Cable connection contract

The law abolishing the “incidental cost privilege” for cable fees has been in force since December 1, 2021. The transition period lasts until June 30, 2024. But what is behind the abolition? And what does that mean for your cable connection costs?

What exactly is the ancillary cost privilege?
The service charge privilege refers to the ability to allocate the cable connection in the utility bill. This regulation is regulated by law in §2 No. 15 of the Operating Costs Ordinance (BetrKV).
Homeowners and property managers have often concluded so-called collective contracts (multi-user contracts) with the cable network operator. Billing takes place via a so-called collective collection. This means that individual tenants or individual apartment owners pay the costs for the cable connection to the property management company via the service charge bill. This then forwards the money to the cable network operators.

Incidentally, this regulation does not only apply to television reception, but can also be applied to internet and telephone connections.

When cable television was introduced 40 years ago, it was a real innovation. Instead of 3-5 analog TV channels, you could then receive up to 30 analog TV channels via the new cable connection. But times have changed: Television transmission is now completely digital and there are also new distribution channels, such as television via the Internet.

However, there is currently little incentive for you to switch to alternative transmission channels, as the cable connection still has to be paid for via the utility bill. In case of doubt, you therefore have to pay twice for television reception. This is now changing with the abolition of the service charge privilege.

The ancillary cost privilege was deleted as part of the amendment to the Telecommunications Act (TKG). The new regulations came into force on December 1, 2021. However, there is a transition period until June 30, 2024.

You can already choose the provider in many areas today. Be it electricity, gas or mobile communications. More competition leads to falling consumer prices. The best proof of this is the opening of the telephone market 22 years ago. In 1996, a landline long-distance call over 100 kilometers cost the equivalent of 32 cents per minute - today there are almost exclusively flat rates for less than 5 euros per month.

The cable network operators and cable associations were naturally against the planned change in the law. They fear that many of the masses of cable connections in larger residential units, which they previously had contractually secured for decades, will be terminated by the residents. This is because the abolition of the service charge privilege will allow tenants to switch to other types of supply without having to pay twice for their television reception.

Cable network operators are therefore trying to convince politicians not to implement the planned change in the law by issuing exaggerated warnings in the media about very expensive cable connections that consumers will no longer be able to afford. Realistically, cable connections will become slightly more expensive, but the consumer advice center estimates that this increase will be in the range of a maximum of 2 to 3 euros per month. Initial experience shows that for terminated multi-user contracts, the price for the corresponding single-user contract is around EUR 8-10 per month.

For condominium owners, the situation is a little more complicated. What the owners' association decides still applies here. As part of the amendment to the law, there is a special right of termination as of June 30, 2024, with which current multi-user contracts can be terminated by resolution of the owners' association. However, if the owners' association does nothing or decides against termination, the contracts will continue to run. Apartment owners then have to continue to pay the costs for TV reception through the house fee, but are no longer allowed to bill their tenants for additional costs.

According to the current legal regulation, recipients of unemployment benefit II (ALG-II) only receive payment for the cable connection if it is billed via the utility bill. This is also cited by cable network operators as an argument for retaining the service charge privilege.

However, cable network operators often conceal this fact: If there is no collective connection, the ALG-II recipient must pay the costs from the standard rate. This regulation has therefore disadvantaged ALG II recipients whose cable connection is not billed via the ancillary costs. Fair and equal social treatment can therefore only be achieved if the service charge privilege is abolished.

DVB-T2 HD is television via the antenna. In many regions, you can receive around 40 channels in high-definition quality (HDTV) with an indoor aerial or the old roof aerial. If you have an internet-enabled receiver or television, you can receive even more channels via the internet. Reception of public television channels is free of charge. If you want to receive private channels, you will have to expect to pay around €7.99 per month.

IPTV (classic)
You can also receive the television program via the Internet. Some VDSL providers have corresponding offers in combination with the VDSL connection. The costs for television reception amount to approx. 5 euros per month. However, a receiver is required for this type of reception. You must rent or buy this from the provider.

IPTV (streaming)
A broadband Internet connection is a prerequisite for television reception via a streaming service. The costs for reception are usually between 6-10 euros. Some providers even offer free access, but this is limited in time and/or advertisements appear. Reception on the TV set works with modern smart TVs with a corresponding app or with older devices with an HDMI stick to plug in. When streaming, however, reception can also be done conveniently via a smartphone or tablet using an app.

Satellite television
The greatest variety of programs is available via satellite reception. Here you can receive all popular TV channels free and unencrypted. However, you must first check whether the installation of your own satellite dish is permitted and possible.

As always, the basic rule is: do not let anyone into the apartment. These so-called media consultants are freelance salespeople who work on behalf of the cable network operator and are paid on a commission basis.

Do not let anyone into your home - even an unannounced "check" of the cable connection is usually only used as a pretext to sign new contracts.
Do not allow yourself to be taken by surprise and do not sign anything at the front door!
Ask for the media consultant's ID and make a note of their name and contact details.
Do not allow yourself to be intimidated: Nobody is going to take away your TV connection overnight!
If necessary, ban the media consultant from the premises.
If the media consultants enter your home without permission: Go to the police and file a report for trespassing.
If you suddenly find an order confirmation in your letterbox (even without a signature): Report the case to the consumer advice center and revoke the contract.
In the case of unsolicited advertising calls: Never say "yes" - if in doubt, simply hang up - even if it seems rude.
If necessary, object to advertising by post (even partially addressed, e.g. "To the residents of the building") and also to advertising by telephone.

The term "illegal use" is commonly used to refer to Section 265a of the German Criminal Code (StGB) (fraudulent concealment of benefits) and is often used incorrectly. In principle, consumers are not allowed to use cable television without a corresponding contract. If the connection is used anyway, consumers may be liable for damages. Criminal "illegal use" could occur, for example, if the junction box is deliberately removed in order to continue using the connection.

However, especially when moving house or during the transition period between the end of a multi-user contract and the conclusion of a single-user contract, it is quite possible for consumers to inadvertently use cable TV without a corresponding contract, for example because landlords have not informed them of the change in good time.

The consumer advice center is aware of cases in which media consultants take advantage of this and try to force consumers to sign a contract under the pretext of "illegal use", as it could otherwise be "very expensive". Don't let yourself be taken by surprise! In such a case, contact a consumer advice center.

If you do not want a cable connection, the unused cable connection will be blocked by the cable provider. This can be done in two ways:

If the house wiring is via a so-called "star network": Then the cable connection of the individual apartment can be blocked centrally from the basement.
If the house wiring is via the older "tree structure", then a corresponding blocking socket must be installed in the apartment (see photo).cable socket for full blocking

Yes, of course you can still receive internet and telephone via cable without using the TV signal. For this purpose, a corresponding filter box is installed by the provider