High cost of satellite TV forces many to buy illegal equipment

People who spoke to The National said that the cost of satellite television is prohibitive and so they were forced to opt for illegal decoders, from shops here or by bringing them into the UAE from their home countries.

DUBAI // Some Dubai residents are still buying illegal satellite dishes despite a recent crackdown by authorities.

People who spoke to The National said that the cost of satellite television was prohibitive and as a result they were forced to opt for illegal decoders, from shops here or by bringing them into the UAE from their home countries.

M A, from Pakistan, said that he was able to buy a decoder from a shop in Deira.

“My friends told me there are places in Deira that can provide me with satellite TV channels, and that’s where I went,” he said, refusing to disclose the name or exact location of the shop.

About one million of these boxes are exported to the GCC from India every year. For about Dh200 a year, they use an internet connection to access thousands of television channels.

A A, who is not officially authorised to sell decoders but does, said the prices vary depending on what the customer wants.

“It costs approximately Dh350 to set up a dish and another Dh500 or Dh600 for the receiver,” he said, adding that most of his customers are from Asian countries.

“We usually try to set up the dish on the roof, or we can set it up on the balcony,” he said.

H A, who works at an electronics shop in Karama, said he has a few friends who have brought decoders from their home countries.

“Most of the people I know that watch illegal satellite TV channels bring their decoders from India or Pakistan,” he said.

K H and T M, both from India, said they brought decoders from their home country when they realised that satellite television channels in Dubai were too expensive for them.

“I barely make enough money to feed myself, and I just simply cannot afford to pay Dh500 a month to watch television,” said K H, 32, who works at a shop in Karama.

T M, 29, who also works in Karama, said that he felt buying an illegal decoder should not be considered a crime.

“We still paid something for those channels, but at a cheaper price,” he said. “I understand that it is illegal because big companies are losing money, but it is not like I have killed anyone.”

Article 19 of the UAE Copyright Law states that broadcast organisations have the right to “prohibit any communication of their programmes or recording to the public without their authorisation”.