Do you have internet? Then you pay because you are capable of watching TV or listening radio. That was one of the things I was told by Billag.

Somehoy Billag will find a way for you to pay. Sorry.

I thought that if you had ISDN you only are liable for the radio fee - which we already pay. I was under the understanding that the TV fee was only applicable if you have ADSL and suscribe to a TV package? Have I got this wrong?

From the Billag site:

"Ich habe einen Computer mit Internetzugang. Muss ich mich nun für den Radio- bzw. den Fernsehempfang anmelden, auch wenn ich am Computer keine Radio- und/oder Fernsehprogramme konsumiere?

Laut Gesetz muss man sich anmelden, sobald ein Gerät vorhanden ist, das technisch in der Lage ist, Programme zu empfangen. Darunter fallen, wenn gewisse technische Bedingungen erfüllt sind, auch Computer mit Internetzugang. Ob die Programme auch genutzt werden oder nicht, ist rechtlich nicht von Belang.
Da die Gebühren jedoch pro Haushalt und nicht pro Gerät bezahlt werden, sind Sie für den Programmempfang möglicherweise schon angemeldet. Dann brauchen Sie wegen Ihres Computers nichts weiter zu unternehmen.
Sollten Sie jedoch über keine anderen Empfangsgeräte als den Computer verfügen, müssen Sie sich anmelden, wenn die folgenden Bedingungen erfüllt sind:

Privater Radioempfang:
• Empfang via ISDN oder Breitbandanschluss (z.B. ADSL, Kabelnetz etc.)
• Empfang über entsprechende Software (z.B. Mediaplayer)

Privater Fernsehempfang:
• Empfang via Breitbandanschluss (z.B. ADSL, Kabelnetz)
• Empfang über entsprechende Software (z.B. Mediaplayer, Realplayer)
• Abschluss eines Abonnements für den Empfang von Fernsehprogrammen über Internet bei einem entsprechenden Internet-Anbieter (diese Voraussetzung kann in Zukunft wegfallen, wenn das live gestreamte Programmangebot, welches ohne Abonnement empfangen werden kann, qualitativ und quantitativ zunimmt und dem heutigen terrestrischen Programmangebot entspricht) "

--

...It looks like helping the neighbor out opens a whole 'nutha can of worms for us. I think we'll pass on his idea to share an antenna.

(And why is it that my Swiss neighbors always want to do projects as a group? )

Hi there, I'm replying here cause we're talking about satelite tv...

Does anybody know how I can get Sky TV in switzerland ?!?!

dude: http://www.englishforum.ch/tv-internet-telephone/

have a look around at the top there......

Am I missing something ?

You don't own a TV ?

You are thinking about installing a satellite dish ?




Isn't that like buying a pump for your non-existant bicycle ?



Nigel

Well I can add from recent personal experience. Someone from bilag rocked up outside the door. He mentioned bilag and I...er went deaf (joking).
He came back (as my deutsch isn't so good...non existent in fact). Basically said we have a tv, but only via the skydish to receive UK tv. We do not listen to CH radio or watch CH tv as you need to understand deutsch to do that. He came in and looked....never heard another thing since. That was under 12 months ago (but the swiss are pretty fast if there's a fine to be sent). No bill to pay, no letter either?!? Maybe we just got a decent guy, who knows?? Make of it what you will.

Unfortunately, seems you need a license even if you only actually have a Sky system. I personally think that there might be some wiggle-room on this if a Sky box can't physically receive Swiss satellite broadcast and your display device doesn't have a tuner that can get Swiss signals over cable/antenna either.

However, appears that noone has tested this in court yet. If this guy 'let you off' then just take it as a rare blessing and bit of humanity.


Gav

You won't have to pay Billag as long as you don't have a telly but why one earth are you paying for a satellite dish in this case?

Gav

Hi all

I have no idea as to where this billag is from or why you would have to pay a tv tax. Here in Canada we don't have to pay taxes like that. If we want the services of cable or reception of satellite reception then yes we will have to pay taxes on the services.
If you do not want to pay for cable or satellite reception that is up to you. If you want to own a tv here there is no law saying you have to pay taxes just to turn it on and watch whatever signals you are able to receive.

Welcome to Switzerland!!! Je..je..

there are many countries which have a tv "licence" fee. Switzerland being one of them

Apologies if this has been asked and answered....

I have no TV or radio do I still need Billag?

No car so no car radio,no alarm clock radio so no radio.

The billag site is german, italian and french only so not terribly helpful.

Some in office say yes you need Billag if you have internet and a laptop (I do not watch streaming TV) some say no you do not need it. Not about to pay >400SFr for no reason. Anyone?

Regards,

Dom

If you have no tv and no radio and have no subscription to PC Streaming then you are not liable to pay the billag fee. This has been before the courts and judgement made.

Oh never saw that bit - Cablecom internet?! What speed. HAve you been on www.hispeed.ch? There you can get streaming tv and I guess it is only a matter of time before Billag pick up on this. I suggest contacting the cablecom helpline and asking them how you can switch it off.

By the way the service is not available unless you have a contract with cablecom for more than 2000K ie 3Mb and 10Mb.

3k connection but no streaming.

I will basically use it for skype back to home and family that are scattered around the globe.

Got a reference url or otherwise for that court case? Might be useful to have when the Billag boys knock on the door.

Dom

BBC Prime is on Zattoo.ch - you'll need broadband though. or sat dish pointing to astra.
Welcome, by the way.
c.

Let's say I have a TV, radio and every convceivable device capable of receiving all the crap that is being broadcast. And let's say I have never come across this forum. Then, how would I know that I have to pay billag?

A friend got a pacakge from the Geimende asking him to pay billag. I never got one. In fact my TV was purchased in Switzerland, in the same gemeinde I live in. Where, what, how etc. must I go about paying this ridiculous fee. (with interest and adding up all this money, I estimate about CHF 40,000 over 30 years...honestly, does Swiss television improve your quality of life that much?)

you should pay; you should contact them if you have not done so already. It's a licence to receive programming.

Whether you perceive the amount per annum to be value or not, it's government-backed and you simply have to pay.

Contact: http://www.billag.ch/web/

Other reading:
http://www.20min.ch/news/wirtschaft/story/15871915
http://www.20min.ch/news/schweiz/story/20638778

That was just the cable company protecting their socket so u can't have free cable tv !!

I registered my TV when I bought it, or at least I went onto a website and entered some stuff in Italian. I suppose I could have been ordering a pizza.

So far I haven't gotten anything from them.

As for refusing to pay, I figure it's a tax - if I was going to pick a tax to dodge, I would skip filing my US tax return next year rather than worrying about the TV tax.

That said, for what it costs you'd think the newscaster on TeleTicino could afford a better tie.