Changes to the license fee
Coming from England I was used to paying a license fee for my television, but in Germany you also pay a license fee for radios. As a student this meant, that although I didn’t own a television, I still paid a license fee for my portable radio that I brought here with me.
When I moved to Germany permanently, I had a television, so I obviously paid the higher fee for that as well.
But since 1st January, a lot of other electrical equipment needs to be licensed. Take the computer, which until now only counted if it had a TV- or Radio-card in it. Now it counts as a radio if it can access the internet. The same can be true of mobile phones, if they have UMTS or a radio in them.
Now, if you already pay for your radio and television, then you don’t pay anything extra for these items. But for students living here maybe without a TV and radio, but bringing their laptop with them, they are now liable to pay the license fee for it.
Self-employed people are especially affected, because the private TV license does not cover your business PC.
If you are coming to Germany and want to be sure what you have to register, read the FAQ on www.gez.de or contact the GEZ itself to be on the safe side!
