Pirate Satellite TV

What Is Satellite TV?

There are two types satellite TV systems available on the market in North America nowadays: an older big dish system and a direct to home system. These two types can be distinguished mainly by the size of the antenna. Big dish systems need an antenna that varies between six and ten feet in diameter, while direct to home systems only require an eighteen to twenty inches antenna.

The United States satellite “footprint” overlaps into Canada. Therefore, Canadian consumers are easy and often willing targets for pirate satellite TV companies, who sell US satellite dishes, receivers and access cards.

The Effects of Pirate Satellite TV

Pirate satellite TV has a negative impact on a wide area of the entertainment industry. It deprives cable and satellite companies, intellectual property owners, program providers and many other people involved in the motion picture industry of part of their rightful revenues.

There is an estimation that Canada loses at least one billion dollars as a direct effect of pirate satellite TV. This estimation is a result of the information provided by the satellite and cable companies in Canada, the Internet publications of the gray market and the information supplied by some video retailers.

Pirate Satellite TV Is a Criminal Offense

Both the Canadian Radio-communication Act and the Canadian Criminal Code state that pirate satellite TV is a criminal offense. Sections 326 and 327 of the Criminal Code state that stealing a telecommunication service or possessing, manufacturing, selling, offering for sale or distributing a device that steals a telecommunication service is a criminal offense.

The Radio-communication Act also states in Section 9(1)(c) that decoding an encrypted subscription programming service without an authorization is an offense. Section 10(1)(a) states that manufacturing, importing, distributing, leasing, offering for sale, selling, installing, modifying, operating or possessing any device that decodes an encrypting subscription programming service without an authorization is a criminal offense.

The Supreme Court of Canada has adopted a resolution in April 26, 2002, that confirmed the fact that Canadian residents are forbidden to decode any encrypted satellite programming without an authorization acquired from a retailer that holds the necessary legal rights in Canada. In other words, if you have a satellite TV system and are not a subscriber to a legitimate company, you might be breaking the law.

Legal Sanctions

Those who are convicted for involving in pirate satellite TV acts must pay a heavy price as well. If someone is found manufacturing, distributing, selling or modifying a device to pirate satellite TV, he/she may be convicted to an up to $5000 fine per count or even to prison. The devices that they've been making or selling are forfeited or destroyed.
For further information on pirate satellite TV and the way it is punished, you can contact the CMPDA Anti-Piracy Operations. All calls received are strictly confidential.

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