TV Licence Super Thread

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ken
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GaryTheSnail said:
It does allow streaming live streams.

Do I need a TV Licence for Netflix, YouTube etc? - TV Licensing ™

You may need a TV Licence to watch your favourite streaming services, including Netflix. Find out when it's required.
www.tvlicensing.co.uk www.tvlicensing.co.uk

If you watch live on streaming services (e.g. ITVX, All 4, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Now, Sky Go), or use BBC iPlayer*, you need to be covered by a TV Licence.

You don’t need a TV Licence if you never watch live on any channel, TV service or streaming service, or use BBC iPlayer*. On any device.
*A licence is not needed to watch S4C programmes on demand.

It really is straight forward if you read the Gov UK tv licence pages.
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But it not straight forward, just because TV licensing (a private company) says you need it. until it tested in a court, it simply a private company offering advice. and i pretty sure if it does go to court that you need a Licence to watch YouTube (live), YouTube it self will fight it tooth and nail as being classified as a TV service would open YouTube up to being suided a lot more for the content it has
 
Btone said:
But it not straight forward, just because TV licensing (a private company) says you need it. until it tested in a court, it simply a private company offering advice. and i pretty sure if it does go to court that you need a Licence to watch YouTube (live), YouTube it self will fight it tooth and nail as being classified as a TV service would open YouTube up to being suided a lot more for the content it has
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It is straight forward. You either need one for certain criteria or you don't. Don't know what's hard to understand.
 
Do I need a TV Licence to watch online, including on YouTube?
You need to be covered by a TV Licence to watch programmes live on any online TV service - such as ITVX, All 4, Amazon Prime Video, Now TV or Sky Go. You don’t need a TV Licence if you only ever watch on demand programmes on any TV service apart from BBC iPlayer.

You don’t need a TV Licence to watch videos or clips on demand on YouTube. But you do need a TV Licence if you watch TV programmes live on YouTube. An example of this would be watching Sky News live. But it isn’t just live news or sport which needs a licence – it’s any programme which is part of a TV channel, broadcast or transmitted for everyone to watch at the same time.
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GaryTheSnail said:
It is straight forward. You either need one for certain criteria or you don't. Don't know what's hard to understand.
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because the Criteria is badly defined. and until it tested in a court of law. it will remain badly defined. IE what is a TV service.
you tube in itself is NOT a TV service, so it then comes down to what the channel is on You tube.

take sky news you tube channel, clearly it a TV service as it being done by a TV COMPANY . if your watching that and it showing the same program as it broadcasted then u need a Licence

what about the WAN show on LTT. it live but is it a TV service, and can a TV service be offered by a NON TV company ?

or what about the Queens funeral, I watch it on a Pure YouTube channel, and while it was showing the same pics as everyone else it had a different soundtrack (they had there own people telling us what was going on , and interviewing people). So Licence or not ?
 
Btone said:
or what about the Queens funeral, I watch it on a Pure YouTube channel, and while it was showing the same pics as everyone else it had a different soundtrack (they had there own people telling us what was going on , and interviewing people). So Licence or not ?
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No licence needed. The Queens funeral and events of national importance are exempt from the licence. Anyone without a licence could have watched the Queens funeral on TV live.
 
The key part is it needs to be a "television programme service" to be covered by the licence, therefore just merely being live doesn't mean you need a licence.

The wording on tvlicensing.co.uk is poor, probably deliberately so. Would you trust a saleman's website on what the law is? Doubt it.

The only thing that really matters, outside of court cases which people have mentioned, is the actual law:

Communications Act 2003

An Act to confer functions on the Office of Communications; to make provision about the regulation of the provision of electronic communications networks and services and of the use of the electro-magnetic spectrum; to make provision about the regulation of broadcasting and of the provision of...
www.legislation.gov.uk www.legislation.gov.uk

The Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004

These Regulations prescribe the fees payable for TV licences; define “television receiver” for the purposes of Part 4 of the Communications Act 2003 (licensing of TV reception); and define terms used for the purposes of Part 1 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1967 (information as to sale and hire...
www.legislation.gov.uk www.legislation.gov.uk

Meaning of “television receiver”

9.—(1) In Part 4 of the Act (licensing of TV reception), “television receiver” means any apparatus installed or used for the purpose of receiving (whether by means of wireless telegraphy or otherwise) any television programme service, whether or not it is installed or used for any other purpose.

(2) In this regulation, any reference to receiving a television programme service includes a reference to receiving by any means any programme included in that service, where that programme is received at the same time (or virtually the same time) as it is received by members of the public by virtue of its being broadcast or distributed as part of that service.
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Malevolence said:
Is watching the NASATV ISS livestream covered?
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No licence required for that. But live Sky News on Youtube would require a licence because it's a television broadcast that's also on Youtube.
 
So, I have been negligent on renewing my TV licence mainly because it's the lowest of my priorities with the increasing cost of utility bills and interest rates etc.
I received a red letter a couple of days ago. It has reached the point where a TV licencing officer has been authorised to visit the property to determine if I have been watching or recording programmes.
What really irritated me is that if I have no TV they can still prosecute for having a mobile phone where I may have watched BBC.
What can they do if I refuse to unlock my phone?
 
You don't have to let them into your home. Tell them you are busy, if they actually bother to send anyone. Most of it's just empty threats.

If you are watching live TV you should get a licence.
 
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lunar said:
What can they do if I refuse to unlock my phone?
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As mentioned above, if you watch live TV then you need to pay the tax buy a license. But they do not have any right of entry to your house unless they have a court warrant. They will only have a court warrant if they have evidence. They will only have evidence if they have witnessed you watching live TV or visited your property and found equipment receiving live TV (such as a TV with an aerial plugged in or you actually watching TV on your phone). They won't have this unless you let them in (which you don't have to without a warrant).

99% likely they will have no evidence and this is just a sales letter to get you to buy a subscription just like Netflix buy a license. There is a thread on this forum with a lot of people's experiences of similar.

lunar said:
What can they do if I refuse to unlock my phone?
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Absolutely nothing. They are just regular people with no special powers.

Unless they have a signed warrant (which they won't) then don't let them in your door. If they turn up on your doorstep (unlikely but possible) then refuse to tell them your name and then close the door. Do not let them in. Do not engage in any conversation with them at all.

However, if you are watching live TV on any device then you should go ahead and buy a subscription license.
 
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Hades said:
As mentioned above, if you watch live TV then you need to pay the tax buy a license. But they do not have any right of entry to your house unless they have a court warrant. They will only have a court warrant if they have evidence. They will only have evidence if they have witnessed you watching live TV or visited your property and found equipment receiving live TV (such as a TV with an aerial plugged in or you actually watching TV on your phone). They won't have this unless you let them in (which you don't have to without a warrant).

99% likely they will have no evidence and this is just a sales letter to get you to buy a subscription just like Netflix buy a license. There is a thread on this forum with a lot of people's experiences of similar.


Absolutely nothing. They are just regular people with no special powers.

Unless they have a signed warrant (which they won't) then don't let them in your door. If they turn up on your doorstep (unlikely but possible) then refuse to tell them your name and then close the door. Do not let them in. Do not engage in any conversation with them at all.

However, if you are watching live TV on any device then you should go ahead and buy a subscription license.
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Wtf?

An antenna connected to a TV is "evidence" of a crime over there?

That's some serriously dystopian **** if you are serious.
 
You can only watch BBC iplayer if you log in with email address and password. If you've logged in they know you are watching plus ip address, which also give your precise location. That is the evidence they use in court.
 
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