The Retirement Thread

[SpokeyDokey]

Our business landline works via a VOIP app on my iPhone, this is cheaper than having a physical phone with copper wires plus I can answer it and make calls anywhere.

Same.

We have a VOIP App that works with our B4RN router.

Our phones auto-switch from 4G (no 5G yet) to the router which gives a seamless indoor/outdoor experience.

This was a rarity a while back. Do all phones/network providers have this facility these days?

 

[Gunk]

Same.

We have a VOIP App that works with our B4RN router.

Our phones auto-switch from 4G (no 5G yet) to the router which gives a seamless indoor/outdoor experience.

This was a rarity a while back. Do all phones/network providers have this facility these days?

Vodafone does but not with every contract

 

[Gunk]

Landlines will soon all be digital and require to be plugged into your router rather than the socket anyway if they get their way. Also means if you lose power, you lose your phone which doesn’t seem ideal. That big storm we had a few years ago our power went off plus the mobile mast went down so absolutely no way of making an emergency call I don’t think.

We still also have a home landline (why? I don’t really know) but it’s with Virgin so plugged into the router, you’re right if the internet fails or the power goes down you’re basically stuffed trying to make an emergency call.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Vodafone does but not with every contract

Ah, that explains it. We use Vodafone. Thanks.

 

[rustybolts]

Jumping in: we have had zero hassle in the year we have not had a TV licence.

If they ever rock-up on our doorstep they will get very short shrift from us.

Not heard the include in Council Tax proposal, tbh.

Hard to know what to believe at times. Maybe similar to the proposal to stop pensioners 'free' NHS prescriptions being back on the table due to our economic woes.

If you don't pay TV licence in Ireland you can be brought to court and pay a hefty fine. There are detection vans going around to check , 9830 people brought to court in 2023

 

[SpokeyDokey]

It worries me a bit about the elderly that might not have broadband or be up to adapting to mobile use.

AFAIK the providers have to something that I think is called a resilience process or system in place and provide battery backup for digital phones to vulnerable people who do not have mobile coverage.

BT already have this in place on BT digital lines.

Anyone (ie not classed as vulnerable) can also buy one from BT.

 

[Drago]

If you don't pay TV licence in Ireland you can be brought to court and pay a hefty fine. There are detection vans going around to check , 9830 people brought to court in 2023

In order to be summonsed in the UK they need to know his name.

The simple expedient of just closing the door without saying a word is all it take to thwart the goons. "TV Licencing" does not exist - its a fake brand name used by Capita. They are salesmen (and women) with no power whatsoever with regard to your property.

Useless fact - since the tv licence was introduced in Blighty not a single prosecution has arisen as a result of tv detector van evidence. Not one. This is because tv detector vans don't exist, having been mocked up to frighten the public by the team that does the special effects for Dr Who. They're props, they couldn't detect a biscuit on a tea break. I'm presuming the Oirish authorities, with even less resources than the UK, are little different in that regard.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

If you don't pay TV licence in Ireland you can be brought to court and pay a hefty fine. There are detection vans going around to check , 9830 people brought to court in 2023

Not quite sure what you are saying there.

Are you saying that you have to have a licence even if you don't access the service?

Re the stat's quoted: serves them right if they don't have a licence and use the service.

 

[Dave7]

Don't you get any hassel from them, I get a letter a month, I've started sending them back

A friend of mine was in that situation ie no TV. One day he got a knock on the door and it was some officials to check him out.
He invited them in, they checked and that was the end of it.

 

[Drago]

A friend of mine was in that situation ie no TV. One day he got a knock on the door and it was some officials to check him out.
He invited them in, they checked and that was the end of it.

That's what they rely upon, and sadly too many folk fall for it.

Mind you, it's no longer the simple possession of a tv that requires a licence, it's watching live tv or the player. Unless the tv is switched on when you invite them in it's difficult for them to prove anything...although doubtless some have been daft enough to do that!

 

[welsh dragon]

We had rib eye steak, egg and chips.

 

[Dave7]

We don't miss ours - long gone.

I have one as its part of our Virgin TV package. We had it purely so Sue's aunty's could speak to her every day. It just sits there gathering dust now.

 

[Exlaser2]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14274937/BBC-license-fee-swapped-tax-Lisa-Nandy.html
You can bet it will be higher than the cost now........lets round it up to £200....and next year........

It’s the daily fail so I wouldn’t worry about it .😀

 

[rustybolts]

Not quite sure what you are saying there.

Are you saying that you have to have a licence even if you don't access the service?

Re the stat's quoted: serves them right if they don't have a licence and use the service.

Anybody with a TV set must pay licence unless you are 70+ . There was a guy called Ryan Tubridy who was big on Irish TV . It transpired he was getting a secret extra income from TV company and he was fired. TV licence money was used to pay him . Consequently a lot of people stopping paying TV licence in disgust

 

[PeteXXX]

We don't have a TV licence and haven't for several years.
We don't watch BBC or use iPlayer. Neither do we watch live broadcasts on any streaming platform or any device.
It's easy enough to inform them that there is no need to have one. Fill out the form (honestly!) on the website and Robert is your father's brother.
We got a letter from them last year informing us that we had watched something on iPlayer so we DO need a licence and it was necessary for us to send them money immediately.
I put in a FOI request on what we had watched since not having a licence. It came back clear.. Nothing.. Nada.. Rien..
Who'd have thought the BBC licencing authority would lie 🤥