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TV Licensing + iPlayer

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It's been in the press that the "iPlayer loophole" is closing - i.e. a TV Licence will soon be required to legally watch iPlayer catchup content online.

The TV Licensing website says "From 1 September 2016 you'll need a TV Licence to watch or download BBC programmes on demand, including catch up TV, on BBC iPlayer."

However, I cannot find any other sources online that say this date. Some say January 2017, some just a vague intention. Does anyone know if the is actually true and has been made law? I don't entirely trust TV Licensing to be complete straight with this sort of thing...

Many thanks for your help.

Comments

  • JJ_Egan
    JJ_Egan Posts: 20,281 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Thats the official source and the date is correct .Its true but i really don't know if a law has been passed or if a law needs to be passed .
  • unforeseen
    unforeseen Posts: 7,382 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2016/704/pdfs/uksi_20160704_en.pdf

    They pushed it through as secondary legislation rather than dealing with it as part of the new Royal Charter which will come into force in 2017
  • tomac
    tomac Posts: 8 Forumite
    Many thanks both.

    Tom
  • Heinz
    Heinz Posts: 11,191 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker Car Insurance Carver!
    Interesting explanatory note:
    Regulation 9 of the 2004 Regulations is amended to include in the definition of a television receiver any apparatus used or installed to receive an on-demand programme service which is provided by the BBC e.g. iPlayer. On-demand program me services are defined in Part 4A of the Act.

    First, the phrase 'used or installed' still does not cover mere possession - actual use to receive would need to be proved.

    Second,
    I read that as referring only to BBC on-demand programming (i.e. the ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 versions are not covered).
    Time has moved on (much quicker than it used to - or so it seems at my age) and my previous advice on residential telephony has been or is now gradually being overtaken by changes in the retail market. Hence, I have now deleted links to my previous 'pearls of wisdom'. I sincerely hope they helped save some of you money.
  • VisionMan
    VisionMan Posts: 1,585 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Heinz wrote: »
    I read that as referring only to BBC on-demand programming (i.e. the ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 versions are not covered).

    Yes, thats right. This only refers to the BBC iPlayer. They were asked if they wanted to be included but said no. Why I don't know, as only 5% of the population dont have a TV Licence. So at a guess they still wanted that 5% to have access. Either that, or the costs involved in changing them.
  • Bigphil1474
    Bigphil1474 Posts: 3,546 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    I expect the commercial channels aren't that bothered about who watches their catch up service as their services have advertising - surely it will link back to some statistical evidence to entice advertisers to choose their channel?
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