How it Works: TV Detector Vans
- Thread starter MontyVeda
- Start date
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glasgowcyclist
Charming but somewhat feckless
- Location
- Scotland
OK its clear that's the case by satellite (thank you!), but from a quick scan of the Communication Act 2003, it would look like a service over the internet delivering content that is clearly not aimed at the UK does not constitute a "television programme service" - willing to be corrected!
Custom24
Über Member
- Location
- Oxfordshire
I thought the answer would be no license needed, but this says otherwise (see last point) http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/tv-licence
Aha! looked again and had missed http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/21/part/3/chapter/6 which defines "television programme service”. It's a bit circular but any form of webcast (e.g. a live classroom lesson) looks like it would be caught by the need for a licence.
OP
OP
MontyVeda
a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
- Location
- Lancaster... the little city.
I completely agree... £145 / 52 = around £2.80 a week, or 40p a day... for how many TV channels and how many national and local radio stations? ...all for the price of a daily bag of crisps or a mars bar.
Almost all the people i hear complaining about the 'huge' cost of a tv licence also pay Sky around £40 a month for a full sports/movie package... a cost they don't moan about. Maybe the difference is they can 'choose' the sky package, but the BBC package is compulsory.
vernon
Harder than Ronnie Pickering
- Location
- Meanwood, Leeds
Some of the ground has been covered before.
http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/there-i-was-minding-my-own-business.121428/#post-2247177
http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/there-i-was-minding-my-own-business.121428/#post-2247177
thom
____
- Location
- The Borough
iPlayer is an example of technology developed in house at the BBC that works. As opposed to the 5-year Siemens/BBC "initiative" that cost them £90 odd million alone for the 2 years the BBC handled...
Due to their public service remit, they gave the technology to ITV rather than charge for it (& C4 I think), which I think is why you can watch live ITV through iPlayer too. The public service remit often means the BBC don't complain about own content programs being put on youtube for example, beyond their control (there might be technical copyright issues regarding footage they don't own).
Anyway, currently there is not a problem with people not paying the licence fee and watching delayed content on iPlayer catch up - online viewing figures aren't yet significant. The majority of BBC viewers are in fact elderly and not tech-savvy, so it probably won't change very fast. iPlayer at least gives accurate realtime online viewing data, so they'll quickly have an idea if sidestepping the licence fee to view this way becomes more of a problem. I'm sure the BBC would look to close the loophole by way of registered TV licence data. If they tried to change the licensing requirement to cover a window beyond the initial broadcast date, I speculate they might need an act of parliament.
Edit: and re the TV licence letters, I think the catchers know well the financial equation. 95% plus of inhabited properties have a TV. If a licence expires/property changes hands:
1) fire off a few generic vaguely threatening letters - most people are worried at this point and buy a licence. Those letters have cost less than £1 to send so job done.
2) if there is no licence bought or response, the licence men show up and knock on your door to get you that way but as others have said, the days of TV detector vans seem long gone.
vernon
Harder than Ronnie Pickering
- Location
- Meanwood, Leeds
glasgowcyclist
Charming but somewhat feckless
- Location
- Scotland
The letters aren't vaguely threatening, they're seriously intimidating for folk who don't know the true (lack of) powers of the sender. They'll send these for years without wasting time and money on a visit, unless you enter into correspondence with them. If you don't need a licence just ignore them and burn their letters.
GC
thom
____
- Location
- The Borough
The sender does have powers if the person ought to have a licence...
Do you have a better idea ?
My other half after leaving Uni and living on rice/beans and pot noodle while the loan was being paid off could hardly afford such luxuries as a colour TV, she was given a really old 13" B+W portable and paid for a B+W licence, a week or so later a knock at the door from the 'TV detector man' saying there was a B+W licence registered against the address but have reason to belive she actually had a colour TV, his face was a picture when she asked him him to see EastEnders in all it's B+W grainy,dodgy vertical hold, Coat hanger for an aerial goodness!! 
How to deal with them -
How to deal with them -
