TV Licence article Discussion

JimmyTheWig

I think I've changed my mind on this. I think it's just a question of who turns it on. The quote from Cornucopia includes the word "Use". The guy who sees live TV over your shoulder on the bus clearly isn't using your phone. Likewise B isn't using the laptop when sat next to A on the sofa if it was A who turned it on and clicked through to the programme to watch.
So back to zagfles questions...

zagfles wrote: »

A takes her laptop into the kitchen and watches live TV on battery power.

Legal

Then B, C & D come along and watch with her.

Legal

Then A gets bored and goes to her room to do some work, leaving B, C & D watching her laptop.

Still legal

Then A decides she needs her laptop to do some work, so reclaims it. B brings out his laptop and B, C & D carry on watching on battery power.

Illegal. B to be prosecuted. Though could have been legal if A had got B's laptop and set it up for them.

Then A leaves the flat and goes down the pub

Still illegal.

Then A comes back and joins the others in the kitchen watching on B's laptop.

Still illegal.

Then the rest of the flat joins them, and there's too many people crowded round a single laptop. So they decide to plug the laptop (still on battery power) into a projector which is mains powered.

Still illegal.

Cornucopia

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

I think I've changed my mind on this. I think it's just a question of who turns it on. The quote from Cornucopia includes the word "Use".

The word "use" in that context may not have its plain English meaning. The previous clause in the Ts & Cs has the wording "install and use", and I think that they put "use" in this context to give the meaning that the equipment is not installed. (i.e. to add some depth to the "battery-powered" element).

I can see a definition based on who switched on the device being somewhat problematic. What if the laptop was last switched on three weeks ago, and it has been in use or running "downtime" activities continuously since then?

I think I'm probably going to stay with my previous comments (conservative though they are), that only "A" is permitted to use the exemption, and that anyone else watching with them is potentially committing the offence. It would be interesting to get a view on this from TVL, although in my experience they are always spectacularly unhelpful with this kind of thing.

zagfles

Thinking about this outside the student context - if the licence only covers the "household" then what happens if a friend is staying in my house while I'm away on business, can he legally switch my TV on and watch live (I have a licence) if none of my "household" is present?

Theoretical question only as I know the inspectors won't bother licenced addresses.

Cornucopia

zagfles wrote: »

... if the licence only covers the "household"...

It doesn't.

The exact wording is this:-

The licence allows use and installation of TV equipment:

- At the licensed place by anyone.

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/terms-and-conditions-top11

cw18

The way I read the rules.....


My fella and I can both watch Live TV/iPlayer at his house as he has a licence


He can watch on his tablet, phone or laptop at my house as long as they're not plugged in, but I can't watch with him as I don't have a licence so he's operating on his in an unlicenced property (and I'm not a member of his household)



We can both watch when on holiday as long as the property we're renting has a licence (though I must admit we've never asked for proof there's one in place - perhaps we should?)

Andy_L

cw18 wrote: »

He can watch on his tablet, phone or laptop at my house as long as they're not plugged in, but I can't watch with him as I don't have a licence so he's operating on his in an unlicenced property (and I'm not a member of his household)

How is he connecting his device to the internet & how is that powered? ie If its your (mains powered) WiFi router rather than his mobile data has that router become "TV equipment" and thus you need a licence at your place for iPlayer (but not for 4oD etc)?

Cornucopia

I think that the Powers That Be would regard all forms of wireless comms as being equally valid in this context. The point being to get to a reasonable set of rules that are reasonably easy for the Public to understand and comply with.

JimmyTheWig

cw18 wrote: »

He can watch on his tablet, phone or laptop at my house as long as they're not plugged in, but I can't watch with him as I don't have a licence so he's operating on his in an unlicenced property (and I'm not a member of his household)

Ah, so that explains why he quickly shuts down what he's watching when you enter the room...

cw18

Andy_L wrote: »

How is he connecting his device to the internet & how is that powered? ie If its your (mains powered) WiFi router rather than his mobile data has that router become "TV equipment" and thus you need a licence at your place for iPlayer (but not for 4oD etc)?

Given iPlayer has been blocked on my router since that required a licence (so no-one can accidentally use the App that I can't delete from my TV), he'd have to make more effort than he'd probably think it worth to be able to watch that at mine


To be totally honest, I can't think of anything he's watched live at mine in the7 years we've been together.


My youngest watched the Christmas episode of Dr Who on iPlayer when visiting one year - before you needed a licence for it though.

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

Ah, so that explains why he quickly shuts down what he's watching when you enter the room...

:rotfl:

azafran21

Would I need to watch Wimbledon on YouTube? It is shown live on there but it's not a TV channel, i.e. BBC or channel 4 etc