Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr K
Personally don't begrudge him access given his circumstances. More fool VM for not collecting the equipment. Unfortunately looks like he'll need a licence if streaming iPlayer as the govt. are changing the law.
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Yep, i've read that plans are being mooted to extend the need for a TV licence to catch up services.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RobboEdin
RichardCoulter, what you are saying is completely wrong.
Only Virgin Media customers have legal right to access the Virgin Media TV service.
You mention non-Virgin Media equipment. It is illegal to connect such equipment to the Virgin Media cable and steal what you are not paying for.
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AIUI, it's not illegal, but it is against VM t&c's. As non VM customers, these people haven't agreed to any VM terms and conditions.
Even if these were enforceable, my friend has not connected any unauthorised equipment to the VM network- it's as it was left by a VM engineer after installation and since cancellation of VM TV services.
Nothing is being "stolen". The bulk of the channels available either cost nothing for VM to put them there eg BBC1, or they get paid by the broadcaster for being there eg shopping channels.
I repeat what I said earlier, when VM bought a shopping channel years ago, one of the first things they did was make it FTA to increase it's reach and, therefore, any potential sales. This tells me that they are aware of and unconcerned* about non subscribers accessing these channels.
Indeed, I believe that there are/were places in the UK where TV aerials weren't allowed and householders were advised to connect the supplied VM feed directly to their TV set (I'm unsure if this still happens with the advent of digital). This is also the norm for other countries.
* There is a long standing disagreement between those with technical knowledge about such matters, that connecting non VM equipment to the network can push noise back out into the network and thus affect other viewers.
Until this is resolved, I don't condone or recommend that anybody connect anything but an authorised VM STB to the system.
These FTA channels are here for valid reasons to benefit people in various ways, including yourself.