Tv Licence

[karym6]

Channel 4 does not get any of the licence fee:

I got that little gem from here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_licence#United_Kingdom

I misread. but, they will benefit from the license fee in future . However, this could teach me a lesson when it comes to Wikipedia...

 

[krazylegz]

did you fill in a form in currys? or did you pay by card and they then traced you?

if it was by card put a written complaint to currys and to your bank for breach of data protection, currys will give you some vouchers

wahey somebody get the boxing gloves lmao.

@digi i paid on my bank card card m8 but also took out insurance which they took my addy but i never filled out any of the usual tv license forms

 

[digidude]

i deal with, install, and sell tellys

shops and distributors CHOOSE to collect details for the licensing bodies, they do not 'by law' have to do so, i choose not to, if my customers want to inform them that they have a new tv or whatever then thats up to them.

i had a huge row with my bank, as i use my business debit card to buy anything from a £9 freeview box to a top of the range plasma telly. the card is in my company (or teading as) name, yet i was recieving letters from the license people in my name, then one day one said i had bought a TV from tescos (which i had, but just chip and PIN'd and job done)

i wrote to tescos asking how the tv licensing people could have gotten my name, from just a card number when my name wasnt on the card. tesco told me they (electronically) asked the bank, who told them everything, and tescos passed it on

from the outcome of it all, i got the £90 for the telly back from tescos, a written apology from the bank, and told the licensing people that if i hear from them again i will start legal action for harrassment

nearly a year later (and god knows how many tellys, STBs etc on bank card) and not a single letter from them

THEY ARE NOT A LAW

 

[krazylegz]

i deal with, install, and sell tellys

shops and distributors CHOOSE to collect details for the licensing bodies, they do not 'by law' have to do so, i choose not to, if my customers want to inform them that they have a new tv or whatever then thats up to them.

i had a huge row with my bank, as i use my business debit card to buy anything from a £9 freeview box to a top of the range plasma telly. the card is in my company (or teading as) name, yet i was recieving letters from the license people in my name, then one day one said i had bought a TV from tescos (which i had, but just chip and PIN'd and job done)

i wrote to tescos asking how the tv licensing people could have gotten my name, from just a card number when my name wasnt on the card. tesco told me they (electronically) asked the bank, who told them everything, and tescos passed it on

from the outcome of it all, i got the £90 for the telly back from tescos, a written apology from the bank, and told the licensing people that if i hear from them again i will start legal action for harrassment

nearly a year later (and god knows how many tellys, STBs etc on bank card) and not a single letter from them

THEY ARE NOT A LAW

thanx dude think i'll write em a letter hopefully get some money back

 

[jammoboss]

well if any of you need any questions answered ask me as my father + uncle work for tv licence and call around peoples houses, mostly in south wales but do travel at times (even isle of man), ive seen the amount of boxes of paper work of people hes got to visit, dam theres alot of people without a licence in the north newport area alone.

even having a pc in the house without a licence registered at that address can get them knocking at your door.

 

[muskrat]

tv license? whats one of them?

come in to inspect my license? ive not got one m8, come in to inspect my telly? you better have a fookin good warrant to get in my front door

detector vans? i know the handheld units only have VERY limited range, i also know they wont pick up any readouts from an LCD screen so youre picking up the neighbours telly m8

id pay for sky pefore i paid for a tv license, and that wont happen either

Hi Digi,

As you deal with TV's regularly I was puzzled by your quote about readouts from LCD tv's.

I am no expert at all, but was under the impression that they detected the oscillator crystal in the tuner circuit, and terrestrial tv (CRT or LCD or PLASMA) still use an oscillator circuit as do videos and dvd recorders.

I thought, maybe wrongly, that they could tell to within a foot where the receiver was operating but as the same tuner circuit is used in colour or b+w, they couldn't tell if the tv/receiver was colour or b+w, but if 2 tuners showed up in close proximity it was a good bet they were a vid/dvd recorder and colour tv..

I would welcome your comments/input on this as I may have been misinformed.

And I do pay the licence but begrudgingly as I don't want the hassle. As far as BBC is concerned, it's hardly ever on in my house because it is absolute crap.

Regards

Muskrat

 

[karym6]

I also revistited the channel 4 thing. It is administered by Ofcom, which pretty much makes it a publicly run company. So we we pay our taxes, a portion of which naturally go to Ofcom, and they administer sections of the channel. At the same time, they also show adverts.

Also, digidude, the act I linked to earlier states that a notification needs to be made when a TV is sold or hired: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2003/ukpga_20030021_en_34#pt4-l1g367

The act itself is very interesting - if anyone was ever confused about what happens to the license fee and where all the money should go and why, take a read as its all in there. Whether you agree with it or not, its up to you.

 

[digidude]

when i did a small servicing corse it was explained how the detectors work, and while you're right about the oscillator crystal in the tuner, its the high voltages for the CRT that amplifies and gives off the signature that they can recieve.

they know the local frequencies of the aerial channels, they work out what the couple of frequencies floating about will be, and go looking for them, so this will only work IF you are watching an analogue channel via an aerial

while an LCD has high voltage for the backlights its not enough for the signal to be broadcast, theyd have to be within a few inches of the tv to detect it, watching an STB, sky digibox, playstation or whatever connected via scart lead gives off the same signal (from CRT) as a PC screen, so the days of the 'detector' will be 100% over after the digital switchover

i dont know about other companies, but i do know sky do not pass on details of their subscribers, as part of their conbtract says that its up to the customer to ensure they have a valid license before taking out a subscription, im an RDI company and do not have to pass on details, and nor do most other companies that i know of that do the same work as i do

Interpretation of provisions about dealer notification

(1) Section 6 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1967 (interpretation of provisions requiring notification of sale and hire of television sets) shall be amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (1), for the definitions of “television dealer”, “television programme” and “television set” there shall be substituted—

““television dealer” means a person of any description specified in regulations made by the Secretary of State setting out the descriptions of persons who are to be television dealers for the purposes of this Part;

“television set” means any apparatus of a description specified in regulations made by the Secretary of State setting out the descriptions of apparatus that are to be television sets for the purposes of this Part.”

(3) After that subsection there shall be inserted—

“(1A) Regulations under subsection (1) defining a television set may provide for references to such a set to include references to software used in association with apparatus.”

i dont get TVs from manufacturers, but from outlets, so that may mean im more of a re-seller than a dealer, but i do supply the aerials and dishes to recieve the signal, yet these arent covered by the act? and without one of then the rest of the equipment is useless

 

[TBC]

mmm one of the benefits the likes of tescos ect receive for providing information to tv licencing authority is a display license, which costs peanuts but means they don't have to have a licence persae themselves, this does however tie a dealer into providing information about sales of televisions. Which by the way if you don't appear to be sending them enough of the completed forms they come and look at your sales!!!.
small shops will often ask a customer first if they have a licence and by doing so avoid dropping customers in the poo and still meet there qouta for the licence authority lol < that what i used to do hehehe. big shops just automatically forward this information without even asking and in some cases use underhanded methods to get that info such as posted above the bank provided the address info which in fact they will do for large retailers as part of the card fraud prevention measures. often online sellers will only ship to the address the card is registered to so obviously there are able to check this sort of thing!! for our own protection of course lmao

i would expect it was very likely that any set with a crt will have field coils around the tube generating a very close signature for an channel being watched, personally i thought it was that which excluded lcd and plasme sets from the detector ability.

there are all sorts of moody tactics employed to enforce tv licence collections, i think it is a fairly small sum assuming most pay monthly by DD.

although i have always had one i strongly detest having to have one lol, it just another uk stealth tax in reality.

tbc

 

[little_pob]

Channel 4 is state owned/administered and as such has PBS responsibilities, i.e. schools programming, but much like the publicly owned Royal Mail, is supposed to fend for itself. The future of C4 is yet to be decided with privatisation and trust status as two options. C4 would prefer a slice of the TV license but aren't holding their breath. If they do go private expect a merger with Five to be tabled (who they are already in talks with to minimise scheduling clashes).

As for sport I thought national sports events like the World Cup, Wimbledon and the Olympic Games had to be broadcast on one of the main free channels (i.e. BBC 1/2, ITV, C4 or Five).

I can understand where people are comming from in that they don't watch the BBC's TV channels, but the license fee also pays for the BBC's radio stations (national and local) and their website. It also pays for the maintainance of the broadcast equipment (e.g. relay antenae) used by all the terrestrial broadcasters, TV and radio.

Some European countries actually have their TV license collected through their electric bill (even if they don't own a TV). So be gratefull that there is some element of opt in for the UK.

The BBC/Government are considering taxing all PCs (not just those with TV tuner cards) when the royal charter runs out in 2017: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/03/03/pc_tax/ - The cynic in me suggests the iPlayer was developed to strengthen the BBC's argument for this change in legislation... The fair way to levy the licence then would be for the ISPs to collect rates tiered against the speed the customer is receiving on the BBC's behalf. (But I doubt that will happen!)

 

[PrickLocater]

Channel 4 does not get any of the licence fee:



They can have you for anything capable of receiving a broadcast signal. A tuned satellite dish with a receiver box is licensable, whether you choose to pay that is up to you.

alot of the Dishes you see these days are not even plugged in because they've been left behind when people moved just like the aerials on the roof

I wonder if Sky and VM are obliged to report to Crapita in the same way...

No Sky put up a fuss because they didn't want the mighty BBC getting it's customer database.

The BBC produce 10 hours a week of S4C programming and all their Welsh news bulletins, worth ~£72m a year. (sources: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/4806874.stm http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/finance/interview/interview_iona_jones.html)

Government-funded Welsh-language broadcaster S4C has warned it could face a multimillion-pound funding gap by 2009 unless new subsidies are found for digital broadcasting.

New S4C chief executive Iona Jones told The Guardian that extra funding would be required to help S4C meet its obligations to digital switchover and allow it to move into new media.

Without extra funds, the creative sector in Wales would be undermined, warned Jones.

"The whole infrastructure would be under threat," she told The Guardian.

SC4 is partly funded via a grant of £86m from the culture department.

http://dtg.org.uk/news/news.php?id=1340

Even though it only gets a hand full of viewers. Only 21.7% of the Welsh population (1.2 million) speak Welsh

 

[PrickLocater]

I can understand where people are comming from in that they don't watch the BBC's TV channels, but the license fee also pays for the BBC's radio stations (national and local) and their website. It also pays for the maintainance of the broadcast equipment (e.g. relay antenae) used by all the terrestrial broadcasters, TV and radio.

I don't listen to the radio much but when I do it tends to be Talksport which has nothing to do with the BBC. I also think you'll find the transmitters are privately owned and nothing to do with the BBC. Example http://www.crowncastle.com

Some European countries actually have their TV license collected through their electric bill (even if they don't own a TV). So be gratefull that there is some element of opt in for the UK.

Those countries tend to have one because their language isn't as widely spread as ours and so the TV would be poor without. I'll be grad when I can watch TV without being classed as a criminal for refusing to subsidise what others may like watching.

The BBC/Government are considering taxing all PCs (not just those with TV tuner cards) when the royal charter runs out in 2017: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/03/03/pc_tax/ - The cynic in me suggests the iPlayer was developed to strengthen the BBC's argument for this change in legislation... The fair way to levy the licence then would be for the ISPs to collect rates tiered against the speed the customer is receiving on the BBC's behalf. (But I doubt that will happen!)

Yep that's the real reason the BBC is pushing the internet expansion so much. The Iplayer alone cost them(you) £450 million and you know what ? The BBC then teamed up with ITV and CH4 to announce a dedicated site afterwards lol

 

[PrickLocater]

I got that little gem from here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_licence#United_Kingdom

I misread. but, they will benefit from the license fee in future . However, this could teach me a lesson when it comes to Wikipedia...

Your presuming to know a lot and giving Wiki as a source makes it even worse. The BBC made 7500 edits on that site alone and we all know what they'll say to defend it

http://news.independent.co.uk/media/article3255702.ece

 

[AT&T]

I watch Top Gear, Match of the Day, Have I Got News for You, QI, nature programs, programs like those with Micheal Palin etc. so I think it's great value. Anything that raises standards has got to be a good thing, especially considering the utter garbage served up by hundreds of cable/satellite channels. I don't watch Eastenders, in fact I'd rather nail my eyelids to the floor, but lots of people do, so the BBC certainly doesn't just provide elitist programming.

 

[PrickLocater]

I watch Top Gear, Match of the Day, Have I Got News for You, QI, nature programs, programs like those with Micheal Palin etc. so I think it's great value.

Couldn't agree more if you enjoy the BBC it's belting value because millions of people are forced to subsidise your costs

Anything that raises standards has got to be a good thing, especially considering the utter garbage served up by hundreds of cable/satellite channels.

It it was utter garbage why do you have a sky/cable box ? You see what one person hates another will like

 

[Mick]

BBC cannot make a shop/company by law give out peoples information it would completely render the data protection act useless.

The shop *maybe* by law has to inform the person they will be giving there details to the BBC and must request it at the time orf purchase but i would bet allot of money that the BBC would be breaking the law along with the shop owner by obtaining peoples private information without permission


for me it does not matter lol i pay them (do not like it) by direct debit aswell

never had an issue with them taking to much or messing us around so i cant complain about that but i do not like paying it lol.... but the mrs watches east enders so i voted yes!

 

[AT&T]

Couldn't agree more if you enjoy the BBC it's belting value because millions of people are forced to subsidise your costs

It it was utter garbage why do you have a sky/cable box ? You see what one person hates another will like

I suppose the argument works both ways. I want to watch live Premier League football. The only way I can do this is to pay Sky. Because of this I have to pay for the utter garbage that's on many other channels, so I'm subsidising other people's viewing.

 

[PrickLocater]

I want to watch live Premier League football. The only way I can do this is to pay Sky.

Hardly any football was on TV until Sky came along and seen the potential

Because of this I have to pay for the utter garbage that's on many other channels, so I'm subsidising other people's viewing.

But the thing is that's your choice and their isn't a choice when it comes to the mighty BBC :flame:

 

[AT&T]

Hardly any football was on TV until Sky came along and seen the potential

But the thing is that's your choice and their isn't a choice when it comes to the mighty BBC :flame:

I undertand your argument mate, but you don't have to have a TV. Nobody has to pay the license fee.

 

[little_pob]

alot of the Dishes you see these days are not even plugged in because they've been left behind when people moved just like the aerials on the roof

Hence the tuner box bit being in bold, but a JotP may decide its sufficent evidence to issue a warrant (although I'm sure I've seen a post by digidude in another thread that it doesn't for the very reason you've given).

Even though it only gets a hand full of viewers. Only 21.7% of the Welsh population (1.2 million) speak Welsh

I wish I could say £158m wasn't enough!

I don't listen to the radio much but when I do it tends to be Talksport which has nothing to do with the BBC. I also think you'll find the transmitters are privately owned and nothing to do with the BBC. Example http://www.crowncastle.com

Whilst that site looks to be American I'm having trouble finding the source of my assertion that the BBC maintains the TV transmitters so I'll retract that (for now ). They are, however, paying for the digital upgrade to over 1,000 TV transmitters (source: http://www.ukfree.tv/fullstory.php?storyid=1107051190), so perhaps I'm confusing my facts?

Those countries tend to have one because their language isn't as widely spread as ours and so the TV would be poor without. I'll be grad when I can watch TV without being classed as a criminal for refusing to subsidise what others may like watching.

"Those countries"? France and Germany are both more populous than the UK, and they have to suffer both a TV licence and advertising on stations funded by the licence. Admittedly the fee has to go futher as more companies have a slice of the pie. Check the distribution map for TV funding in Western Europe on the wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_licence (even though there are vast amounts of misinformation on wikipedia the map is drawn up from referenced information in the main text).

Yep that's the real reason the BBC is pushing the internet expansion so much. The Iplayer alone cost them(you) £450 million and you know what ? The BBC then teamed up with ITV and CH4 to announce a dedicated site afterwards lol

Provided any future computer licence is only chargable to those who have internet access, is not based on the amount of bandwidth used, and replaces the current TV licence (or so that you're not paying a suppliment or two licences) I don't think I'd have a problem with it at this moment in time... But I fear the BBC will want either a flat rate for all internet connections, irrespective of speed, or will want to charge based on total bandwidth used, regardless of what its used for (games, p2p, newsgroups etc).