UK households with a BBC TV Licence set to wake up to £218 bill
UK households face waking up to a TV bill of £218, it has been warned. BBC and ITV viewers face being hit hard by bills with campaigners are calling on the Labour Party government to commit to the long-term future of traditional terrestrial broadcast TV.
It comes as consultancy firm EY warned free-to-air, terrestrial broadcast TV, which millions watch every day, is only secure until the early 2030s, when current licences expire. 59 per cent of viewers do not want to be forced to have a high-speed broadband internet connection to watch TV.
31 per cent of viewers say they cannot afford to pay more than they currently do to access broadband and TV services and 40 per cent of viewers said a switchover to IP-only would be bad or very bad use of government funding.
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Households currently using terrestrial TV could be looking at an additional cost of £18.17 per month – amounting to £218 per year – to maintain their access to television through a broadband connection. Sarah Champion, Labour MP for Rotherham, commented: “Terrestrial TV is a vital national treasure that provides millions of households with daily and universal access to information, education and entertainment. This report demonstrates that an online-only TV future would further exclude vulnerable communities. I will be urging our new Government to act now to ensure broadcast TV is protected for the millions who depend on it.”
David Coulson, Partner, Economic Advisory at EY, said: “If a switch were made to distribute TV exclusively over the internet, even by 2040 approximately 4 million homes would still need broadband and set-top-box upgrades. This is forecast to cost government and consumers over £2 billion to set-up, plus a further £900m each year to cover ongoing broadband fees and to support vulnerable users.”
A spokesperson from the Broadcast 2040+ campaign said: “This report lays bare the hidden cost of any proposed switch-off of terrestrial TV. It would mean vulnerable people being asked to pay more, risk disconnecting millions from universal access to TV and burden the taxpayer with new financial liabilities. The report also makes clear that this costly disruption is not necessary. The UK’s current hybrid model of TV, with terrestrial operating alongside online streaming as complementary services, works well and gives us the best of both worlds. Ministers will soon have to make a decision about the long-term future of terrestrial TV. We are urging them to guarantee this vital service to 2040 and beyond.”