UPC suing "Box" supplier

paulm17781

I just spotted this on enn.ie ouch!

"The same paper reports that a man is being sued by four companies for allegedly costing them up to EUR9.2 million by selling equipment enabling others to access cable TV services for free. On Monday Justice Peter Kelly granted applications by UPC Ireland and three Swiss-registered companies -- Nagravision, Nagracard and Kudelski, all of which provide services which control access to digital TV and broadband internet -- to transfer their proceedings against Thomas Roddy of Salthill to the Commercial Court. Roddy's counsel said the defence was denying all the claims and asked for time to take instructions from his client as to how matters should proceed."

mike65

This the Superbox (I think its called)?

Mike

Mossy Monk

LOL tbh. Only a matter of time.

SteM

Why don't they go after the users too?

tw0nk

no cos its not illegal to buy the box, only if you modify box with diff firmware afterwards to use illegally

MisterAnarchy

€9.2m ,wow he must have sold thousands of boxes.
UPC are a much more professional outfit than the Chorus/Ntl cowboys,they mean business.

paulm17781

tw0nk wrote: »

no cos its not illegal to buy the box, only if you modify box with diff firmware afterwards to use illegally

It's not illegal to buy but is illegal to use AFAIK.

rubadub

SteM wrote: »

Why don't they go after the users too?

Because the majority of them are paying the basic sub fee. UPC could well have an interest in having a hackable system as I explain here

I wonder if sky will get any money if he is fined, after all sky are probably the big losers here, while UPC could well be up money as I explained before.

Also I doubt the taxpayers would like to see money spent on issuing warrants and flooding the courts and possibly prisons with "service thieves"

The Cush

From today's Indo "TV firms sue man for €9.2m over 'no fee' cable"

By Tim Healy

Tuesday November 04 2008

A MAN is being sued by four subscription cable TV companies for allegedly costing them up to €9.2m by selling equipment enabling free access to their services.

Thomas Roddy, with addresses at Lower Salthill, Galway, and Crenane Bridge, Ballaghderreen, Co Roscommon, is facing actions by UPC Communications Ireland Ltd, East Point Business Park, Dublin 3, and three Swiss registered companies -- Nagravision SA, Nagracard SA and Kudelski SA -- which all provide services controlling access to digital TV and broadband internet.

Mr Roddy claims to be a student teacher suffering from depressive episodes.

But, just after he had signed himself in for holistic therapy, it was discovered that €200,000 was being "squirrelled away" from at least 15 bank accounts in his name, Mr Justice Peter Kelly was told yesterday by counsel for the companies. The judge granted applications by the companies to transfer their proceedings against Mr Roddy to the Commercial Court.

Counsel for the companies said his clients believed their loss of opportunity due to Mr Roddy's activities amounted to some €9.2m. It had never been suggested Mr Roddy had a substantial defence to the case, counsel added.

Counsel for Mr Roddy said the defence were denying all the claims "as it stands", and he asked for time to take instructions from his client as to how matters should move from here. There was an issue concerning Mr Roddy's psychiatric condition, he added.

Judge Kelly adjourned the proceedings for a week to allow instructions be taken from Mr Roddy.

It is claimed Mr Roddy was involved in providing services -- hardware, software and websites -- which assisted others to receive cable and MMDS services without paying subscriptions.

Importing

Such "protection-defeating services" included the alleged importing, marketing, selling and distribution of set-top boxes (STBs) with a particular software enabling persons to gain unauthorised access to a range of digital cable and MMDS subscription services.

The companies last June secured a court order to search and seize goods from a premises used by Mr Roddy at Ballymount Cross Industrial Estate, Dublin, but claimed their agents were frustrated from carrying out that order as Mr Roddy allegedly refused to co-operate.

- Tim Healy

MisterAnarchy

rubadub wrote: »

I wonder if sky will get any money if he is fined, after all sky are probably the big losers here, while UPC could well be up money as I explained before.

Sky made nearly a billion pounds profit last year .Nearly 20% of total revenue.
That is a huge percentage compared to other operators.
I wouldnt shed many tears for them to be honest.

paulm17781

rubadub wrote: »

Because the majority of them are paying the basic sub fee. UPC could well have an interest in having a hackable system as I explain here

I wonder if sky will get any money if he is fined, after all sky are probably the big losers here, while UPC could well be up money as I explained before.

Also I doubt the taxpayers would like to see money spent on issuing warrants and flooding the courts and possibly prisons with "service thieves"

Just because you have a theory it doesn't make it correct. There is no basis (other than your theory) that UPC are ok with people using the boxes.

rubadub

paulm17781 wrote: »

Just because you have a theory it doesn't make it correct.

Of course it makes it correct :rolleyes:

MisterAnarchy

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Sky made nearly a billion pounds profit last year .Nearly 20% of total revenue.
That is a huge percentage compared to other operators.
I wouldnt shed many tears for them to be honest.

Sky deserve it cause they put the effort into using a decent encryption (NDS) Currently unhacked, and dosent look like it will.

Not nagravison which has been hacked for at least 5 years +.


the amount of starviews ect in ireland is vast, there mass produced in china for next nothing.


Last week i seen a man of about 70 years, walking trough the IFSC with "the Box" under his arm. lol

MisterAnarchy

cisk wrote: »

Sky deserve it cause they put the effort into using a decent encryption (NDS) Currently unhacked, and dosent look like it will.

Not nagravison which has been hacked for at least 5 years +.

True enough.Using Nagra 1 encryption in this day and age is ridiculous.
However NDS/Sky are an utterly ruthless organisation who have been suspected for a long time of hacking rivals encryption to try and bankrupt them.
Their business practices are very suspect to say the least.
Also 20% return on revenue is too high when compared to other global operators,they are abusing their position .

cisk wrote: »

the amount of starviews ect in ireland is vast, there mass produced in china for next nothing.

Well alot of these will soon become doorstoppers as they are unlikely to be able to support Nagra 2 using the Rom 110 version UPC have in store.
They have been using that type of encryption in Holland for a few years and I dont think it has been comprimised yet.
About time they took action here.

barneyeile

Matt Cooper was talking about this on his radio show today at around 6:20pm.

pa990

The fact that they are pursuing prosecutions rather than upgrading their encryption techniques proves to me that they will not be upgrading to N2 anytime soon.

If they wanted to knock out pirate connections they would either use the costly route of physical disconnection or implementing a secure encryption.

thus, the sheer fact that they are spending time chasing these pirates, and in doing so, making people aware that there are systems that can circumvented their encryption, thus tempting these subscribers to take the darker path


(BTW, i use sky)

MisterAnarchy

barneyeile wrote: »

Matt Cooper was talking about this on his radio show today at around 6:20pm.

Cooper is really acting as the Devils Advocate on this.
He is essentially plugging them.
Thats about the 3rd time he has plugged them.

lensman

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

€9.2m ,wow he must have sold thousands of boxes.
UPC are a much more professional outfit than the Chorus/Ntl cowboys,they mean business.

the gobsh*t lost the run of himself, he had a bloody website Ireland******* or something like that,..it did'nt take a lot of brains to nail him. UPC need to deal with their own installers selling chipped stb's & cloned cards.

MisterAnarchy

lensman wrote: »

the gobsh*t lost the run of himself, he had a bloody website Ireland******* or something like that,..it did'nt take a lot of brains to nail him.

Greed is good.:D

barneyeile

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Cooper is really acting as the Devils Advocate on this.
He is essentially plugging them.
Thats about the 3rd time he has plugged them.

You are right! It's about the third or fourth time I have heard him discussing the UPC illegal box problem this year. He really seems to have it in for UPC!

paulm17781

barneyeile wrote: »

You are right! It's about the third or fourth time I have heard him discussing the UPC illegal box problem this year. He really seems to have it in for UPC!

That's kind of the the problem. I've spoken to a couple of people using "the box" and they nearly always say. I'm not giving those ***** money. Their negative public image seems to be a part of their problem.

JDxtra

UPC, in a weird way, are probably actually making some money on the illegal boxes. As the subscriber needs to stay on the basic package the €30/month in your pocket is better than losing the customer to Sky/FTA...

I'd say that the premium content operators (mainly Sky) are putting pressure on them to nail the problem as they would be losing out the most on revenue.

paulm17781

They are settling and the guy is paying a six figure sum

http://siliconrepublic.com/news/article/11881/business/digital-tv-pirates-to-pay-six-figure-sum-to-upc

The Cush

From Tuesday's Irish Times

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Supplier of equipment to access free MMDS television settles legal action
MARY CAROLAN

A LEGAL action in which a man was alleged to have cost four international companies up to €9.2 million in lost opportunity by selling satellite equipment here which enabled others to access subscription TV services for free, has been settled.

As part of the settlement, Thomas Roddy must pay €102,470 to one of the four companies. He has also agreed to instruct solicitors to sell lands owned by him at Rooskey, Co Roscommon.

Mr Roddy also consented to several perpetual injunctions against him, including orders restraining him from breaching the copyright or trademarks of the plaintiffs, and to co-operate with the companies' investigation into TV piracy.

The companies have agreed the settlement is a full and final settlement of their claims against Roddy and have also undertaken not to make a complaint to the Garda about his alleged activities.

The settlement was announced at the Commercial Court yesterday by Michael McDowell SC, for the plaintiffs, and was received and filed by Mr Justice Peter Kelly.

The action was brought by UPC Communications Ireland Ltd, East Point Business Park, Dublin, and three Swiss-registered companies - Nagravision SA, Nagracard SA and Kudelski SA.

They all provide services controlling access to digital TV and broadband internet.

Roddy, with addresses at Lower Salthill, Galway, and Crenane Bridge, Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon, had denied the claims.

The plaintiffs had claimed Roddy was involved in providing hardware, software and websites which assisted others to receive cable and multichannel multipoint distribution services (MMDS) without paying subscriptions.

Such "protection-defeating services" included the alleged importing, marketing, selling and distribution of illicit set-top boxes (STBs) with a particular software.

A private investigator for the companies said he contacted Roddy via a www.ireland*******.com website, arranged to meet him at Ballymolin Cross industrial estate in Dublin on October 13th, 2007, and bought a box labelled as a ******* Max V Digital Satellite receiver for €225 cash.

The investigator said Mr Roddy later offered in November 2007 to sell him eight boxes at €155 each and to show how to programme them.

He said he was satisfied Roddy was selling illegal set-top boxes and related apparatus from premises in Dublin and Galway.

The companies last June secured a court order to search and seize goods from premises used by Roddy in Dublin, but claimed Roddy refused to co-operate and left the premises by car.

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times

and the Hearld

Satellite TV firms win payout over 'free' service
By Tim Healy
Tuesday December 02 2008

A LEGAL action by TV subscription companies against a man who allegedly sold equipment providing free TV access has been settled.

Four international companies claimed the man's activities had cost them up to €9.2m.

As part of the settlement, Thomas Roddy must pay some €102,470 to one of the four companies and has also agreed to instruct solicitors to sell lands owned by him at Rooskey, Roscommon.

He also consented to several perpetual injunctions against him, including orders restraining him from breaching the copyright or trademarks of the plaintiffs, and to co-operate with the companies' investigation into TV piracy.

The action was brought by UPC Communications Ireland Ltd, East Point Business Park, Dublin 3, and three Swiss registered companies -- Nagravision SA, Nagracard SA and Kudelski SA, all providing services controlling access to digital TV and broadband.

The companies have agreed the settlement is a full and final settlement of their claims against Mr Roddy and have also undertaken not to make a complaint to the garda about his alleged activities.

The settlement was announced at the Commercial Court yesterday by Michael McDowell, for the plaintiffs, and was received and filed by Mr Justice Peter Kelly.


Unscrambling

Mr Roddy, with addresses at Lower Salthill, Galway, and Crenane Bridge, Ballaghderreen, Co Roscommon, had denied the claims.

In a statement after the settlement, Robert Dunn, chief executive of UPC Ireland, said TV piracy "may appear to be a victimless offence but in reality it can cause substantial damage to legitimate Irish enterprises''.

In a statement, Mr Roddy, said he had operated a business selling satellite receivers and never advertised those receivers as being capable of unscrambling NTL's premium channels.

"If people asked me for software, I gave it to them,'' he said.

He said he did not write the software as it remained freely available on the internet. He could not believe the plaintiffs thought he was "the mastermind" behind this operation and felt the companies had sought to make an example of him.

- Tim Healy

and a warning to those who purchaced one of the decoders (from the Irish Times)

Illegal viewers advised to contact UPC
OLIVIA KELLY

Tue, Dec 02, 2008

BUYERS OF illegal digital television decoding devices, which allow free access to subscription television services, could face legal action following the settlement of court proceedings.The settlement by UPC Ireland, and Nagravision SA with Thomas Roddy involved Mr Roddy handing over details of his distribution network in Ireland and his supply network outside Ireland.

A spokeswoman for UPC said it has already been given a list of more than 100 people who installed or received illegal digital boxes from Mr Roddy.

The settlement follows a two-year investigation, Operation Gaelic. UPC said this revealed an extensive distribution network involving the sale of illegal digital boxes and distribution of software that gives access to digital TV subscription channels for free.

UPC Ireland chief executive Robert Dunn said the public should be aware that the company took the use of illegal digital decoders very seriously. "This may appear to be a victimless offence but, in reality, this causes substantial damage to legitimate Irish enterprises - which has an impact on people's livelihoods."

The company was now considering what action to take against Mr Roddy's customers.

"Some consumers using these boxes on our network may be unaware that this is a civil wrong and criminal offence under Irish law.

"This investigation has also disclosed detailed intelligence of Roddy's Irish distribution chain and individuals that purchased from this source. UPC is . . . considering next steps as part of its ongoing anti-piracy investigations."

People who believe they may be using an illegal service can contact UPC to be told how to correct the error to avoid legal consequences at 1800-941999 or fraudteam@ upc.ie.

Mr Roddy said he was happy the case had been settled.

He said he had operated a VAT- and tax-compliant business.

"The business I operated sold satellite receivers. I never advertised these receivers as being capable of unscrambling NTL's premium channels. If people asked me for software I gave it to them. I did not write this software."

© 2008 The Irish Times

and the message now on Thomas Roddy's website

STATEMENT OF THOMAS RODDY
RELEASED AFTER SETTLEMENT BETWEEN HIM AND UPC 30/11/08

I am very happy that this case has finally been settled. Throughout the proceedings there were a number of media reports speculating on the case and my personal life that I feel did not correctly reflect the facts. I would like to take this opportunity to clarify these details.

At all times I operated a VAT compliant business paying VAT and Income Tax on my earnings. Of the money I was accused of ‘squirrelling’ away last summer the majority was paid to cover legitimate expenses including taxes to the Revenue Commissioners and Legal fees for the defence of my case. These fees were paid up front due to the complexity and nature of the proceedings.

The business I operated sold satellite receivers. I never advertised these receivers as being capable of unscrambling NTL's premium channels. If people asked me for software I gave it to them. I did not write this software and it was, and still is, freely available on the internet.

I also feel that my medical condition was not portrayed correctly in the media when I was unable to attend court last June. I occasionally partake in holotropic psychotherapy which has been instrumental in helping me overcome depression which I suffered from in the past.
The session that prevented me from attending court had been booked some months previously and due to the stressful weeks before the court date I felt that I had no choice but to attend it for the sake of my health.

I was pursued by four international companies using a high powered legal team with Michael Mc Dowell, former Minister for Justice, as Senior Counsel. I felt totally overwhelmed at times and could not believe that the Plaintiffs thought I was some kind of satellite decoding mastermind. I was a small time businessman, drove (and still drive) a 00 registered Ford Escort van, with limited income and made nowhere near the millions of euro profit that was claimed in damages by the Plaintiffs. The proceedings obviously cost a considerable amount of money and was a little like using a sledge hammer to open an egg.
This case has been a distraction to me in my studies. I would like to thank my legal advisors, Carley and Connellan Solicitors, and I now wish to put the whole thing behind me and move on with my life.

Thank You,
Thomas Roddy.

paulm17781

Should Mr. Roddy not have checked his facts first? If he was selling DVB-C decoders then he was breaking the law, plain and simple. If he didn't know this, he should have has business audited.

lensman

ahh the poor aul devil,....perhaps UPC can now divert more resources to their customer services team :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Whats the chance of them putting that 6 figure sum into there call centers?

GerardKeating

paulm17781 wrote: »

Should Mr. Roddy not have checked his facts first? If he was selling DVB-C decoders then he was breaking the law, plain and simple. If he didn't know this, he should have has business audited.

No, selling DVB-C decoders is legal, some Sony TV's even come with them.

The illegal act is using them to access PAY-TV...

Its the EMUs which emulate the ROM.BINs in calculating the keys, which is the illegal part.


And they can be written into every Linux box and even closed source boxes like Starviews and €urovoxs .

watty

However he new what he was doing, Satellite receivers don't work at all on MMDS or cable of any sort no matter what software.

Selling DVB-c box isn't illegal.

Helping people to steal Pay Tv is illegal.
Pretending you are selling Satellite boxes when you are selling DVB-t and DVB-C boxes than can only be of use to steal a service is dishonest.

As part of the settlement, Thomas Roddy must pay some €102,470 to one of the four companies and has also agreed to instruct solicitors to sell lands owned by him at Rooskey, Roscommon.

That suggests he *IS* found to be in the wrong.

lensman

here's a good laugh:pac: below, are Amazon are too big to take on
[link removed]
for those who don't know it's a card sharing satbox,

icdg

That STB seems to have been removed from sale by either Amazon or the supplier. Regardless, for safety's sake I have removed the link as it is a breach of the Charter.