You unwitingly broke the law when you signed up for the Stream service. Even without the latest software update which shows a small live TV box you shouldn't have ordered the device in the first place as per the
https://www.virginmedia.com/legal/stream terms and conditions, VM does state that you need a valid TV licence.
See Section 5 Entertainment Subscriptions
. 5.5 Stream requires a valid TV licence in order to access, we recommend familiarising yourself with the TV licensing requirements and obtaining one if necessary. We will not continue to provide you with the Stream service if we find out that you do not have a valid television licence .More information is available at: Do I need a TV Licence? - TV Licensing ™
No. That's VMs terms and conditions, not the law. There is a very big difference. VMs update, technically caused me to carry out a criminal act (TV licencing law is criminal, not civil). In any case I did have a TV licence when I ordered, I never said I didn't you are just making incorrect assumptions there. I cancelled it a few months ago. VMs terms and conditions are kind of incorrect in stating "Stream requires a valid TV licence in order to access", legally it didn't. The terms state that VM "recommend familiarising yourself with the TV licensing requirements and obtaining one if necessary" I did that and discovered that you do not legally need one - at least you didn't - so long as you didn't stray into the live TV section or load up iplayer. As per VMs own link to TV licencing, you only need one if you watch live tv in any form or access on demand via iPlayer. I was very careful to do neither. You can use other apps/catchup as you want. VM also do not state that I need to tell them if I no longer have a TV licence, only that they will stop the stream service if they find I don't have one, placing the onus on them. They haven't managed to do that yet obviously. I was 100% completely within the law until this update, it wasn't from the point I ordered it. It was VMs update that made me break the law.
There are still a few roku sticks available via resellers on /www.amazon , and there is also the option of purchasing amazon firesticks.
Reseller ones are overpriced and may not be UK spec, so its a no thanks for that. Fire sticks are awful, chromecast/android TV don't have channel 4's app.
If you don't have a TV licence then I suggest that you contact VM and cancel the Stream service. I'm afraid the forum staff don't have access to the cancellation or regrade systems.
You could try the online cancellation route https://www.virginmedia.com/help/cancel-virgin-media
Even if I hadn't already stated that I was going to leave VM completely for a much better service, why would I bother just cancelling stream? its free, I'll just keep it unplugged. So long as I'm not using it; I'm within the law and I'd only have to deal with VMs customer service to cancel, which is truly awful always.
Edited to add -
- If VM had even put up a pop up saying something like "We've added a live preview to the screen, by continuing you'll need to make sure you have a TV licence" there wouldn't have been an issue. I'd have unplugged it there and then and not broken the law.
- It's now streaming live TV even on menus, living in a overcongested area I would have had an issue with it using that badwidth when I'm on a settings menu and there is no need for it to do that.