Mr Chug Freeman
By email to mailto:[FOI #27788 email]
10th February 2010
Dear Mr Freeman,
Requests for Information – RFI20100142
Thank you for your emails, received on 28th January 2010. Your queries have been dealt with as requests
under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“the Act”).
Before I respond to your queries, it may be helpful if I first explain the nature of the relationship between
TV Licensing and the BBC. ‘TV Licensing’ is a trade mark of the BBC and is used under licence by
companies contracted by the BBC to administer the collection of television licence fees and enforcement of
the television licensing system. The majority of administration is contracted to Capita Business Services
Ltd., with cash related payment schemes contracted to Revenues Management Services Ltd. Over-the-
counter services are provided by PayPoint plc. Marketing and public relations activities are contracted to
the AMV Consortium. This consortium is made up of the following four companies: Abbott Mead Vickers
BBDO Ltd., Fishburn Hedges Boys Williams Ltd., PHD Media Ltd. and Proximity London Ltd. The BBC is a
public authority in respect of its television licensing functions and retains overall responsibility.
I have paraphrased your queries as follows:
1. Can you confirm the BBC has registered the following domain names and confirm why?
•
bbctvlicence.info
•
bbctvlicence.co.uk
•
bbctvlicence.biz
•
bbctvlicence.net
•
bbctvlicence.org.uk
•
bbctvlicence.org
I can confirm that the BBC registered the domain names listed above. The BBC, like many high profile
organisations, considers it good practice to reserve domain names that are broadly similar to active domain
name(s). There are good reasons for such registrations including:
• Prevention of damage to the TV Licensing brand caused by similarly worded sites being used for
illegal or questionable purposes; and
• Prevention of fraud that might be accomplished by similarly worded sites offering imitation TV
Licensing payment facilities.
Your appeal rights
This enquiry has been dealt with under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act, as indicated above. If
you are not satisfied that we have complied with the Act in responding to your request, you have the right
to an internal review by a BBC senior manager or legal adviser. Please contact us at the address above
explaining what you would like us to review and including the reference number given at the start of this
letter. If you are not satisfied with the internal review, you may appeal to the Information Commissioner,
whose contact details are as follows: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF; telephone: 01625 545700; www.ico.gov.uk.
I hope this response is helpful.
Yours sincerely,
Dan McGregor
Senior Policy Adviser, TV Licensing Management Team
