MOBILE owners have spotted an “utterly ridiculous” rule that could technically see them slapped with a £1,000 fine.
People may not realise that you need a TV licence to watch live channels on your smartphone as well as your TV.
A TV licence – which currently costs £169.50 for the year – is needed for any live TV and use of BBC iPlayer.
But it turns out the rules go even further when watching TV away from home.
Your existing TV licence covers your smartphone anywhere – unless it’s plugged in at a different property in the UK, such as your mate’s house or on a UK holiday.
When it’s plugged in at another location, your smartphone will need to be covered by a separate TV licence for that property.
So if you’re at a friend’s place who doesn’t have a licence, charging your phone as you watch a live football match, you’re technically falling foul of the law.
And if you’re caught by an inspector knocking at the door the maximum fine is £1,000.
“As most know, you need a TV license to watch or record any live broadcast programs, or BBC iPlayer on demand, regardless of device or medium,” a user recently wrote on Reddit.
“Your TV license also covers you to watch this content if you are away from home on a portable device.
“Here’s the kicker – if you visit someone’s house who doesn’t pay for a TV License, you are allowed to watch live telly on your phone.
“However, if you then plug your phone into a charger, you will be breaking the law.
“How utterly ridiculous! And how would they even know?”
The strange clause demonstrates issues for the TV licence in the digital age, amid a boom in online live streaming with the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime showing more big events.
Prime has already taken on a number of live Premier League games.
And Netflix is taking over WWE next year which will include live fights too.
According to the TV Licensing website, “if you’re using a mobile device powered solely by its own internal batteries – like a smartphone, tablet or laptop – you will be covered by your home’s TV Licence, wherever you’re using it in the UK and Channel Islands.
“However, if you’re away from home and plug one of these devices into the mains and use it to watch live on any channel, pay TV service or streaming service, or use BBC iPlayer, you need to be covered by a separate TV Licence at that address (unless you’re in a vehicle or vessel like a train, car or boat).”
Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun, explains:
A TV Licence currently costs £169.50.
Some people mistakenly believe that you only need a TV Licence if you have a TV or watch BBC channels.
You aren’t breaking the law if you own a TV without a licence, as long as it’s not hooked up to an aerial or other live broadcasting equipment – so you can use it with your PS5 for gaming for example.
The basic principle is, that if you are accessing any live broadcast from any channel, whether it be through a TV or online, you must have a TV Licence.
If you are recording a live broadcast to watch later, you also need a TV Licence.
Watching on-demand content does not require a TV Licence – except if you’re watching BBC iPlayer.
Image credit: Alamy
