Satellites and TV licensing

c-m

I know if you have a TV card in your computer and its used to watch TV you require a TV license. I am also aware that if you have a tv but it it de-tuned, say to watch only DVDs or video games etc.. you do not need a license.

But how does it work with Satellite? Obviously if I had it at Astra2d or Eurobird I could pick up bbc etc.. and require a license but, I have a minidish pointing at Astra 19.2E. From this satellite it is impossible for me to watch any UK terestiral channels.

in this instance would I require a TV license?

mhku

Are you sure?

_http://www.uclan.ac.uk/studenthelp/televisionlicenses.shtml

_http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5081350.stm
_http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=406915&in_page_id=2
_http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/index.jsp

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c-m

That can't all be entirely accurate, since at a previous address I wrote to TV lisencing informing them that I do have a TV and that it is detuned and used only as a monitor. I received a letter of acknowledgement from them and it got them off my back.

obivously my situation is different now and I do use a Satellite receiver for watching broardcasts and hence require a TV lisence.

I would be interested to know what their stance would be if the satellite receiver was used only for internet access?

Mickha

I have been sending emails for over 6 months, to the relevant department:
Department for Culture, Media & Sport
2-4 Cockspur Street
London
SW1Y 5DH
Asking for clarification, I came up with this example:
If I get rid of the following appliances:
1. All televisions, with built in tuners.
2. All DVD recorders and VCR’s with tuners.
3. Digital satellite receiver, Echostar 3600, receives digital and analogue signals, used for viewing foreign satellite channels.
4. Nokia freeview box, terrestrial digital tuner.

But retain the following appliances.
1. Self built computer, contains no hardware tuners for digital or analogue, terrestrial or satellite reception, but is used with a broadband connection.
2. DVD player, without a tuner.
3. TFT monitor/television without a tuner.
4. Various radios, including digital.

Could I then legally stop paying for a Television License?

But they wont answer the question just keep directing me to their web site, which doesn't clarify the situation, probably because of the fact that you can now watch TV over the internet, and they haven't come up with a policy on this, or more likely they don't like losing any form of tax

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fraser70

total agree who has the right to tax us for a service that can be provided for free by other providers!
What happened to the free market place as this is an infringement on other providers dont they get a share of the licence fee.
goverment tax not a service charge it should be scrammbled and charged for and not taken as a tax from people for simply owning equipment.

Topper

So just to clarify frazer70
You are advocating that all transmissions within the UK both terrestrial and digital should be scrambled and you only pay for what you want to watch?

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Skip Channel

Their warning letters now even include PCs and mobiles in the list of items that require a licence. It's very vaguely worded (like all communication with them) and would seem to suggest that any mobile or PC is in need of being licenced which we all know isn't the case. We all know a PC without a TV tuner of any kind and without any IPTV service does NOT require one. As for mobiles, even ones that receive TV programmes shouldn't need a licence. Why? Well have any of you tried using a phone off the mains that doesn't have a battery in? It simply won't work, and so a mobile with TV services is essentially a small portable which runs off batteries and you don't need a licence for that (IIRC, unless they've changed the rules of the game again)

fraser70

Yes....... it should be a pay per view or subscription then if you are using and cought you are fined for theft really easy.
Very simply just like pay tv if its rubbish no one will want to watch and it will sink and if its good people will pay much like sky has.
no one should be forced to pay it should be becouse the item is good and you would like to purchase.
All other tv can be paid for through advertisments this is how the other channels make a living thous poor families will still have free tv but with adverts
The is supposed to be advert free becouse you the licence holder has paid for the cost of the channels, watch and see how many adverts their is for things on it.

rolfw

This is going off topic, the thread is about the situations and equipment requiring a licence, not the case for and against a licence fee. There are several threads in the forum on that debate, do a search for licence fee.

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moffatt

You only need a licence fee if you watch transmissions. You don't need a licence to watch dvds or play games using a TV.

mhku

Can you cite some evidence to support that statement? Is it a fact or an opinion?

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Skip Channel

That is definately fact. There's absolutely no legal requirement for a licence if a TV isn't being used to watch TV broadcasts. The evidence should be somewhere on TVL's website (although they might've buried it somewhere deep inside!)

mhku

does not quite equal

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NitroB

I always thought (going back to the TV dector van adverts) that if the equipment was capable of recieving transmission of state broadcast (ie BBC TV, BBC Radio) there was a requirement for a license.

TV Licensing state, "If your computer is capable of receiving live broadcasts, whether on-line, or through an aerial or satellite dish, then it is classed as television receiving equipment. This means a licence is needed to receive BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five, digital television, other terrestrial services, satellite television and cable television." Which means every member of the British public that owns a computer with online access or Office that uses computers connected to the internet requires a TV License.

Ouch......

moffatt

Evidence? It's all clearly stated in the Communications Act. Do a search, have a read.

Skip Channel

I could go and find the evidence for you, but then you could find it yourself. I already know what the situation is and I don't believe it's changed recently.

Also, there's an anti-licence forum out there that has some clued up members (some are a little scary though!)

mhku

But I don't care

c-m: here's your definitive answer:

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Skip Channel

I know how you feel - that's why I didn't waste my time digging around the bowels of TVL's website to "prove" what I said...

NitroB

'The law is clear. Anyone who watches or records television programmes as they are being broadcast or otherwise distributed must be covered by a valid TV licence.


'A valid licence entitles the named holder and anyone who lives with them to watch live television on any device at that address (eg on a television set or on a PC), and on any device powered solely by its internal batteries (eg mobile phones or PDAs) away from home.


'In practice, 98% of households currently own televisions and therefore already require valid TV licences to watch TV programmes. So, for the vast majority of people, there are no issues about the need for separate TV licences for PCs as they would already be covered by any existing valid TV licence they may have.

'However, if a customer currently has no licence they will need to obtain one to watch live programmes on their PC. A TV licence is required regardless of what channel you watch, including cable, satellite and all terrestrial channels.


'Any licence evader caught risks a criminal conviction and a fine of up to £1,000, plus court costs – and they still have to pay for a TV licence if they need one. A colour TV licence currently costs £126.50.


'In 2004/5 the revenue collected for the BBC from the licence fee was £2.9bn. The level of the licence fee is set by Government, and the value of the fines imposed, as well as their collection and disposal, is a matter for the courts. In common with fines for other offences, the money would normally be paid into the court, for onward distribution to the Treasury