Anatel imposes fines on the first person to sell a pirated TV box

In an unprecedented decision, the Board of Directors of Anatel (the National Telecommunications Agency) has chosen to impose a fine on individuals who sell pirated TV boxes (undercover TV signal receivers without the agency’s approval).

What happened

• Last Thursday, October 26, Anatel decided to impose a fine of R$ 7,680 for the first time on individuals selling pirated TVs.
• So far, the penalty has been applied to traders and companies (legal entities).
• The agency’s advisor and case rapporteur, Alexandre Freire, considered that the violation, represented by selling the equipment without the agency’s approval, was considered serious.
• This measure represents another strategy that “seeks to prevent and suppress the circulation of products that have not been approved by the agency,” the rapporteur said.
• Information is from Brazil Agency.

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The decision is also important to avoid encouraging illegal consumption of copyrighted material, as occurs in the practice of “gatonet”, where unapproved products from Anatel steal the signal from paid channels and streaming services.

Freire adds that the products, in addition to being a vector for the transmission of unauthorized content, violate intellectual property rights and harm various sectors of the economy (sporting events, cinema, etc.).

Anatel blocks 80% of devices with illegal TV signal

Anatel also implemented an operation that resulted in the ban of approximately 80% of secret services. Since the entity began closing the blockade based on the pirates’ signal last February, the measure (26) that took place last Thursday was the largest ever implemented in this regard.

The agency estimates that at least seven million pirated devices are in use in Brazil. The ban is an ongoing thing because, according to regulators, illegal systems are constantly being updated to try to circumvent the ban and keep pirated broadcasts on the air.