How to Unblock TV Sites and Apps With A VPN – The demand and popularity for OTT streaming platforms are significantly higher nowadays, especially among the younger generation. The Gen-Z people want flexibility so they opt for streaming services that can be viewed from anywhere and anytime. Those were the bygone days when people used to watch TV at a specific time.
Despite the popularity of these streaming services, people are getting geo-blocked while watching these services. If you’ve ever encountered this error message, “Live Stream Not Available” in your area or “Content Unavailable in your country” if the block is country-specific, then it’s no surprise that you’re blocked and can’t access these services.
Still, never lose hope because we’ve come up with an excellent solution that will help you unblock and gain access to TV sites and apps from anywhere once again.
Start reading!
Table of Contents
What is Geo-Blocking?
Geo-blocking is internet censorship and the enforcement of license agreements. The licensing agreements control where certain media can be viewed and where they can’t. Geo-blocking is blocking based on a specific location.
More specifically, geo-blocking entails preventing access to a resource that is accessible across a network based on the location of the system or the user who is attempting to access it. Types of blocking are system-level blocking where the application itself ignores the access attempt, or network-level blocking, a lethal approach such as deleting IP packets.
Typically, the geo-blocking mechanism is unaware of the requester’s location. It predicts the location by the data it observes from where the request originates.
TV sites are at the forefront of this technology and mostly use it to impose geographic access restrictions on users.
Why do we get geo-blocked often?
The reason behind us getting geo-blocked is that often channels and streaming services have their own rights agreements based on a particular location.
So, they attempt to stop people from staying outside of that location to stream their content to abide by the rules and regulations of that particular location.
How do website block work?
Websites get blocked if they tend to violate the law but sometimes, they also get blocked due to moral or ethical reasons. For example, websites with adult content or any other inappropriate material can get blocked in countries with blasphemy laws.
So, how do the ISPs block the websites? What are some of the techniques they use? These are some of the ways ISPs may use to block websites in a certain region.
1) IP address blocking
Governments restrict website content that goes against the national integrity of the country or they endanger the values of the people. Local ISPs need to restrict websites that discuss issues like terrorism, drug trafficking, or the sale of illegal weapons. IP addresses are blacklisted for prevention of these acts. If anyone attempts to do any such thing, the ISP will drop their connection.
2) DNS Tampering
Government authorities try to block websites by tampering with DNS, also called “DNS Poisoning”. They do this simply by de-registering their domain. Your device cannot obtain the IP of a page because you won’t be able to access a DNS server anymore.
3) Keyword Filtering
Typically, the government relies on keyword filtering to stop the dissemination of any detrimental information. The URLs are scanned, and if they find a targeted keyword of a detrimental topic, the connection gets reset.
Are you fond of accessing TV streaming sites or apps online from anywhere?
Many TV channels from the countries like UK, the US, Canada, South East Asia as well as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan Singapore, and many others are readily available. You may have the privilege to get some of the best movies, dramas, shows, and even new programs online absolutely free of cost. These days, you can take them all just by having an internet-enabled device and a screen to watch it.
For instance, the BBC restricts access to its live programmes to every user outside the UK. Another perfect example is the website of ABC.com which has got some awesome content, still, they’re not available for everyone and are only restricted to some US markets.
Sometimes, there can be a possibility of your ISP working hard to block you. For instance, they might block KODI TV. Many ISPs can clamp down on Netflix users which means once you attempt to stream Netflix, the ISP will decrease your connection speed to a great extent so that you can’t watch.
On top of that, your school or workplace can also put certain restrictions on you. They can block you from accessing certain streaming sites so that they can prevent you from getting distracted from your study or work.
Enjoying Unblocked TV Sites & Apps with a VPN
So, we’ve already explained how different institutions and ISPs can block you from accessing certain TV sites & apps for streaming shows online. Some certain websites or platforms can also restrict you from accessing certain videos in certain locations.
A potent example of that can be YouTube, a popular media platform that can block content by showing you the error “sorry not available in your country”. These messages are appearing in tons as more people are getting restricted from accessing content from certain locations. So, you might be wondering if there is anything we can do to stop these media providers from compartmentalizing the content on the internet.
So, for them, we’ve done a little bit of research for you and got an excellent solution and that is to get a VPN. The following section of this article will give you an in-depth review of what is a VPN. And how could you use it to access restricted content over the internet, what are its types? Etc.
What is a VPN?
VPN or Virtual Private Network refers to the possibility of creating a secure network connection by utilizing public networks. They mask your online identity by encrypting your internet activity. Because of that, it becomes difficult for any third party to monitor your online activities or perform data theft. With that real-time encryption is also employed.
Why do we need a VPN to unlock streaming services?
The role of a VPN in unlocking your streaming sites and apps is of paramount importance. It is unfair to see that some streaming services are available in a country while they’re being unavailable in others. Also, the streaming content varies from country to country.
A VPN will mask your real location by altering your IP address thus tricking your streaming page. As a consequence, the geo-restricted content will become accessible from any part of the world.
However, to stop the incoming traffic, Netflix and other websites have continuously attempted to determine the IP addresses of different VPN servers. So, these region-based restrictions are tough to bypass with a petty VPN.
So, you’ve now understood the value of a VPN (Virtual Private Network) in regaining access to restricted streaming TV sites and apps. We’ve come up with some of the best VPNs that you could use to bypass these restrictions in the most hassle-free way.
How can you use a VPN for unblocking streaming sites?
By altering your IP address and making it appear as though you’re in another region, a virtual private network or a VPN can assist you in unblocking your streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu since many of them restrict access to material in specific geographical areas. It’s easy to access the chosen libraries associated with your preferred region just by altering your location.
So, these are some of the instructions you need to follow for using a VPN to connect to your favorite streaming site or app.
1) Select a VPN service – Choose a particular VPN service like NordVPN that has servers in the region where your streaming service is accessible.
2) Download the VPN and install – Install the VPN after you download it. Maintain the proper instructions before you install so that the VPN properly functions.
3) Link it up with a Server – Now, as the VPN is set, you launch it and select a server by following the prompts on the screen. You must select a proper location where the streaming service is available.
4) Log in to the Streaming site or App – You can now log in to the streaming service after establishing a connection to the server. Now, it should be easy for you to access any content that is available in that region because it will appear to the streaming service that you’re in that region.
5)Start streaming – You can now stream your preferred content easily from your location. Enjoy!
You’d have to bear in mind that access to the streaming site or app can alter anytime as not all VPNs are supported.
Best VPNs to choose from Unblock TV Sites and Apps:
So, here is a tiny list of the best VPNs that we would recommend you use when unblocking your preferred streaming sites and apps:
1) ExpressVPN
With a rigorously massive number of servers, ExpressVPN stands up to the best and ideal VPN when it comes to unblocking streaming sites or apps such as Disney+, Hulu Netflix, etc. ExpressVPN is super-fast and is not likely you’ll face any buffer issues while streaming your favorite shows. Generally, a premium membership is what you must look for while using the VPN. There are free or basic alternatives that either frequently block popular services in streaming or severely limit speeds, making your streaming a miserable experience. Some of the greatest features include concurrent connections, has automatic kill switch, a strict no-logs policy, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
2) SurfShark
It is one of the most affordable VPNs we have on our list. It provides a high-quality solution at a great value. Occasionally, the connections can become slow as compared to VPNs but there will be no DNS leaks. It is an ideal VPN for you if you’re looking for the ideal VPN to work with Amazon Firestick or Android TV.
The most well-known streaming sites and services are compatible with SurfShark. Some of them include HBO Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, etc. The VPN can easily mask location to bypass geolocation blocks.
If you’re experiencing streaming issues, it’s best to try a different server or region. Occasionally, some streaming services can detect the use of VPN, so altering locations will resolve the issue.
It also has a Kill Switch, which gives unlimited simultaneous connections, 100+ server locations, and 3200+ servers altogether. It gives you a money-back guarantee in 30 days.
3) NordVPN
It is best to use NordVPN performance to stream your preferred content. We’ve discovered that NordVPN consistently delivers strong speed and stability. The VPN functions well on mobile devices and has incredibly quick connections.
The majority of popular streaming platforms including Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney+, etc. You should try different servers if you face any streaming problems.
If you’re not sure about which server to connect to, it’s best to contact the customer support system through live chat or email.
NordVPN is compatible with all native streaming sites and apps, has 6 simultaneous connections, works on platforms like Mac, iOS, Android, and Linux, has a strict no-logs policy, has 5000+ servers, and gives a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Conclusion
So, here we’ve given you a precise list of the VPNs you can use to unblock streaming TV sites or apps. The demand for OTT platforms and TV sites is increasingly getting popular among youngsters. However due to strict rights agreements, often users get geo-blocked. In that case, using a VPN to circumvent the geo-restrictions is the best decision. We’ve primarily recommended the three best VPNs, but if you do have a preference for any other VPN, then you can use it. Just review the features of the VPN carefully before you use it.