'Hold' music is classed as 'broadcasting'

myrnahaz

I didn't realise that businesses require a licence to 'broadcast' 'hold' music on their telephones.

I always quite enjoyed waiting 'on hold' when I rang our printers because they had really nice music playing - old chart tracks etc. Then a few weeks ago they changed it to a basic 'engaged' tone. They said that they'd been contacted by someone who said they were broadcasting illegally and were liable to be fined if they didn't stop immediately. Apparently the guy sent documents to prove that he was kosher, and his office rings them every now and then to check the business haven't started broadcasting again.

Will this lead to a raft (pardon the pun) of small businesses operating from ships anchored in international waters in future - it could be like Radio Caroline all over again!

Sooler

this page explains what licenses are required http://www.callcentrehelper.com/music-on-hold-licences.htm

marleyboy

We had them approach our company, they pointed to the radio, assuring us we were able to pay them a fee, (think it was £300 a year), to enable us to listen to it. We simply turned it off and told them to politely "do one".

Im curious as to what paying £300 a year would entitle me to, is there a limit to the volume for example. The fact no stereos i see on the market have a clearly labelled "Entertainment Licence Fee", notice, tells me its slightly "cuckoo". But its just another way for them to squeeze more money out of us.

Does this mean when they rig another Oasis concert up in the Park, I effectively need to pay a fee, because I can hear it from my house, or are they "breaching" their entertainment licence, so I am in my rights to ask them to "turn it down"???

sweep9

Charges are here

Its about £117 a year.

moonrakerz

marleyboy wrote: »

Im curious as to what paying £300 a year would entitle me to, is there a limit to the volume for example. The fact no stereos i see on the market have a clearly labelled "Entertainment Licence Fee", notice, tells me its slightly "cuckoo". But its just another way for them to squeeze more money out of us.

I think you are being a little short sighted, this money is not being "squeezed" out of you for fun. It goes to help all these poor "musicians" who don't know where their next crust is coming from.

Have you seen the abject poverty that people like Madonna, Elton John, Cliff Richard and the Gallaghers live in ?? and as for poor Victoria Beckham, you can plainly see she hasn't eaten for weeks !

Every time you play one of their songs without paying your bit towards keeping a (leaking) roof over their heads I hope you feel really guilty !!!!

reehsetin

well you see, instead of going to buy the cd, people would just call your printers and listen to it down the phone,
those poor musicians had to be compensated some how,

marleyboy

Does that mean I can crash two dustbins together and yell obscenities, send some hurly doormen around the estate to collect my "royalties" from all the earwigging public