TV in Spain - 1

When we first arrived in Spain we obtained TV channels through a company called Telemicro. They transmitted using microwave and we had a receiver fitted and we got all BBC, all ITV and by paying 125 Euros a year most Sky channels including Sky Sports. Sorted. Well we thought sorted!

Just after our renewal for the second year they were taken off the air. Telemicro ceased trading following raids by the police. New Spanish legislation prevented re-broadcasting of TV channels hence the shut down. The microwave antennas along the coast and re-broadcasting systems have been removed. The system was useless. I must stress here that this was not just a Telemicro problem it applied to ALL companies re-transmitting English programmes. .

On further investigation by the Guardia Civil the company was accused of claiming they only had 17000 clients instead of 60,000 they actually had and not declaring their profits to the tax man. Fourteen people have been arrested. The court case is expected next year.

This scared all the other re-broadcasting companies who soon got their act together and for a time SKY disappeared altogether. Now they charge a lot more but use feeds (in English) from the Middle East.

In the meantime a booming industry in satellite dishes started. The dishes had to be 1.9 meters in size as the signal was weak and legitimately you could only get all the freesat channels as it is illegal for Sky to provide the Sky boxes and cards in Spain. However, just like any other ‘black market’ it is possible to get a sky box and card, just don’t ask too many questions and be prepared to lose the channels at no notice.

Two problems for me here. One the Lady of the Villa would not have such a large dish in her garden. And two our main TV, an original 8 year old plasma TV packed in. Although I had another TV I could use it was the lack of space for a dish that was my major issue.

So for the last 18 months we have been without a TV. To be honest I have not missed it much. Any sport I wanted to watch could be found in the bars in the area. My buying of books increased and we watched DVD series (West Wing, The Soprano’s, Benidorm, and Mad Men) instead.

Just before Christmas our plasma TV packed in. We had had it for about 8 years, so we had to use our back up. An old (12 years) tube one, it was situated in the lower part of the house and much to heavy to move to the middle lounge.