BBc to launch FREESAT service .. its own non-subscription satellite

[RabidDog]

Not actually launched yet.. but well on the way

This is a brand new service from the BBC seperate from freesat from sky ..
to include "room" for a HD service mpeg4 and its own pvr.

possibly there own satellite

[dvd3500]

Got a link?
I live in Germany and would love some decent BBC TV. HDTV is just the icing on the cake!

[MJA]

I wish we can get the BBC in the US for free.media here sux big time most of them are pro Z$$%%

[SatStorm]

There own satellite is very risky.
Probably they gonna use an existed non commercial satellite. And since bSKYb is located on 28.2 East, I bet it's going to be 31 East.

Currently, at 31.5°E, there is Optus A3 (incl. 8.5°) which is owned by SES Astra (the same company that owns the satellites at 28.2 East).

[Duchess]

Hmmmmm! Where did this come from? I can't find any mention on the BBC's own web site and there's been nothing in any other news media.

[mh2360]

I wish we can get the BBC in the US for free.media here sux big time most of them are pro Z$$%%

I wish we could get it free in the UK too... 8)

[Safesurfer]

Hmmmmm! Where did this come from? I can't find any mention on the BBC's own web site and there's been nothing in any other news media.

Try this link

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6400847.stm

[Richie V]

Hmmmmm! Where did this come from? I can't find any mention on the BBC's own web site and there's been nothing in any other news media.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6400847.stm

[Duchess]

Yeeowch! OK guys I didn't look hard enough !

I hope the satellite footprint is enough to cover southern Spain, 'cos that's where I'm going to be by the time it gets off the ground (ouch! pun not intended ). Hey! I shan't be paying any licence fee either as Spain doesn't have such a thing.

[MJA]

I wish we can get the BBC in the US for free.media here sux big time most of them are pro Z$$%%

I wish we could get it free in the UK too... 8)

I thought the BBC is a public TV subsidized by the government

[Duchess]

No way. The British public has to pay for a TV licence and that pays for the BBC channels, both TV and radio. Can't remember how much it is but it's over £100 ($200) per year. Thus my mention about living in Spain.

[mh2360]

A TV Licence costs £131.50 (about $258 US) per household per year. Maybe when everything goes digital we will get the choice as to whether we want the BBC or not. Some think it's a reasonable price to pay for an independent service thats not concerned about upsetting any corporate sponsors, others on the other hand hate the TV licencing system, and think the BBC should go commercial.

[ntscuser]

The BBC have been talking about this for as long as I can remember and the only effect is that BSkyB has jumped on the bandwagon by offering "Freesat from Sky".

You can already get Freeview programmes via satellite from Astra 2E, some of them in HD. The trouble is, almost every dish installer in the UK is under contract to Sky and is subsidised by them so have no interest in installing an independent setup.

It's actually cheaper to subscribe to Sky for the minimum period of one year and get the equipment for free than pay to install separately. Problem with that (and "Freesat from Sky") is it "locks you in" to Sky's subscription service by direct debit which is not easy to cancel.

[RabidDog]

SKy has no obligation to provide the access to the channels for free .. they could charge a basic subscription at any time. I think the BBC has waited till equipment is cheap and easily available. There is talk of a head mounted mini-satellite dish to receive Broadcasts on the move, tho this is unproven technology as yet,
The BBC is going to fund there own series of regional ballistic missiles , in support of forcing french, dutch and irish viewers to pay a special licence fee.. possibly.
Wikipedia states that the licence fee of yesteryear is equivalent to £120 today .. meaning its hardly risen at all..

[lumis]

This licence fee is just crazy to me.. I went to wikipedia and dug for further information..

Licence fee enforcement

Despite the prevalence of 'detector vans' in TV licensing advertising and literature, the main method of detecting evaders is by a database system known as 'LASSY', which contains a list of all addresses in the UK. Letters and agents from Capita, referred to as 'enforcement officers' or 'enquiry officers', are sent to any address that is listed in the database as not having a TV licence.

Capita agents have an automatic implied right of access to knock on your door (like any member of the public). You are not obliged to inform TV licensing or any of its agents as to whether you require a licence. If an agent has reason to believe that a television receiver is being used to receive broadcasts without a licence, he may apply to a magistrate for a search warrant.

The law allows a fine of up to £1,000 be imposed on those successfully prosecuted. This figure is used in TV Licensing advertising campaigns to maximise the impact. In reality, the fine is usually slighty more than the cost of a licence. In 2001 the average fine including costs was £140.83. However, in addition to the fine, the guilty party still has to purchase a licence at the usual cost.

Capita's approach of paying its officers commission for catching evaders has caused problems in recent years. In 2005, a TV licensing officer was found guilty of forging the confessions of four people to obtain commission payments.

BBC figures indicate that the evasion level in the UK is estimated at a record low of 4.7%.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_licensing_in_the_United_Kingdom#Licence_fee_enforcement

[mh2360]

There is talk of a head mounted mini-satellite dish to receive Broadcasts on the move, tho this is unproven technology as yet

They are beta testing as we speak...

[lumis]

WOOOOOOW

DETECTOR VANS!!

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/information/tvdetectorvans.jsp

Insanity.. So what if you had a TV card in your computer?

Or what if you disguised a Playstation 2 or something as a receiver?

I'm sorry, this TV licence fee is just whacky.. :P

[lumis]

There is talk of a head mounted mini-satellite dish to receive Broadcasts on the move, tho this is unproven technology as yet

I've heard of something like this before. I know it works with satellite radio here in the United States (Sirius, XM), and I remember there being a discussion of them broadcasting television as well.

[DereX888]

So... is BBC in UK free of commercials since you guys pay insane $250/yr for it? Because if it isn't, perhaps its time for some Civic Actions (google "tea party boston" to see how its done )
I know BBC America is overloaded with crap, ads etc...

[RabidDog]

Yes in Uk we have strange system on BBC.. a one hour program is 60 mins long .. with no ad breaks

Coffin dogers get free licence
BLIND people get a 50% discount (it accounts for radio and web too)
NB that hat shown earlier is NOT the BBC mobile prototype .. its the CIA thought uploader .. youd be surprised at how many people get this wrong.. sheesh

[mh2360]

So... is BBC in UK free of commercials since you guys pay insane $250/yr for it? Because if it isn't, perhaps its time for some Civic Actions (google "tea party boston" to see how its done )
I know BBC America is overloaded with crap, ads etc...

Maybe most UK viewers prefer a 24 hour news service that actually IS "fair and balanced"

[Conquest10]

Yes in Uk we have strange system on BBC.. a one hour program is 60 mins long .. with no ad breaks

So it sounds a lot like HBO. We pay about $240 a year for it. Minimum commercials (only in between movies, programs, and events and they are only for upcoming shows, movies, and events on the channel). I don't see what you people are complaining about.

[victoriabears]

The BBC is a sacred cow, now living in Canada, the TV on offer is the biggest bastardisation I have ever seen, its an insult to program makers and film makers alike.

I would like to see the BBC rule the whole world and also that Margaret Thatcher should have been cloned.

[ntscuser]

WOOOOOOW

DETECTOR VANS!!

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/information/tvdetectorvans.jsp

Insanity.. So what if you had a TV card in your computer?

Or what if you disguised a Playstation 2 or something as a receiver?

I'm sorry, this TV licence fee is just whacky.. :P

When I purchased a TV card I was required to supply details of my home address for TV licensing purposes.

[KBeee]

Yes, a PC TV card also requires a license.

[DereX888]

What if someone has TV (or many) at home, but don't use the "free" programming from BBC?
Say a clubhouse, with 100s of TVs, all playing videos from DVDs etc 24/7 - no "tv programming" ever. Do you get exemption from licence?

I don't watch any TV news for ages, I can pinpoint exact dates of my last two tv news watching: attack on iraq and 9/11 before that... thats *twice* in past 6 years lol

[ntscuser]

What if someone has TV (or many) at home, but don't use the "free" programming from BBC?
Say a clubhouse, with 100s of TVs, all playing videos from DVDs etc 24/7 - no "tv programming" ever. Do you get exemption from licence?

In theory, yes. You can write to the TV licensing office and explain that the monitors are only used for viewing video material but they will send a man around to examine the equipment and check that the "receiver" part of the TV has been disabled.

There is also an exemption for TV showrooms who don't require a license of any kind for public demonstrations

[DereX888]

With all due respect to all Brits, Queen and HM Government... IMHO it is just plain silly.
People should NOT be forced to obtain any "licence" for electronic gadgets (unless it interferes with i.e. military or other vital equipment, like transmitters etc).
I fail to see "tv licence" in any other way than as example of hidden tax, government bullying the citizens and extorting the money.

[ntscuser]

I fail to see "tv licence" in any other way than as example of hidden tax, government bullying the citizens and extorting the money.

As opposed to giant corporations extorting the money by inflating the price of goods and services in order to cover the cost of advertising them on TV?

Personally, I would rather pay 130 pounds to the BBC each year than 1,000 pounds extra on the price of my groceries and other essentials. That is how much commercial television charges to provide exactly the same amount of programming.

[lumis]

In theory, yes. You can write to the TV licensing office and explain that the monitors are only used for viewing video material but they will send a man around to examine the equipment and check that the "receiver" part of the TV has been disabled.

How do you disable the receiver part of the television? I've never heard of such a thing. On my television the only way to 'disable' it is to just not have anything connected to the coaxial input, which would facilitate an OTA antenna or analog cable service.

I do have one more question, the commercials on the BBC that you pay for, are they offering non-related services and goods from other companies or are they for BBC related programming only?