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A TV licence to watch BBC1 online - ridiculous!

Who in their right mind would want to buy a TV licence to watch BBC1 online.  It's not exactly value for money these days is it and there are far too many repeats with only a few good programmes.  What is the TV licence fee these days anyway - must be around £15 a month?  I don't know obviously because I don't have one and I don't own a TV.  "Don't forget - to watch TV online as it's being broadcast, you still need a TV Licence."  That's the message displayed on the BBC1 home page.  Well don't worry about that folks, because just as I can't be bothered to buy a TV to watch The Beeb on a goggle box, I also can't be bothered to "tune in" online either.

You still need a TV licence to watch BBC1 online!

Now get this, according to TV licensing watching TV online streamed over the Internet is as good as watching a live broadcast, hence they DEMAND that you buy a TV licence just as you would have to to watch a television.  Well my gripe is quite simple.  It's NOT as good as watching a television and although it's definitely watchable, the image quality and frame rate are in no way comparable.  Watch BBC1 Online The broadcast is also significantly delayed enough in my opinion to not be classed as LIVE television. Add to this the fact that not all programmes are available for legal reasons and you've got a pretty much second rate service there so how can they justify the requirement of a TV licence to watch BBC1 online?  I think that's a bit cheeky.

I know most people have a TV licence (if you believe the statistics), but I just think that it's a bit petty of The Beeb to demand a TV licence be bought to view their online content.  What's the next step - a PC tax?  Besides, how can they possibly enforce this and how will they know that you're illegally watching television on your PC?  You don't need a TV tuner card for this and you can easily clear your browsing history.  I'm curious to know what people think about this.  Does anyone care?  Is this watching TV online the beginning of the end of the somewhat outdated television licence?

By: Not watching the BBC

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Equipe52, operating under the name,
Team 365, 80 London Trading Estate,
Roding Road, Becton, London E6 6LS.
Equipe52, Ltd. Office address,
C/o. London Registrars, Plc.
4th floor,
Haines House,
21 John Street,
London WC1N 2BP
I understand the above companies are responsible for the delivery of the mail sent out by TV Licensing. I obtained the information from a letter sent out by an employee of TV Licensing and by checking information on the internet. I don’t have a television. It’s not worth the license fee, there is too much rubbish on whatever channel is selected. The objects still send me their love letters each month; I have refused to reply because of the vile and implied threats contained within them.

-2

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alvin - 22-May-11 18:46 

An umpteenth letter has arrived:-

"Dear Sir/Madam,

As you have not responded to our letters yet, you have left us no alternative but to proceed with the final stages of our investigation.

Our Enforcement Officer has been scheduled to visit (POSTCODE) to find out if TV is being watched or recorded illegally. The Officer may visit your property any day of the week, morning or evening.

The information below explains the proceedure. You may refer to it during a visit from the Enforcement Officer.

Yours faithfully etc."


I do love these letters and have been receiving them for years, they never include a prepaid envelope to reply or even a free phone number so I bin them. Besides there is no point in replying to tell them I don't have a TV as they may visit anyway to confirm the fact which seems to cancel the need to reply. YAAAAWN

+7

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mike3003 - 5-Feb-11 15:45 

I will help spread the word Dazza. Thats whats wrong with our country, we need to have more say.

-6

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BigJohn - 23-Sep-10 17:00 

I am up for doing something about it now. If the whole country will join forces then we can make a change. I mean would you miss bbc. I doubt it. We just all need a date when we all cancel our tv licence. Surley they cant take the whole country to court. Come on join forces.

-1

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Dazza1040 - 23-Sep-10 16:56 

What annoys me is that after moving into my flat two weeks ago and straight away buying a licence to watch colour TV so that I can watch BBC online and perhaps buy a television set I now receive a red-lined threatening letter from TVLicensing.co.uk telling me that (1) I do not have a licence (although they have confirmed that I have by email and on their website, (2) I have received many letters from them (this is the first), (3) that I have not replied to any of these letters. The flat has in fact been empty for many months, so there was no need for a licence. I bought a licence online before evening watching TV. Now they are threatening to come into my flat, i.e. my home/castle, to inspect it and to interview me "under caution", as though I am a common criminal. They then threaten to fine me £1,000.
OK, mister, just try it.
Make may day...

-6

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AngryLicenceHolder - 28-Aug-10 15:47 

I concur with the above comments,Britans Biggest Con is totalitarian.Whats more i've just found out that,they're also exempt from the freedom of information act .which is outrageous as well! There should be large demonstrations every time some harrased person is prosecuted by this extort,but such happenings seem to be of low key.The bbc are truly legalistic thieves.

-7

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the subject - 26-Jun-10 13:45 

The BBC should send out coded data like Sky only watchable by people with a specific decoder,then you would not be able to watch it for free,which I doubt would worry many people of course the BBC would soon go broke which would also not be a problem as far as I'm concerned'.

+6

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arrawn - 15-Jun-10 21:08 

dont forget twots, that BBC is funded by the TV license.
so if no one pays for it, the programme will be forced into liquidation, and then online viewing will also not be operating.
bellens.

-2

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blowjob - 13-Jun-10 12:43 

yup I don't pay t.v license and just watch catch up online. They should just pull there finger out and sell some advertising instead leeching off us

+6

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Nip - 11-Jun-10 18:44 

The bbc licence extortion really winds me up.This jobs for the boys corruption should be scrapped,the brazen way they threaten the people of u.k.just shows what this government backed organisation think of the british public.Then there is the so called t.v.licence officers[thugs] ,who have no real authority,bluff is the name of their game.For more information see www.bbc resistance.com.

-9

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nobody knows what its all abou - 31-May-10 19:29 

Julie, the other channels don't fund themselves, the advertisers do!

-3

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grumpyoldwoman - 21-Apr-10 17:21 

We need to get the TV licence stopped for good. Why was freeview invented??? to view for free!!! It is only the BBC that get the licence fee, and quite frankly there are better channels to watch.
Why arnt the BBC funding them sleves the same as all the other channels.
Its daylight robbery and needs to be stopped!!

-3

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Julie - 21-Apr-10 17:19 

you can use a pc to watch pre recorded tv but not live thats when you pay for a tv licence

-6

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grumpy - 26-Dec-09 16:25 

I don't have license free - Modern broadcasting is (in my opion) simply not work the £142.50p or so that they demand (and yet, they demand it - In threatening letters through my door, once a month). What I have in stead is something far more valuable - A life.

-3

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Chris Manders - 16-Nov-09 23:27 

here's some stuff you may not know. Not only do you need a TV licence for a TV you also need one if you own any of the following:-

a) A Video recorder
b) A DVD recorder
c) A computer with broadband internet access
d) A MOBILE PHONE

the first 2 because you can record TV programs, the third and fourth I found when I looked on the TV licensing site to check what happens after 2012 when they turn of the analog signal, since I don't have satellite,cable or freeview and my TV, video, DVD and gamecube don't have built in decoders, I thought I wont need a licence (fat chance, I've got a computer with broadband and a mobile phone).

I can only assume it's because you can watch TV programs on-line (wherever you do or not is irreverent, you got a computer with broadband you need a licence)

As for the fourth one it may have something to do with the modern mobiles having TVs in them or something, all I know is I would love to watch some official try and watch a TV program on my mobile (Motorola c350, as used by Noah on the arc)

-7

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Chansey - 7-Nov-09 19:24 

TV Licensing tend to talk a load of sloblock most of the time. They have difficulty accepting the idea that some people don't have a TV. Unsurprisingly, they also have problems with the ideas of "innocent until proven guilty" and "beyond reasonable doubt".

+5

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x - 4-Nov-09 04:01 

Are you the real Tessa jowell? Have you had to pay any money back. Does Gordon Brown have a shrine to stalin hidden in number 10

+8

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Juan C9rlos - 16-Oct-09 20:43 

A legal loophole highlighted by the communications regulator Ofcom means that viewers can watch television and listen to radio over the internet and mobile devices free.

-3

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tessa jowell - 16-Oct-09 17:26 

> You don't need a TV tuner card for this and you can easily clear your browsing history.

When you receive content from BBC their server knows which IP address it sends data to. With the co-operation of your ISP it is easier to find you than having to come to your address and check if you have a PC.

+5

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Angelo - 8-Oct-09 10:27 

If you can get away with it fair play to you, most of this cash is only going on over-paid presenters, if they never had had one in the first place and they tried to bring one in now they would stand no chance at all. (I have always had one)

-10

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Gainsborough lad. - 6-Oct-09 19:41 

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