But first, a little context. You should know that for several years, and particularly in recent months, a craze has been growing around pirate IPTV which allows you to obtain all the channels, series and sports events for less than 120 euros. This technology, which is illegal, generally requires the installation of a box. A box that can therefore be found in this type of store.
“We can’t talk about it on the phone.”directly mentions one of the sellers of this store in the north of Brussels when asked for information on their offers. After this first telephone contact with the merchant, we decided to go directly there and pose as potential customers.
“Difficult to find subscriptions”
All smiles, one of the three sellers present welcomes us. The first responses begin. “Concretely, these are boxes that allow you to obtain Netflix, Youtube, Amazon Prime, etc. It is useful for people who do not have a Smart TV (television connected to the internet).” The price? 80 euros per box, and you still have to pay the legal subscriptions for these streaming platforms.
So far, nothing incriminating. Except that it is difficult to see any point in buying a box at that price to end up having nothing, apart from YouTube, without paying extra. In the case of illegal IPTV, a subscription is necessary to access thousands of content (including streaming platforms). The price of this generally varies between 40 and 120 euros per year. A ridiculous price compared to traditional offers.
Telecom box installers who suggest customers turn to illegal IPTV?
It is therefore logical that the question of subscribing to a possible illegal IPTV streaming service arises. “You know, it’s possible to have a subscription. But in Brussels, it’s much more difficult to find them. There are not many who agree to offer this service to people without having their trust”the seller responds evasively with a smirk, saying that he did not provide one himself and that he does not know anyone who could provide this type of subscription.
We will not obtain further information from the merchant. If he claims to sell boxes without knowing where to obtain a subscription, the purchase of these boxes suggests a more significant use than a simple addition to a television which is not connected to the internet to transform it into a “smart TV”. By way of comparison, it’s like the stores that sell large rolling papers. The sale is not prohibited, but the use of it is generally for the consumption of cannabis. Everyone knows it, but everyone keeps quiet.
An observation shared by Proximus. Well aware of this type of offer in these stores, Haroun Fenaux, spokesperson for Proximus, believes that it is difficult to take action against these independent brands. “Selling cases per se is not illegal, otherwise they wouldn’t sell them so easily. But the problem, that’s all there is behind it. It is through the subscription that we can have via codes to put in the box that the illegality begins.”
He adds “we must realize that the money from this illegal market does not benefit the rights holders (content producers, channels, platforms… Editor’s note). Without this money, the quality of the content offered will inevitably decline. Worse still, this money will go to scammers who use it to develop organized crime.”
“Immediate actions”: the fight against illegal IPTV could intensify
A 250 million euro network dismantled
In the meantime, the fight continues at European level to counter the development of these illegal IPTVs. At the end of November, Europol, for example, launched a vast operation which made it possible to dismantle a network which, according to the press release, made it possible to collect 250 million euros annually from 22 million users around the world. In total, eleven arrest warrants were issued, including three for “high-ranking administrators” located in England and the Netherlands.
