El Salvador
In
The United Kingdom and Ireland

In the United Kingdom, the Isles of Man and the Channel Islands there is a fee for the use of television. This is called a "Licensing Fee" and the current annual cost for a colour television licence (as of April, 1^st 2008) is £139.50 (approximately US$277) and £47.00 programmes (for example, a VCR, set-top box, DVD recorder or PC with (approximately US$93) for monochrome TV (black and white). It is valid for a period of one year.

Please note that watching TV or any other device to receive or record TV a broadcast card) without a valid TV Licence is against the law and could lead to prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000.

The licence fee is charged on a family unit per household basis, which means there could be multiple licences per household. The majority of UK domestic customers will require one licence per household. The licence fee is used to fund the BBC's radio, television and internet services and it represents approximately 75% of the BBC's income with most of the rest coming from the sale of its programming overseas and other business allied to broadcasting such as publishing.

Below you will find some useful information about TV Licensing. If you wish to know more, please view the website TV LICENSING UK: TV Licensing

Do I need a TV Licence?

You need a TV Licence to use any television receiving equipment such as a TV set, digital box, DVD or video recorder, PC, laptop or mobile phone to watch or record television programmes as they're being shown on TV. If you use a digital box with a hi-fi system or another device that can only be used to produce sounds and can't display TV programmes, and you don't install or use any other TV receiving equipment, you don't need a TV Licence.

How do I get one?

The quickest and easiest way to buy a TV Licence is online. Please visit: Buy or renew your TV Licence

Is there only one type of TV Licence?

There is one TV Licence for colour TV and another for black and white TV.

There are also different variations of the TV Licence, each with different fees, depending on your circumstances. For example, there are special TV Licences for:

• Businesses with multiple sites
• Hotels, guesthouses and campsites
• Residential care homes
• People aged 74 and over

Am I entitled to a concession?

In some circumstances, you may qualify for a concession on the cost of your TV Licence. For example, if you are aged over 74, you can apply for a short term TV Licence, which will cover you until the month you turn 75, at which point you become entitled to a free over 75 TV Licence.

If you are blind or severely sight impaired, you can apply for a 50% concession on the cost of your TV Licence. And, if you live in residential care, you may qualify for a TV Licence at the cost of just £7.50 per year.

What happens if I move home?

When you move home, your TV Licence doesn't automatically move with you, so you need report this to "Update your Contact Details" They will update your details on their database and ensure that you're correctly licensed in your new home.

International calling cards start at about £5 and gives you up to 30 minutes talk time to other landline back home.

If you've set up home by yourself you will need to go through someone like ("British Telecom (BT)") to set up a phone line. Every company varies in contract, combined fix contracts including wireless, prices- rates, so it is advisable that you research the market and find what best suits you. A landline costs about £15 per month for line rental only, though beware as some companies ask for a contract with a minimum of 12 month lease. In the case of the contract is not followed, the person is at risk of ending up with bad credit, or be made liable of payment of the remaining credit.

Cellular phone plans are notoriously hard to get so it is generally advisable to go for a pay-as-you-go option. Unfortunately this option can work out to be quite expensive. Signing up for a plan can be fraught with dangers but is a cheaper option.

If you do apply for a phone plan and you are rejected, depending on the company, you may not allow you to re-apply for up to six months so check with the service provider or dealer before you go ahead. Also, because you don't have a credit history in the UK you will usually have to pay a deposit (up to £100).

It is easy to access the internet even if you do not have a computer. There are a lot of internet cafes, centres and wi-fi spots around the UK. Most cafes offer access from £1 an hour and most will have printing facilities at a fee.

If you own a computer, Wi-Fi spots can be found in a range of coffee shops, restaurants and in the short future, free access, throughout the Royal Borough of Westminster in London (to find out more about the project visit: Westminster Council)

Many local libraries offer free internet access and general computer usage, as well as computer courses.