"Surely the technology exists (in 2020) for us over here to pay our dues for BBC1 etc AND to be able to buy anything else, such as Rugby, or Tennis, or whatever. And from wherever in the world? " The technology is not the problem. Rights issues are the problem. The BBC/ITV etc do not have the right to transmit programs in France because French providers pay for that exclusive right.That is also why you are not allowed to watch US programs in the UK. You can currently watch UK programs via satellite due to satellite 'spillover' into France which is allowed. You can also watch those programs anywhere in the EU as long as you are registered as a UK citizen and as long as the UK is still part of that deal. But you cannot subscribe to a British TV broadcaster using a French address. Same with Google play, you only access the apps in the play store of the country where you registered your Google play account. That is why most Brits do not have the Orange TV app on their smartphone while all Orange customers have the right to use it anywhere in the EU, including British customers living in France.