UPDATE 01/07/2020: Police confirm arrest for individual supplying illegal streams. Read more HERE.
IPTV providers had a tough time last year, when the Xtream Codes panel was seized by Italian authorities. And they may have thought that with major sports events postponed due to COVID-19, they would fly under the radar, with sports being one of the biggest reasons people buy subscriptions.
That was until today, when several providers were claimed to have been shutdown. Across the web, in places like Reddit and other forums, people have been posting images of their IPTV services no longer working, and with a special message popping up on the screen.
The message on the IPTV services states:
This illegal stream has been seized by Norfolk and Suffolk Police.
Watching illegal broadcasts is a crime
Your IP address has been recorded
You are instructed to cease and desist immediately from all illegal media streaming
How legit the message is, is unknown for now. Is it just a scare tactic? Maybe. But with many people using VPNs and IPTV providers using security to navigate blocks and other obstacles, it is unlikely there is any truth to the fact they have everyones IP Address.
What is for certain though, is that there will be many disappointed people who have subascriptions that no longer work.
Some providers have advised they will be back, and weve no doubt that will be true. Afterall, there will always be people that look to make a few quid as it is such a big market, due to the rising costs of cable and satellite TV. However, many subscription holders have also seen their providers doing a runner and leaving them high and dry. Maybe a spot of karma for them? Well let you decide that one.
For now though, it seems the authorities may have won the latest battle with illegal IPTV streams. But will they win the war?
For even more tech news, click right HERE.
11 comments
This is fake.
No report from either police departments and also police wouldn’t leave the service running. Also resellers and super resellers are still able to login to there panels.
Do some proper research prior to reporting fake news or scare tactics
The pictures are real, we’re just reporting on what has been circulating. Apparently it’s from a major provider according to sources on reddit.
However, it appears that rumours are now suggesting they’ve just up and run, and the police story is just a cover up.
We’ll be updating the post or making a new one when we have more information.
This is the IPTV service global. The screenshot is real however this is not a message from the police. It is a common tactic used by IPTV service providers when they want to shut down and take the money with limited hassle.
That picture is so obviously fake I can’t believe you fell for it. And it’s basically nailed it that they have done a runner.
Fortunately my sub ran out a couple of weeks ago and I’d held off renewing because there was obviously some shady shit going on.
We know, we were just reporting on the online rumours. We’ve an update post going live later today with more upto date information.
This is why you use a VPN
My iptv provider is Premium IPTV. I heard about a couple of iptv services that were shut down. I was told that this provider is legal in the U.S.A. where I live in that it does not recommend users use a VPN, as many providers do. So far, it is working fine on my TV and smartphone. Is this provider included in the shutdown? Is this provider legal? Are any of the iptv providers that offer international stations legal? If so, how can I tell the legal ones from the illegal ones, in case I want to change providers?
If your service is working, it won’t have been one affected by the shutdown. As the service affected has completely gone.
Whether it is legal or not is another thing. Using a VPN or not doesn’t make it any more or less legal. But unless they’re an official cable or satellite supplier, it is likely they are providing illegal streams. Because they won’t have the legal rights to show the channels they’re offering. Especially if it is content you would normally have to pay extra for from typical providers such as sports or movie channels.
Covid-19 has created a significant impact on the subscriptions of IPTV. IPTV service providers have shut down due to the pandemic supplying illegal streams is the most significant problem. I too heard about this special message popping up on the screen about the illegal streaming. Great Job by Norfolk and Suffolk police.
Co sidering the operations all take place online, it’d be interesting to hear why you think COVID-19 has played a part. Because other than police being less busy on the streets maybe, freeing up some resources with everyone self isolating, I don’t quite see how it would’ve impacted it. If anything you’d suspect iptv services to be growing with more people staying at home and looking to save a few pennies.
I think the decline in the number of sporting events led to fewer people taking up IPTV subscriptions but that is now changing with the lifting of lockdown restrictions.
I also think it is no coincidence that there have been fewer internet service provider blocks on IPTV since there has been a lack in sporting events. Since the premier league has returned the number of ISP blocks are increasing again.
Possibly why this bust has taken place, due to increased demand in watching sports?