German mobile phone users to pay TV licence fee

Germany is to charge mobile phone users a TV licence fee from April because more and more of the devices are equipped to receive radio and TV transmissions.

The licences, which were to apply to computers from April anyway, have been extended to include mobile phones as an increasing number are able to receive FM radio stations. Sales of phones with TVs are also expected to take off later this year.

People in Japan and Korea have been using TV-phones for some time and the service was launched in Berlin last summer. Customers can receive Eurosport and music station Viva Plus among other channels.

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