Network

Yeah, no reason why not. All universities in the UK these days have exceptionally fast connections to the internet. You'll probably be loosely monitored, though, so don't be surprised if you get a little warning for downloading too much illegal stuff

I noticed you could be connected up to the UCL network at a fee. Just wondering if one could acquire recent material off this?

UCL connection vouchers cost around 70 quid (up by £5 from last year). Although the network does block the vast majority of p2p softwares (overnet clients, kazaa, winmix, etc. etc.), for some mysterious reason it does not filter kazaa lite - though that's of very little use since, nowadays, the kazaa network is filled with crap. A more effective option, if you are that keen on stepping on the MCAA/music industry's shoes, is to use DC++ and download files from other users within the network. It's astonishing the amount of stuff you can find, and, of course, the download rate is out of this world - you can download a film in 10 minutes.

If, on the other hand, you opt to live in intercollegiate halls, matters are substantially different. Internet access is free but, note the emphasis, they block everything, and I mean everything. Even if, for some miraculous occurrence, you do manage to connect to a DC++ network, they will spot you and send you a warning threatening to cut your internet off. Once they do cut it off, presumably after repeated disregard for the warnings, in order to reinstate your presence back into the ether, they ask you to sign a declaration that you will no longer make use of any peer to peer software.