Is it wrong to get free cable?

[brainsmile]

Someone I know got it hooked up by the cable company without him submitting an order. Just plugged it in one day and found out he got all the premium channels and basic cable. No bills ever come and he gets calls from that same company all the time soliciting their service and asking if he wants to get installation sometime. What should he do?

[gear02]

Someone you know? ;)

I think your friend shouldn't do anything. It's a gift. It's their mistake to start with and you really aren't "stealing" cable since you really never did anything.

My idea of stealing cable is physically hacking into their signals.

Similarly, I know some people who got cable modem, and found out they could get limited cable tv. Is that stealing? Not really, I mean in order to provide you with the service you paid for they had to give you another service.

Nothing wrong with that.

[mojo]

it could be that the last ppl never canceled their service. in which case someone else is getting the bill.

or

legally it could be one of those mistakes where the company issued service without an order and so there wouldn't be anything "wrong" with it. but from that standpoint it could pose a problem to get cable with that company if the company ever shut it off...like maybe your friend orders it and they don't like that he received it from them before without saying anything, and so doesn't do business with your friend or doesn't give the free offers or whatever. it could even put them in a situation where their line is "picked on" by being audited more often than the next person's. this would probably include broadband access.

anyhow, it's an interesting situation as in it could be tempting. but i'd think about the consequences a bit before indulging too much.

[Butch]

Is it possible that the previous occupant had split the line from someone else's cable and that your friend essentially inherited stolen cable?

If that's the case . . . then I think it's wrong. Otherwise, it sounds like the cable company's mistake.

[WhiskeyPapa]

If you are watching cable tv you didn't pay for that is called "Theft of Services", regardless of how it was hooked up. Even if the cable company accidentally did it.

Believe it or not, it is your responsibility to inform the cable TV company that you are accessing their signal. It is illegal to receive their transmission without paying for it.

If the cable company ever comes knocking on your door, quickly disconnect the cable from your tv and shove it under the carpet.

[Cubsfan]

According to this article:
http://news.com.com/2100-1023-930356.html

It's called "passive cable theft", which they still consider piracy. Just something to think about.

[Grimm]

If you receive something without ordering it is yours (esception being a misdelivered package). So long as a previous occupant didn't patch something to steal it you are good. The jack you are connected to in your home is yours. The signal that they send to it is a broadcast you picked up. You are not breaking any encryption of that broadcast so it is legal for you to receive it.




Of course I am not a lawyer and that is just my opinion.

[Bires]

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but isn't signing someone up for a service not requested racketeering?
It seems to me, the cable company is in the grey area of committing a crime themselves, if they were to pursue the issue against your friend if they discovered it. Legally, all THEY can do is disconnect the service. The cable company may *call* it what they want (passive piracy), but ultimately asking for compensation for something you (err…your friend) never requested is illegal.

However, like Butch and mojo said, if the line isn’t a legitimate one, I’d stop using it and give the cable comp a call.

Morally, Yes…it’s stealing. I have no stone to throw. Would anyone?

[topane]

It is theft, but I would do nothing. Is your friend in an apartment? If so, he could always play dumb if caught - "I thought it was part of the rent" or something like that.

BTW, I've had free HBO and Starz for over a year ever since a cable tech was fixing something on the utility pole in our yard. I've simply "forgotten" to tell Comcast.

[Speedfreak]

Originally posted by kb0wwp
If the cable company ever comes knocking on your door, quickly disconnect the cable from your tv and shove it under the carpet.

Hopefully the tv is small.

[Grimm]

Originally posted by Speedfreak


Hopefully the tv is small. :heh: That I want to see.

[ProMinx]

Originally posted by Butch
Is it possible that the previous occupant had split the line from someone else's cable and that your friend essentially inherited stolen cable?

If that's the case . . . then I think it's wrong. Otherwise, it sounds like the cable company's mistake.

I'm afraid that I have to agree with Butch for the most part. I also have to admit that I probably wouldn't volunteer this information to the cable company. Actually...I haven't even tried the wall cable here yet. Maybe I should check it at some point...

ProMinx

[ProMinx]

Dude...I'm the only person who chose the top option? Wow... I thought I would be the most dishonest person here with that response.

ProMinx

[InfiniteNothing]

Yes, yes it is wrong unless you do good things with it like volunteer at your local elementry school and tell them about what you learned on the history channel....that or share it with your neighbors

[Kim]

Some old guy (80's) here had been getting cable for like 10 years and he suppossedly didn't know he should have been paying for it. I guess whoever had the house before him had spliced the cable. The cable company found out and made him pay back bills for the whole time he'd been in the house.

[InfiniteNothing]

Actually they can't do that.
I could be wrong but if you have good reason to belive it was not wrong and would not hurt anyone, you can't be charged retroactively. So don't tell your "friend" that he's doing something wrong and tell him it probably is included in the rent and he's guilt free. Though I'm not 100% sure

[gear02]

If someone comes and washes your car unsolicited, do you have to pay them for services rendered? You did benefit from the wash, so technically you're stealing right?

Isn't this the same case?

[NuTs62]

how long has your friend had it? when i moved into my apartment, i had it for about a month or so. when i switched apartments, same thing. they switched it off afterwards.. perhaps it was to tempt me? :shrug:

ethical? nope.. but would most people keep it if they could? probably :P

[DankNstickY]

keep the cable.

dont do anything.

[Speedfreak]

If you ever want to get it legally, just act dumb and say you never knew it was already hooked up.

[mojo]

Originally posted by gear02
If someone comes and washes your car unsolicited, do you have to pay them for services rendered? You did benefit from the wash, so technically you're stealing right?

Isn't this the same case? actually it would be more like if the same person came by and washed your car unsolicited, and it's well known in your community that subscription car-washing is a service that's usually paid for.

you would have a point that you didn't ask for it. but at the same time it's an ongoing thing that you could easily prevent by just saying "hey, this is what's going on...and i just want to let you know that i'm not gonna pay for it."

[Merlin]

Don't ask, don't tell.

If they are pumping the signal into your home, that is it is not hacked into but a proper connection, then the onus should be on them to properly manage their system.

[whitak24]

if the cable isn't spliced, then i say do nothing.

if it is spliced, then call the company asap and have them remove the splice before they bust him and accuse him of doing it.

seriously, if they are sending the signal TO HIS HOUSE, then i say it's his. it's like if a magazine showed up in your mailbox that you hadn't subscribed to and hadn't been billed for. do you call the company and say "i didn't ask for this! please stop it!"? or do you figure they know what they're doing and just go with it?

i say go with the flow.

[mcs328]

I've noticed in my water heater closet that I have 3 cable splitters on my wall. I'm renting a condo from a friend so I'm wondering if this is normal or is everyone in my complex siphoning off of me. In my mind I should have one cable drop and my own splitter for cable tv and cable internet which I pay for. Where are these other cable signals going to???

[cheapie]

Originally posted by Merlin
Don't ask, don't tell.

If they are pumping the signal into your home, that is it is not hacked into but a proper connection, then the onus should be on them to properly manage their system.

i kind of agree. why should it be my responsibility to take my personal time to call them and inform them of their mistake. however, if they call to check and see which channels i get, i would be honest and tell them.


Originally posted by gear02
Similarly, I know some people who got cable modem, and found out they could get limited cable tv.

i'll bet this is not a mistake on the carrier's part. i have a cable modem and receive the very limited cable channels as part of the package. just the local channels plus tv guide, wgn, etc. i don't really watch them because i have directtv.

[brainsmile]

Ok here's what I know...

This line is not spliced but comes directly from the terminal to his place (house).

He's had service for a year now

[mcs328]

Originally posted by brainsmile
Ok here's what I know...

This line is not spliced but comes directly from the terminal to his place (house).

He's had service for a year now

I would say nothing then. If it looks like a legit hookup and not some hack job then I claim stupidity or an apt assumed "feature/freebie".

[gear02]

Originally posted by cheapbast@rd

i'll bet this is not a mistake on the carrier's part. i have a cable modem and receive the very limited cable channels as part of the package. just the local channels plus tv guide, wgn, etc. i don't really watch them because i have directtv.

It's not part of the package officially. Like Cox doesn't advertise that if you buy cable modem service you get free basic cable. Rather, in order to get the cable modem signal, they have to activate cable tv.

[raimin]

Originally posted by gear02


It's not part of the package officially. Like Cox doesn't advertise that if you buy cable modem service you get free basic cable. Rather, in order to get the cable modem signal, they have to activate cable tv.

and they should put on filters to block the channels.

My friend paid for his cable broadband service, and the installer forgot to bring filters, so he is getting enhanced basic service for free

[chadlnc]

That happend to someone else, they tried to aresst him for it.
http://www.geocities.com/flutocracy/cablemodem.htm

And then I found this story:
http://www.wsrcc.com/wolfgang/cable/

Moral of the story....no matter what you do, you may be screwed.

[whitak24]

Originally posted by chadlnc
That happend to someone else, they tried to aresst him for it.
http://www.geocities.com/flutocracy/cablemodem.htm

And then I found this story:
http://www.wsrcc.com/wolfgang/cable/

Moral of the story....no matter what you do, you may be screwed.
wow! that is some crazy stuff :shifty:

on second thought, brainsmile, tell your friend to stay far, far away from his cable line :eek: