1984 Telescreens

In the novel when Winston and Julia are are in the Apartment above the Antique shop why is there no telescreen. Does a telescreen need to be purchased or does the government supply it?

There are no telescreens in the apartment above the antique shop because the antique shop is located in the Proles district. There are no telescreens anywhere in the Proles district because the government does not view them as a threat. The government gives them alcohol, the lottery, etc to keep them happy and well distracted so there should be no revolt from them, so the government does not feel it necessary to watch them.

The proles aren't seen as a threat to the government because they are controlled by their poverty. Telescreens aren't needed there because of that fact. Winston says that if there is any hope it lies within the proles because there are so many of them yet they do not focus on the corruption of the government.

Tellescreens aren't in the proles section because they're not seen as a threat to the government. Even though they're 80-85% of the people they're to "dumb" to understand the reasoning of the government.

Telescreens are a major accessory to the government, in controlling the inner and outer parties. But they are not used in the proles district, because the proles are uneducated. Therefore this is little to no chance of a rebellion from the proles. Winston enjoys to wander around the prole district, where he comes across the antique shop. When he becomes involved with Julia he seizes the opportunity of little freedom with her by renting the apartment above the shop. It was thought that there was no telescreens in the apartment, but are proven wrong when Winston and Julia are captured. Therefore leaving the question is the government supplies them. Which they would because the thought police are part of the government, and the thought police are the ones that captured/found Winston and Julia.