I have just seen a message from Filmon about why people in Spain are no longer able to watch UK TV channels on the filmon TV streaming service:

“Unfortunately we are no longer able to carry these channels. The only UK channels to be broadcast will be BBC1 and BBC Northern Ireland, ITV, Channel4 and Channel5. These will ONLY be available to view within the UK.”

UK TV channels that are currently no longer on Filmon include ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, Dave, Yesterday, Five USA, Five*, and Challenge.

Is this a result of the recent European Court ruling (https://www.satandpcguy.com/blog/2013/03/unauthorised-tv-live-streaming-breaches-copyright-rules-european-court/ ) about streaming TV channels and content without the channels permission?

So it may be that to watch filmon, and the UK TV channels they offer, you will need to subscribe to a UK VPN service, that “connects” your PC to a UK IP Internet server.

But then, if you are having a UK VPN service, why use filmon, when you can simply connect to the UK broadcasters own “iplayer” streaming services?

Or, even better, install a satellite dish, and a Freesat HD box (from 325 euros) and watch the UK TV channels like BBC ITV C4  with no subscription and in HD.

https://www.satandpcguy.com/Site/uk_tv_channels_available_on_small_dish_costa_blanca_spain_freesat.php

Update: 13 March 2013.

This notice appears at the top of “British channels” on filmon, which today has reinstated some of the UK TV channels. Although the message states that these channels should only be available to “their respective countries”, the UK channels are currently available to people outside the UK.

“Unfortunately due to a recent European court ruling, services such as ours havehad to restrict the viewing of certain channels to their respective countries, therefore the only UK TV channels available will be the 4 main terrestrial channels.”

Update 15th March:

Filmon have reinstated some of the UK TV channels. These are BBC1, BBC2, ITV1, Channel 4 and Five. Not all channels that were previously on Filmon have returned. And despite their previous notice that UK TV channels would only be available to the UK, these UK TV channels are still available outside the UK.