From 1st September, all users of the BBC's iPlayer will be forced to hold a valid TV Licence before catch-up and live tv can be viewed, following a change in the law. The new rules apply to all devices used to access iPlayer, including laptops, smartphones, tablets, TV streaming devices and games consoles, as well as through third-party services such as Sky, Virgin or BT.
The group most affected will be students away from home, who typically view the BBC on a laptop or tablet. Up to now, the law allowed free viewing of catch-up content, with a licence only being required for live TV. The change was set in motion by the former Culture Secretary, John Whittingdale, who lost his job in the recent cabinet reshuffle.
Services from Sky, ITV, Channel Four, My5 and Netflix will be unaffected.
HOW IT WILL WORK
There has been a BBC ID login box for some months at the top of the iPlayer window. Login will become compulsory from 1 September. The BBC iPlayer will cross-reference the UK's national TV licence database. It's unknown how many devices will be allowed to use a single TV licence. There is almost certainly likely to be a restriction, to prevent abuse. In the past, multiple registrations in the hundreds at the same address were used by mainland Europe resellers of Sky subscriptions, which were "overlooked" by Sky Security. It remains to be seen how vigorously the new BBC restrictions will be enforced.
VPN & PROXY SERVICES
The hugely-popular BBC iPlayer is widely accessed around the world through the use of VPN and proxy services, which defeat the current geographical restrictions. Non-UK VPN users will have no British address or TV licence. The £145 annual licence cannot be purchased outside the country.
Many VPN and proxy services are likely to close.
BBC PIRATES
Pirate streaming services in mainland Europe may be affected, particularly those which re-broadcast streamed BBC iPlayer services. Pirates who illegally take a feed from INTELSAT 907 27.5W will be able to continue until action is taken to secure the satellite. BISS keys which were being changed regularly are no longer being updated, which may signify an imminent change in encryption method, or closure.
Pirates with head-end feeds inside the UK or near continent, such as FilmOn, will be outside the scope of these changes.  8-)

http://www.skyinmadrid.com/pages/news.html

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I've just checked on my iPad and there isn't anywhere to log in. Is it only on PCs so far?

cactus jack wrote on Aug 23^rd, 2016 at 8:00am:

I've just checked on my iPad and there isn't anywhere to log in. Is it only on PCs so far?

Hi jack Congrats on the new "Job"

    Anyway if on your ipad you open the BBC iplayer app then tap on menu top left and then in the top right hand corner there is a little wheel next to the search icon, Tap on that and there you will see the sign in and register menus. Go on from there remember have your VPN or UK router up and running before proceeding. Good luck  ;) ;)

I know nobody is going to listen but would it not make sense to just allow streaming and catchup BBC viewing without a VPN if one was prepared to buy a license. ?  I'm sure many of us have properties in UK as well as here who already have a licence.

I just used my tunnelbear VPN and opened up BBC iplayer, they asked if I had a licence. I clicked yes and was watching BBC as usual.

All good so far.  Wonder if they'll link in to the licensing mob ?

Haven't even been asked the question since the first time but for the last two days I haven't been able to access even via Tunnelbear ?

I also tried tunnel bear with my Spanish router no joy however when I switched over to my UK VPN router I had no problems and the BBC iplayer was working fine.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p047mcm7/josh-series-2-1-bed-breakfast

This is what I use it was cheaper when I bought it said it was for only 3 months but I have had mine over a year and it still works. Sky catch up etc no probs.  8-) 8-) 8-)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pre-Configured-VPN-Router-High-Speed-Secure-Compatible-With-All-Devices-/122136552396?hash=item1c6fe7e3cc:g:juQAAOSwdzVXsLDb

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Didn't even realise there were routers with VPN built in.  In the past when it's been playing up I've tried a combination of rebooting the router, unplugging and re-plugging the wi fi dongle on the TV PC and rebooting the PC.  Non of that doing the trick atm.

B.T.W.  It's only iPlayer.  Commercial channels no probs so itlooks like BBC are getting cleverer.

You do not have to buy a uk vpn router you can just get a vpn like hidemyass.com and put their settings into your spanish router however having tried a number of them l found my provider was not allowing the change.I bought the uk router shown above and just used one cable to connect it and my spanish router then everything l wanted to show as in the UK you just pop the connection cable in the back of the uk router and the tv or computer etc will show as in the UK. The UK router will throw out a UK wifi address and you just show that on your tablet or tv and pop the wifi password in and away you go.The router is plug and play no set up required.  ;)

Sounds easy enough :-)  :o

More changes to come:-
http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-37477229