TalkTalk runs the biggest next generation network in the UK and it is optimised to make sure it can cope with high levels of traffic for games such as Call of Duty. We also offer a Turbo Boost that allows customers to get the fastest speed their line can handle for just £4 extra per month, and we find this is popular amongst gamers who want to play online games."

It's a similar story with the UK's cable broadband provider, Virgin Media. Cable broadband customers receive exceptional pings (the speed in which data travels to and from a host server - essential for gaming) and there is no protocol-based traffic management, meaning gaming should be seamless. As for its non-cable customers, gaming traffic is prioritised above other traffic to ensure ping-sensitive applications such as online gaming work perfectly.

Broadband Genie editor Chris Marling added: "Problems of websites going down are sometime perceived by consumers as the internet going down - it simply isn't the case. Many customers often blame providers for problems such as these that aren't their fault: websites are often slow because they are receiving a lot of traffic and they simply can't cope with the volume.

"For this type of game, you want the fastest possible speed to avoid lag. However, your problems are more likely to come from home than your provider. If you're on an ADSL line far from the exchange and get a speed below 2Mb, the game may struggle. Also, if you are connecting wirelessly or sharing your connection with other people in your house it can massively slow your speed of connection."