To ask if you're going to buy a tv license if you don't have a tv?

[Attethersend43]

New law is coming in this September forcing those who watch iplayer on devices to buy a tv license.

I don't have a tv and watch iplayer very rarely...

Should I buy a license?

I find it really strange that people feel the need to berate and shame people who don't pay the TV license. They have absolutely no way of knowing whether they are doing so legally or not - and if they're not, why on earth is it anyone else's business? They're accepting the risk of getting fined, they won't be dragging anyone down with them, nobody will get co-fined for glimpsing the illegal live TV in their house.

What's even stranger is that people claim moral superiority over those who avoid the TV license while using free and legal BBC services like radio and news, and for a little while longer - iPlayer. Seriously. It's legal. It's not a 'loophole', it's not a 'shady area', it's not 'morally questionable'. If you phoned up the licensing people and asked to pay for those services you would be told you CANNOT.

It's just bitterness and jealousy, imo. "I'm paying this amount, so must you, otherwise it's not faaaaair"

Such bullshit.

Some people seem to find it very hard to understand the existing rules: contributing to an Archers thread as evidence you need a TV licence, fgs, the clue's in the name!

Won't be buying a licence here; will just stop the few times a year I watch something from iplayer. Or download it somewhere that does have a licence, depending on exactly what the T&Cs turn out to say. I'm definitely not buying a licence I don't technically need, no matter how outraged some mnetters get.

Mavis you're right, I do think it's not fair. I can think of a lot of things that aren't fair, and this is one of them, that I pay for a service I use where others use the same service but openly, and proudly, say they refuse to pay for it.

relax I don't think you quite got the context of my post you refer to.

I can understand that, to some degree. People who openly brag about watching live TV but not paying the TV license. Not something I'd get het up about personally, their funeral and all that - they'll probably get caught at some point.

But getting annoyed at people doing it legally and properly is just illogical. Why on earth would you pay for something you don't have to? It's like me getting annoyed at people who don't have or pay for Netflix, even though I do. Those non-netflix-fee-paying fuckers.

"I don't have a license[sic], I only listen to radio 4"

I listen to Radio 4 and 5, I don't have a TV licence because I don't need one. I would be happy to make a contribution to BBC radio (although ideally I'd like them to stop doing pathetic dramatised trails for their own soaps and sporting events every 10 seconds and stop being so incredibly South of England biased), but there's no such option open to me.
I don't listen to the Archers because I'd rather set fire to my own hair.

I would happily pay four times what I currently pay for the license fee to put the entire BBC content behind a paywall to stop freeloading bastards stealing content they haven't paid for,
Unfortunately for you, I suspect you're in an even smaller minority than those of us who chose to legally not have a TV licence.
The BBC will never go subscription/paywall by choice as they know full well it would require a massive scaling back of their operations as the income would fall hugely - while they offer such widespread services they can try to justify charging people to watch any live telly - but this goes away once you have the paywall.

I think expecting people to second guess the bbc's own rules for payment is a bit much!

Haven't had a license for 7 years. I have Netflix and some subscriptions on YouTube. I do watch Question Time on iplayer, but I'll just stop watching that. I like Doctor Who but I can watch that on Netflix.

I'm 32, and over the last couple of years I've found an increasing amount of people in my generation and below now do this.

I've told the TV license people that I don't need one, but I still get threatening letters every few years. I've had them knock on my door twice in 7 years, I just ignore them. Nothing has ever happened, I'm not doing anything wrong!

Nope, I won't buy a license. I'm not a huge watcher of the telly on any format- and there's more than enough on Netflix and Now TV for the few odd hours in the week I actually get the urge to sit in front of the screen.

I'll miss The Apprentice- but not enough to pay 145 quid for it.

Ignoring the Olympics (cos that's only on for two weeks) this is what's on BBC 1 and BBC2 today:
BBC1 - Wanted Down Under, The Housing Enforcers, Bargain Hunt, News, EastEnders
BBC 2 - Red Rock, The Edge, Escape to the Country, The Great Antiques Map, Flog It, Pointless, Eggheads, Full Steam Ahead, The 80s, Newsnight, An Hour to Save your Life, Exodus, Fake or Fortune

I watch eastenders on catch up but otherwise don't use BBC and can quite happily give it up (its got shit lately) for that fee. If people get so wound up by the "freeloaders" theno don't pay yourself? It's like the same people who think life on jsa is the life of Riley. Well quit and sign on then. strange attitudes on this thread. As for the comment about BBC having intelligent viewing Lollz

SheHas everyone knows that the summer schedule on terrestrial TV isn't great, which suits me because I can spend more time outside in good weather, and I can catch up on watching stuff I have already recorded. So, today's offering isn't typical.

We have never subscribed to Netflix, Amazon Prime or Sky because we find that we have enough programmes we want to watch as it is. And, no, I don't watch soaps (except for Casualty) or reality TV (except for GBBO)

That's what we have Saucy, Netflix and Now. Since giving up live tv I have it on far less and only put it on to watch specific things.

Eastenders is the main issue for me so will have to purchase in Sept as doubt I can give it up tbh

SheHas everyone knows that the summer schedule on terrestrial TV isn't great
Ok so when is the "great" season I'll see of I can find the listings.

"Or basically never, ever, ever, watch any television programme on any channel at the time it is broadcast. It seems a little unlikely."

Why do you think it's unlikely? You sound like my mum. Our telly isn't even plugged to a digital aerial source that would make it technically possible to watch "normal" live TV.

I haven't looked at a TV guide this decade. I have no idea what's on live telly, and what sporting events/continental pop music competitions I'm missing out on.

There is indeed a whole generation growing up with Netflix et al that can't, and don't, watch live telly.

I can think of a lot of things that aren't fair, and this is one of them, that I pay for a service I use where others use the same service but openly, and proudly, say they refuse to pay for it.

Catch up TV is a different service to live broadcast TV.

Its a bit like complaining that you pay to use a toll road to get home, but your neighbour who uses a different route doesn't pay.

Right now, it's free to watch catch up TV. Just like the road your neighbour uses is free to use, and you get charged for the one you use. You could use the free road - but are choosing not to.

It depends on what you like watching though, doesn't it? Usually the autumn schedules have a lot more to offer, but we like most of the crime dramas on BBC4. We also like comedies like Mock the Week and QI. We also watch a lot of travel programmes and documentaries.

I don't watch many films on TV and hate being bombarded with adverts all the time.

I can't see that many people under the age of 30 would really enjoy what we like watching, so I think the fact that a previous poster suggested that people under 30 prefer to watch other options is probably correct.

I am mid 50s but seem to have embraced the under 30 demographic

No bloody way. Sorry.

I really don't think I am being a 'self-righteous dick' Boogers but thanks

"I'm 32, and over the last couple of years I've found an increasing amount of people in my generation and below now do this."
Yep, same here aged 27.

What annoys me is that there's no opt out. Give us an option, block your channels and allow us the rest.

Until then I'll just continuing using streaming services (not including iPlayer).

And all this rubbish about the vans being able to detect who's watching it, who do they think they're kidding?! Especially the new WiFi ones that's been mentioned, LOL. Absolutely no way in hell can they do it. Not only because of logistics, but privacy laws

And as usual whenever this topic comes up, there's people who are aghast at the fact people don't listen to or watch BBC. This can't possibly happen. The Archers! pearl clutch

Going by what I read the other day, there is a way for them to detect it using wifi signals and 'packet sniffing'.

But obviously there's a lot of doubt over whether they'd be acting within the law. They're saying they won't be divulging their methods of detection but it just doesn't work like that, they're not MI5, freedom of information comes into play somewhere. But as long as they have some people convinced they're above the law it'll be worth the scaremongering.

HUGE security risks, like you said, they aren't the MI5, there's no way they'll be given power to do this, even if they have the infrastructure to do so.

Even then, it's easy to use an encrypted network or a VPN

I just hope people are more savvy nowadays to realise that again like you said, it's just scaremongering.

Something I don't understand. The last three tv sets I've bought (within the last 10 years) I've been asked for my address at the point of sale in Currys. I always assumed it was cross checked with the license database to ensure you had a license. If you don't have a license but have bought a new set, what do you say at the point of sale?