As more viewers take to watching programmes through internet services such as the BBC’s iPlayer and the ITV Player, concern has grown that the new technology could be used as a loophole to avoid paying the licence fee of £145.50 a year.
According to TV Licensing, a licence is required to watch television “as it’s being broadcast” – even if the viewer is using a computer, laptop or mobile phone.
However no licence is required for viewers who are only using “catch-up” services online to watch programmes that have already been broadcast.
This fine distinction led to suspicions that it would be difficult to gather evidence to catch and punish online pirates.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/8219280/Online-viewers-prosecuted-for-not-paying-TV-licence.html

This fine distinction led to suspicions that it would be difficult to gather evidence to catch and punish online pirates.

They changed the law here, you have to buy a TV licence, if you have an internet connected computer...

Fine the lot of them..... standing outside a shop window watch a TV, fine them. Thinking about watch a TV, fine them. Have a dump, fine them.

Thing is, you don't need a license for a portable TV that runs off batteries. So the mobile phone thing seems rather odd to me.

I was under the impression that portable TVs (and, in fact, all portable equipment) was covered by your Household TV licence; thus if you don't have a licence for your home, you shouldn't be using portable TVs.