We live in France and pay a monthly subscription fee to watch Netflix. It is a massive growing high quality tv programme provider and our subscription follows us worldwide. We would happily pay a similar fee to watch Bbc iplayer on the same basis. I cannot see what the issues would be if that were to be offered.
Alan… I cannot agree with your argument…
The UK TV Licence is not “unfair”… it does what it says. The fact that you would like it to do more…does not make it unfair.
1 Like
Really? Which provider is that? Sounds unusual?
Unless it’s 3, which there is another thread about.
I believe it’s unfair to me and others in a similar situation, that’s why I’m pushing for review. Not that I watch much telly anyway and haven’t missed whilst in France. As I get older and possibly less mobile then I’d like the choice.
Yes it’s 3 Anna, and it fulfils my needs very well. I have PAYG and get decent reception around the areas I frequent.
But as discussed in this thread Beware 3 Mobile - #14 by DianaP - even the 3 Feel at Home offer, generous as it is, doesn’t give unlimited free usage abroad with no strings attached, which is what you’re suggesting the BBC should do.
I don’t have an axe to grind as I didn’t do TV in the UK and I don’t do TV in France either. But I can see certain practical problems, for instance how on earth can the BBC check whether users of their services in France have a UK TV licence or not? And if there is no way of checking,would it not be wide open to abuse? If there are going to be licences and rules, then I think those rules have to be enforceable, even if that means they are restrictive.
Seems to me like someone looking for an axe to grind…bit bonkers to expect that paying for something in one country should entitle you to the same service / product in another. It’s a bit like club membership - being a member of one doesn’t give you access to all…
In any case, you can watch BBC TV for free, anywhere you have internet access. Or have I missed something…? 
The BBC buys programmes from various sources, and pays for the right to broadcast them within the UK only. This is the problem. The BBC cannot be seen to be allowing us to view in France, whether we have a UK licence or not, because viewing from France breaches the conditions of their purchase. To change this would involve modifying the rights to programmes they bought years ago and need to repeat many times to cover the cost involved. It is just as bad if you want to watch the latest episode of Big Bang Theory or Bones when it is broadcast in the USA, or a film released in the States weeks or months before it appears in cinemas in the UK.
Personally I loathe the BBC, it makes far too many junk programmes aimed at adolescents who don’t pay the license fee and hardly anything for anyone with any intelligence (and repeats ad nauseam the few which were worth watching once or twice). I resent the BBC tax, particularly as I am in the UK far fewer weeks than I am there. I can’t condemn those who in desperation use VPNs to view iPlayer (if they have the patience to tolerate the stops, starts and buffering) or download from pirate URLs. I also pay for a French licence despite watching hardly any French TV.
The fact that you can watch any BBC programme you like via a Sky dish anywhere in France shows that the BBC are happy to leave Sky to Police the airwaves, a ridiculous double standard which I am happy to exploit. However, I don’t think your petition will get anywhere, Chris, for the reasons I set out above.
Now, a European TV licence allowing all European broadcasts to be received anywhere in Europe would make sense, but with Brexit looming I guess the BBC wouldn’t be involved…
Well maybe you are missing all the bits in the T&C that say things like
“members who may only access the website from the area from within which the broadcast was intended to be viewed and strictly subject to the Terms and Conditions set out within”
"It is the member’s sole responsibility to establish whether the use they put to the service provided require authorization or registration with any third party, whether any fees or licences for the receipt of TV programs or other broadcasting formats apply "
“User undertakes only to use the Services in the country in which he or she Resides and in the area in which the broadcast was intended to be viewed.”
etc
but I don’t think they expect anyone to bother too much about any of that - as you say, people CAN, so they DO, whether they MAY or not, doesn’t really come into it.
There are plenty of BBC programmes around. I watched Ripper Street on French TNT Chanel 23 only a couple of days ago and that was made by the BBC. If these programmes were easily available without regulation companies would soon stop producing them as their income would disappear.
David…
Our daughter watches TV in UK makes suggestions (she knows what will appeal to us) and we buy the DVD’s… Ripper Street was amazing…glad to see there is a 2016 series for us to look forward to. 
Well here’s the nonsense of it all (but probably only as I see it):- I don’t have a Sky dish, an aerial or any external form of receiver in France… Nothing. So I don’t receive programmes (although I do have a laptop (on which I run two websites)…plus an ipad and iphone. I spend around 3 months each year (in bite sized pieces) away from my receiver.aerial in the UK where I dutifully pay the licence fee. I always have - always will and never begrudge paying the fee - however crap the BBC may be deemed to be. I record programmes - across the channel choices on a Humax recording box which can hold 1,200 hours of programmes (heaven forbid I should ever get near filling it up). I also download programmes to my ipad which I may choose to watch on the ferry, in our camper en route to everywhere - or whilst at our house in France. So, everything I watch is either collected or stored whilst I am in the UK. I bring with me on trip to France a TV from the UK and maybe, but not always I watch programming I have imported either on an ipad or TV monitor (for that is all it is when not connected to an aerial. I might also watch the occasional DVD (sometimes bought in France). In my opinion It is the system that is in error… confused if you like, by the plethora of viewing options. It seems entirely reasonable to be taxed when you are receiving programmes via and connected to an aerial or dish in the country you are in…however briefly. But when ‘technology creep’ keeps adding viewing options, possibilities, whether by hardware innovations or additional software solutions to previously unrealised problems… then I will be watching.
If I were to switch permanently to live full time in France and then maybe have a Sky dish then I would, of course declare that I a receiver of programmes on French territory and pay extra for the service. I think it’s the law and the changing technology that makes an ass of it - and not me! (Ouch! I’m not often so bold).
Like it or not you’re breaking the law. End of.
Chris…
watch out that you don’t become liable to French TV Licence fee in your property here in France.
Oh, I’ve just reread your post… you do realize what you are doing.
Good luck.
Why is he breaking the law? Pays UK TV licence, no receiver in france.
The television he brings over is enough. You cannot even watch DVDs on a TV without a licence.
Even seemingly ridiculous (and slow to change) laws have to be obeyed to avoid confrontation and penalty… So, “it’s a fair cop guv!” I WILL tick the appropriate box on the form and pay my dues in France - a well as continuing to pay the great value UK TV licence. But I will also leave the petition stumbling along and maybe, if it reaches it’s take off point with change.org you will perhaps see it again.
One thing is sure in the year to come: The BBC’s security will tighten on its i-player product to close the loophole of phone, laptop and tablet users who do not (and the numbers are increasing alarmingly) have a fixed aerial/dish receiver (or therefore licenece) and their continued use will only happen with subscription. “Mum… I just saw a TV detector van up the street”… “Quick dad get that telly under the stairs!”
Good decision Chris…
It’s best to live a relaxed lifestyle… to pay-up and stay legal in all things.
Please could I have a link to the petition. Thanks. Susie.
Here you go Susie… I’m fairly sure this will pick up speed and credibility when we reach the initial target of 100 signatures…