Are Chorus breaking the law???

PacMan

Are the wonderful people at Chorus breaking the law??

Over at my Friends house at the weekend, I noticed that his Chorus MMDS signal was showing the Sky Information Channel on Channel 4. This can only mean one thing. Chorus are relaying the Channel 4 signal from a Sky Digibox, and when the box was turned off or reset, it automatically tunes to Channel 999 which is the Sky Info Channel.
My point is this. If it is illegal to watch Channel 4 on Sky Digital here in the Republic how come Chorus are allowed to relay the signal using a UK registered card??

(Just to get a debate going as its a quiet day on the boards:D)

Our man in Havana

Chorus have been using sky digiboxes for years to relay BBC and C4.

The "no satellite signal is being received" caption was/is often visible on BBC1 NI using the MMDS box.

Leesider

On another subject, I have noticed (not many) some new MMDS aerials going up in Cork City, with this 'telephone-box' thingy attached to the pole. These people are receiving the Chorus Digital TV service, but as far as I know, the city is to licensed get digital via cable from Chorus, only areas outside the city were to get the MMDS antenna. Does anyone on the board know the legal situation?? And how come it's taking forever to get digital via cable. What the hell is going on with these fraudsters?

icdg

A few points here.

First of all it is not illegal to view Channel 4 on SkyDigital here in the Republic, in the sense that there is no Irish Act of the Oireachtas or Statutory Instrument declaring that it is so.

It might be illegal for Sky to transmit it here without obtaining the proper copyright clearences etc, but any prosecution would be against Sky, not the poor unfortunate viewer. That debates for the Digital Satellite forum though.

As to Chorus...whether or not they are acting illegally depends on the carrige deal they have with Channel 4 regarding the channel. If the deal specifically states they must relay an off-air terrestrial signal then they would be acting in breach. Personally, I don't think Channel 4 would be bothered enforcing that provision though, since it would be available anyway.

I must make the point here that as far as I can tell, it is illegal however for deflector operators to retransmit anything other than an off air signal though. This is a condition of their temporary licences AFAIK.

PacMan

Leesider, I too noticed what you said about the MMDS aerials being in cabled areas. I actually posted this in another thread.
The few people who are signing to Chorus in my cable area, are being given an MMDS aeriel, which is still anolague.
This is probally a decision taken by Chorus, in that it is cheaper to put up an MMDS aeriel than upgrading the cable. But the only "Must carry" irish Stations on MMDS are TV3 and Tg4. RTE1 and Network2 get left out.
So the household has to purchase an aeriel to view the RTE stations. However I assume that since Chorus have been adopting this method of installation here in Tipperary and in Cork (as Leesider has said), that Chorus are cutting back on its commitments to cable, and opting for the cheaper MMDS installation.
When I had Chorus MMDS, i noticed that Sky News and TV3 were "Off band" meaning I could tune them in on a dedicated television channel number. This had its advantages. Also many times the Sky Premier Movie Channel, The Racing Channel, and occasionally Sky Sports 1 and 2, would not be scrambled and this could be viewed also. The problem was the picture quality. Being Chorus, it was dreadful.

icdg

Originally posted by icdg
[BI must make the point here that as far as I can tell, it is illegal however for deflector operators to retransmit anything other than an off air signal though. This is a condition of their temporary licences AFAIK. [/B]

Checking with the ODTR website licences, I'm advised that deflectors may in fact source their channels from digital satellite if they please, once they have a carrige deal with the relevant channel. The same conditions apply to these licences as apply to cable and MMDS.

In reference to it not being illegal to watch ch4 on Sky digital in ROI.
Does the BBC card being a Sky digital card enabling conditional access to the UK EPG and viewing of the UK ftv channels not come with a contract?
I'm just wondering this as Ronan is planting the idea in my head now that theres no contract signed with the bbc card-I've never seen one.
I know in the terms and conditions of a Sky Subscription you are not allowed to bring your card/Box out of the jurisdiction.
If you do you are in breach of your contract and can be sued accordingly.
Phew all those sleepless nights.....worrying :paranoid: :nervous: :sleep:
mm

mirv

Rar, test.