sir_eccles

Coming soon, no details yet but sounds like a pay service.

BBC to launch online U.S. subscription service | Reuters

username.exe

BBC pushing very hard before Charter renewal comes around.

Unfortunately many of us ex pats have DNS type-services already. Does anyone think a service like this would be popular with Americans?
Isn't most of the popular stuff already available on Netflix etc.?

thinbrit

I'd sign up for it. I'm very technical, but to be honest can't be arsed with 'work arounds'. I think BBC TV is worth paying for, and I'd gladly pay for it.
I pay for shite on satellite, I'd rather pay for quality TV, but as of yet it is not available.

sir_eccles

The scenario I see is a cable cutter who wants to watch say Dr who. Pay something like $20 for a season pass on amazon. Wait until it is free. Torrent. Or sign up for this new service. Would greatly depend on the price.

thinbrit

Much of the junk available on my Dish service is also provided (or exclusively provided) online. I'd pay $20 to have the beeb as an 'app' on my Dish box. I don't think it has to be exclusively for cord cutters.

scrubbedexpat099

$20 a year I would pay.

Nutek

I would pay anything up to the amount of a current BBC TV license fee.

But it would have to be a full schedule not some stripped out crap like BBCA. And it would have to be ad-free.

I already have access to the full schedule anyhow, via my DNS service but I would rather give the money to the BBC if it were a choice.

username.exe

Good shout.

But only if the government doesn't force a sale on it's commercial Worldwide arm.

mdneedle

whats the point when you have dns?

sir_eccles

Until they block it.

Besides there is this feeling one ought to support the production of quality programming.

kodokan

We use a VPN to watch Dr Who, Top Gear (back in the day), etc. We listen to a lot of Radio 4 podcasts, for free. So we take the UK licence fee amount and donate it to the local public radio station, as a proxy, to keep the Universe karma in balance

Nutek

Because I would actually like to pay the BBC for the programs I enjoy watching. If it were possible to subscribe directly I would happily pay them instead of my DNS service.

indigogirl1976

i have a family member who is a high up at the bbc and she was telling me the bbc know full well that people access it via vpns and dns and are actively developing technology to counteract that. She reckons (as I access it via a Vpn) that I will only have about a year and a half left of being able to do that. Now don't ask me about the specifics as I don't know but all that aside I'd be happy to have a paid subscription service. I always feel guilty accessing it illegally.

username.exe

It's always been a cat and mouse game.

The Beeb will eventually come up with a way to stop it, and the nerds will soon think off a workaround.

Auntie is not commercially focused, and doesn't have cash to focus on IP protection and litigation etc. Just getting domestic users to purchase a telly license is a headache enough.

indigogirl1976

The nerds will surely find a way around. It's just a bit of a headache.

I totally agree...although in some ways it wouldn't be bad if they were a little commercially focused. I still think they could generate a lot of revenue from us expats. I'd happily pay a licence fee to watch all the shows here in the states.