Campaign to allow TV subscription viewing abroad (again)

markusacemse

Since BREXIT UK streaming services pulled their access to subscribers travelling in Europe. This seemed unnecessary and SKY do not give a satisfactory explanation - especially as they still provide this for ROI subscribers.

BBC/ITV do the same.

I would like to propose that we campaign with SKY etc and content providers (such as Premier league) to allow at least some content like sport be made available to those who have paid for it. 

This is still the case across Europe BUT not for UK providers/subscribers due to their 'interpretation' of BREXIT.

This has encouraged many more to use illegal IPTV services that they would not have considered.

It may even be arguable within the latest UK consumer laws.

May I suggest:

The right to view/listen to content should sit with the UK subscriber  wherever they may be outside UK on an agreed perhaps temporary basis. I am not suggesting UK based providers should provide their content to none UK residents.

a) this encourages SKY (and TNT) subscribers to use IPTV services when abroad to watch Premier League etc - we would rather be able to watch what we have paid for from SKY etc than some illegal set up. 

b) SKY etc could (maybe) charge an extra for this service to those willing to pay - although we pay enough already

c) if SKY etc reverts to the copyright etc arguments then surely some content could be agreed like SKY content and Premier League etc. (they managed it pre- BREXIT though!)

d) Most of us can wait to get back home to catch up on soaps etc but Sports need to be watched live.

e) Netflix, Apple TV , Amazon have no issues letting us sign in from abroad only SKY (UK providers stop us). 

All the above would help retain customers AND help in SKY/Premier League's current campaign to shut down IPTV services. We don't want to use these we are 'forced'  to by restricting the use of the product we have paid for.

I am also asking WHICH to consider this too. I'd love Martin to help us here - to me it is similar to mobile roaming i.e. being able to use what we have already paid for.

I'll also be contacting WHICH on the same topic.

la531983

Its the will of the people, or something.

born_again

Didn't Sky do this before Brexit given that different countries have their own Sky providers?
BBC also blocked pre Brexit to stop non UK people viewing their services.

Add in some services such as premier league are also sold in other countries at a price. So they are protecting the companies they are selling the service to.

Of course there is a way to defeat this 😜

DullGreyGuy

markusacemse said:

e) Netflix, Apple TV , Amazon have no issues letting us sign in from abroad only SKY (UK providers stop us). 

This isn't true... Amazon and Apple you are locked to your own region and when traveling you can still only see the content for your own region however some may be unable to be played. Certainly when overseas for 5 months there was very little Amazon content that was playable, most of Apple was.

Netflix takes a very different approach, when you log in from abroad you see the content available for your current region which can be notably different to what's available in the UK.

I signed up to Netflix during my 5 months away, I correctly declared that my home residency is in the UK but 3 years later I am still billed in local the overseas currency (less than the UK price) but see UK content when in the UK. 


The issue is that broadcasters buy rights to programmes by region or sell rights to content they've produced to others by region. So if Sky has sold a programme to TNTSat in France for them to have exclusive rights to broadcast/stream that programme in France it becomes a major problem if Sky then also allow you to watch it via their service whilst in France. 

It could be undone by changing contracts to say its exclusive other than for travelling Sky Customers etc but that will require many contracts to change (eg where Sky is buying contract from Paramount then it needs UK and France's exclusive contracts updated) with reimbursements of fees and different natural end dates of agreements etc.


You'd probably be better off spending the effort in finding a decent VPN to use as it's more likely to be successful than petitioning anyone. 

mebu60

Just use a VPN when abroad.

LinLui

mebu60 said:

Just use a VPN when abroad.

And remember that this is what you all voted for. Ain't democracy wonderful? 

mebu60

LinLui said:

mebu60 said:

Just use a VPN when abroad.

And remember that this is what you all voted for. Ain't democracy wonderful? 

I am no fan of Brexit but most broadcasters had geographic restrictions in place for licensing reasons prior to the UK's EU exit. It is not a new post-Brexit issue, it's been applied worldwide long before then.

And as several contributors have mentioned already, there is a simple and straightforward workaround at an individual level. Plus I've had some fun times watching football on tv in foreign bars. 

penners324

So your campaigning against international broadcasting law and international copyright?

JSmithy45AD

penners324 said:

So your campaigning against international broadcasting law and international copyright?

Correct, and apparently it's just them (again). Some people just have too much time on their hands.

wild666

All someone has to do is use a VPN to access the UK channels whilst they're abroad. Award VPN is a free VPN and allows 6 hours access to their service by getting a code that can be renewed every 6 hours.