# NTl warning on illegal pirate cable boxes



## car (18 Sep 2007)

These letters are doing the rounds at the mo.


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Matter: Use of Eurovox, Starview, D Boxes & Similar Pirate DCCJ-VPÜOH Devices Dear Sir/Madame,  
You may be aware of the existence of the above boxes which can be used to illegally access ntl or Chorus’ services. It is the responsibility of UPC Ireland (comprises ntl & Chorus) to clarify the 
following to all our customers: UPC’s services should only be accessed through use of an authorised set top box provided by the company to each customer. Using any of the above set top boxes or simi ar pirate decryption devices for the purpose of accessing our services thout paying the correct fee is illegal and breathes the Broadcasting Act 1990 as well as various other laws relating to contractual matters, intellectual property and the Conditional Access RegWations. 
UPC is particularly concerned that all of our customers understand the significance ofsection 10 ofthc Broadcasting Act 1990, This states that it is an criminal offence for the owner/person in control of any premises ic. hotel/pub/shop guesthouse etc to knowingly allow such illegal interception of UPC services take place on that premises. If/he use of such a device is proven, then it is presumed that the owner/person in con/rot of the premises knew that the device was being used and can be found guilty of the offcnce and sentenced for up to two years imprisonment and/or fined up to €25,400.00, 
Further to the above we can confinn that we are aware that a number of our valued customers have been approached by individuals proposing to sell them these devices as a legitimate means of accessing our services. The purpose of this letter is to confinn that using these devices is illegal and could result in both criminal and civil sanctions being taken against you and/or your employer and/or your company. 
Recently the press reported on a case that is to he heard shortly in the High Court involving another major telecommunications company which is suing an individual who was supplying hotels with similar pirate decryption devices. UPC also has a team in place in Ireland which has been investigating this matter fbr some time now and gathering the evidence and proof is needed to bring similar proceedings. We are working closely with the Gardai as we are obliged to share our information with them so that they can secure successful criminal prosecutions and we are considering all possible avenues of redress including using proof that a premises employs such a device to illegally access our services as a basis upon which to object to the renewal of that premises liquor licence. 
If having read this letter, it perhaps even becomes apparent that your premises is using such a device we would urge you to contact us immediately to arrange to pay the outstanding fees due and to sign up to an appropriate contract. We are amenable to dealing with the matter in this way rather than both parties incurring the legal costs of a court case. It should also be noted that if UPC does have to bring such an action, it will look to recover its own legal costs from the other party. 
Finally, we would like to thank you for your ongoing custom and reiterate that we would be most grateful for your assistance in respect of this difficult mailer in any way possible. If you have any information whatsoever relating to the pirating of our services in your area please forward this information in confidence for the attention of: ‘The Fraud & Risk Team, UPC, East Point Business Park. Dublin 3.


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note: text copied from a written letter so excuse typos...


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## Murt10 (18 Sep 2007)

That's all very well in that they are addressing it directly to commercial premises.

What are these boxes? Are they expensive and can you just plug them in and see all the NTL coded channels? 

Can it be illegal for a person living in their own home and using their own equipment to do whatever they want with their signal once they have paid for it. I didn't ask NTL to send me this coded signal. i only want the ones that I have paid for. If they insist on sending me stuff I don't want (junk signals) then I would feel that I can do whatever I like (excluding rebroadcasting) with them. 

Once you receive the signal, and don't rebroadcast it, you must be within your rights to do with it what you want - ie decode and watch it.

If I went into a shop and bought a frying pan, could the shopkeeper forbid me from frying onions on that pan. Likewise can someone post junkmail into my house and then tell me what I can or cannnot do with it.



Murt


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## HighFlier (18 Sep 2007)

Dont think it works that way Murt. A guy was successfully prosecuted recently in the UK for accessing an available wi fi network (unprotected even) that he had not subscribed to. His defence was it was in the air and he hadent asked for it. Did'nt work for him though.


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## Towger (18 Sep 2007)

HighFlier said:


> Dont think it works that way Murt. A guy was successfully prosecuted recently in the UK for accessing an available wi fi network (unprotected even) that he had not subscribed to. His defence was it was in the air and he hadent asked for it. Did'nt work for him though.



From memory Sky tried to stop Chris Cary http://www.chriscary.com/ from producing pirate Sky cards in Ireland, in the courts and failed. They eventually got him under English laws  which are much stronger in this area. 

There arguement was that he copied their software on the cards (software copyright law), but we was able to prove that they developed it them selves.

Towger


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