overspill

dickieh

would i legally need to buy a licence from rte to watch saoirview in parts of northan ireland that get reception

Digifriendly

dickieh wrote: »

would i legally need to buy a licence from rte to watch saoirview in parts of northan ireland that get reception

Not at all. It is estimated that c70% of viewers in NI can pick up Saorview transmissions and I'm pretty sure not one is paying RTE. It works the other way round as those near the border and along east coast of ROI can pick up UK transmitters and receive BBC, ITV etc.

dickieh

so if i had a massive aerial and told the tv licence inspector that i was capable of picking up rte just like those with overspill how do you favour my chances ?

dickieh

I have paid rte my licence fee encase this might be seen as avoiding licence fees. HAHA

Peter Rhea

dickieh wrote: »

so if i had a massive aerial and told the tv licence inspector that i was capable of picking up rte just like those with overspill how do you favour my chances ?

Why would a UK TV licence inspector care if you were paying an Irish TV licence?

dxhound2005

Peter Rhea wrote: »

Why would a UK TV licence inspector care if you were paying an Irish TV licence?

I think I might have deciphered what he is saying. He cannot get reception of RTE via the aerial he has, in Galway I believe. So he thought that this might provide a legal loophole to avoid paying the licence. He compares his position with those in NI who get "overspill" reception of RTE. Ignoring the fact that RTE is provided to a lot of NI by transmitters located in NI.

dickieh

Peter Rhea wrote: »

Why would a UK TV licence inspector care if you were paying an Irish TV licence?

Didn't mention UK broadcasting !saorview is what I was talking about. And yes if I need not purchase a Rte licence to reacieve rte in the north of Ireland as overspill then when inspector came to me here in Ireland I could argue I was only receiving reception like those with overspill.
Silly I know but I do have a point when it comes to why we pay the licence after all ? And even if like many who do get UK free to air in ireland the BBC isn't leagal like BBC I player you need a UK Postcode to view it .
What I mean is why when some people becauseof location get free broadcasting from which others have to pay for can I not use this as means not to pay a licence fee ?
Hope this makes sense?

The Cush

dickieh wrote: »

What I mean is why when some people becauseof location get free broadcasting from which others have to pay for can I not use this as means not to pay a licence fee ?
Hope this makes sense?

I have difficulty understanding what you mean but I'll take a stab in the dark here.

If you live in Ireland you are required by law to pay the TV Licence fee if you possess a TV no matter which TV service you use Saorview, Sky, UPC, overspill etc. Likewise in the UK you are required to purchase a TV Licence if you own a TV no matter which service you use etc. etc. The TV Licence is simply a state tax for the ownership of a TV no matter where get your TV signal from.

Overspill reception is simply luck of geography and the physics of RF transmission, basically signals don't stop at borders on a map. An EU Directive allows for the unhindered reception of overspill signals. You are still required to pay a TV Licence fee in the country which you reside.

dickieh

Great answer that sums it all up !

dickieh

Its not what we receive we pay for but what we might have to receive it with, I suppose?

The Cush

dickieh wrote: »

Its not what we receive we pay for but what we might have to receive it with, I suppose?

Yes. Broadcasting Act 2009, Part 9

142.— (1) Subject to the exceptions mentioned in subsection (3), a person shall not keep or have in his or her possession anywhere in the territory of the State a television set save in so far as such keeping or possession is authorised by a television licence for the time being in force

winston_1

The Cush wrote: »

If you live in Ireland you are required by law to pay the TV Licence fee if you possess a TV no matter which TV service you use Saorview, Sky, UPC, overspill etc. Likewise in the UK you are required to purchase a TV Licence if you own a TV no matter which service you use etc. etc.

I cannot comment about Ireland, but in the UK you do not need a licence to own a TV. You need a licence to view or record programmes as they are being broadcast whether you use a TV, computer, tablet or phone. If you use one of the above to watch iplayer, etc as a catchup service; watch DVDs etc no licence is required.

watty

Many countries have a TV licence (= tax on ability to receive TV). The rules of the country you live in is what count. The actual "rules" vary. But in general it doesn't usually matter WHERE the TV signal comes from (i.e. Sky/Freesat is satellite over Equator south of central Europe) or WHICH channels you watch (i.e. if you only watch Fox News).

In the past the UK differed more than Ireland. Here because TV watching and Licence (just though nearly brought in in 1950s) predated RTE TV (31st Dec 1961) it has never mattered what if anything you watch. Some time ago in UK if you only had satellite dish pointed at a satellite with no UK stations you didn't have to pay UK TV licence. Only speaking Polish or something would have likely helped. Anyway, AFAIK, now it doesn't matter what you watch in UK.

In the UK they still have B&W licence but if your set box is a PVR (recorder) or you have a VHS, even if you only have a B&W TV you need a Colour licence as the recording is colour!

There used to be a Radio licence here and UK, and even once a separate licence was needed for a Car Radio so makers made Cradles and radios that converted to portables.

Australia was the most bizarre as at one time you needed a licence for each station you wanted to listen to on radio!