Best BBC iPlayer VPN 2018 – What to Do if Your BBC VPN is Not Working

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Licensing restrictions, including the need for a British postcode and a valid TV license, have made it more difficult for those living abroad to access iPlayer, the BBC’s online streaming and catch-up service. But if you’re one of the many that still wants to access the great content that it hosts, all hope is not lost. We’ve put some of the most popular VPNs through their paces and honed in on those with strong UK server footprints and reliable speeds for streaming. ExpressVPN is our top choice of provider.

Our recommended vpn to watch BBC iPlayer is Express VPN.

BBC iPlayer VPN

Best for BBC iPlayer

Exclusive Limited Time Deal: 12 Months + 3 Months FREE for a yearly subscription.

$6.67 $12.95

Why Use A VPN For BBC IPlayer Abroad Or In The UK?

Effective 2017, the UK’s national broadcaster, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) announced that users will be required to have a valid UK postcode in order to access iPlayer, its online ‘catch up’ service’ which is used to stream over 7.6 programmes per day, according to its latest published report.

The announcement followed shortly after the broadcaster also stipulated that users will need to hold a current TV license to access the site. In addition, the broadcaster will be allowed to match email addresses to catch those trying to access iPlayer that haven’t paid for their license in a further bid to control access to the popular service. All this represents a significant step up in enforcement efforts: as late as last year, user accounts were not even required to access iPlayer!

While BBC’s attempts to restrict access to its content are understandable, there is one group who have legitimate reasons to be annoyed by the new measures.

Those are the countless British expats living around the world who may still have a British postcode (and valid TV license) but are no longer physically resident in Great Britain. We’ve heard about this problem from those living in the USA, Australia, France, Canada, Spain, and Germany and all want a way to VPN BBC iPlayer.  So, our team of expert reviewers have put all the major tools through their paces and come up with this list of the best VPN services on the market that will allow you to watch BBC iPlayer abroad.

VPNs encrypt and tunnel internet connections through servers which are usually located in a different geography than where the user is trying to access the content from. Because the user’s traffic connects to the internet from the VPN server, this changes the computer’s public IP address to match the location of the server. For those trying to watch BBC iPlayer abroad, for example, this can make it seem as if the user is trying to view Coronation Street from cloudy Manchester rather than while sipping cocktails by the pool in Lanzarote (an altogether more tempting option, or at least we think so!).

Why Is My BBC IPlayer VPN Not Working?

Just as Netflix began an aggressive clampdown on VPN access (see how to access US Netflix abroad), the BBC has been taking measures designed to deny users the ability to watch BBC iPlayer abroad through a VPN connection.

The methodology taken to apply these restrictions is relatively straightforward. If enough traffic is detected exiting a similar server location in the UK and there are reasonable suspicions that it is being run by a VPN operator, that IP address is blacklisted, thereby denying users access. Despite this attempt to foil users’ attempts to watch BBC abroad, it’s still possible to gain access. How? By simply choosing a VPN provider that is able to quickly provision new VPN servers as soon as ones that arouse suspicions are blacklisted. Alternatively, discerning users can chose an operator with a wide server network in that country (because even if some are blacklisted, others may not be).

The BBC IPlayer VPN Workaround

Assuming that your VPN has enough servers to be able to reliably allow you to watch BBC abroad (and we’re willing to risk a guess that that’s why you’re reading this!), you simply need to jump around between servers until you find one that isn’t blacklisted (if, of course, any are at all).

iPlayer VPN Solution 1: If you successfully connect to a VPN server in the UK and still run into a screen like this, simply connect to another server in the UK.

how to unblock bbc iplayer with a VPN

iPlayer VPN Solution 2: The second tactic that can be tried to watch BBC abroad is to purchase a dedicated IP address located in the UK to tunnel a VPN connection through. For the tech-savvy, this can be done privately. For those less technically inclined, a number of commercial providers offer this service. It’s important to note, though, that these can still fall prey to prevention efforts if IP patterns can trace such IPs back to a server hosting them.

Best BBC IPlayer VPN In 2018

If you’ve decided that a BBC iPlayer VPN is the route you’d like to do go down to watch iPlayer abroad, read our top  choices to decide what will be the best VPN for BBC iPlayer for your needs. All of the services listed below are also top VPN for Android and iPhone, so you won’t be limited by the device when BBC streaming.

#1 ExpressVPN to Watch BBC iPlayer

ExpressVPN includes a thirty day money back guarantee with its plans in addition to offering an ultra-fast connection that’s still considered industry-leading. The service boasts server clusters in six locations around the United Kingdom and is known for quickly getting new servers up and running if needs be.

Why it’s a hot choice:

  • Six UK server clusters
  • Ultra fast speeds that are industry leading.

The service costs $12.95 for one month’s access falling to $6.67 when yearly subscriptions are taken out based on 3 extra months special, a 49% discount.

Sign up with ExpressVPN here.

Best VPN for BBC iPlayer

Exclusive Limited Time Deal: Save 49% with a 12 Months + 3 Months FREE yearly subscription.

$6.67 $12.95

#2 NordVPN to Watch BBC iPlayer

This no-log provider is a staple favorite for the ultra privacy conscious. Although NordVPN only has one server in the UK, it’s a reliable name with bulletproof security that is a good choice to access BBC iPlayer abroad for that reason alone.

Why it’s a hot choice:

  • Its no log policy mean that connections are totally anonymous.
  • Double encryption is a further boost to security.

NordVPN is priced $11.95 for a one month subscription and $5.75/month on the one year plan. Their best offer currently gets down to $3.29 per month for a 2 year subscription, a 72% discount.

Sign up with NordVPN here.

#2 VPN for BBC iPlayer

Exclusive Offer - Getn 72% off for a 2 year subscription plan.

$3.29 $11.95

#3 PrivateVPN to Watch BBC iPlayer

PrivateVPN is known for operating a high quality infrastructure network to guarantee strong speeds across its network and for not throttling connections according to usage (good for those that want to catch up on an entire week’s worth of Eastenders!). The company also operates two servers in London and one in Manchester and offers a wide variety of protocols to suit those requiring a specific kind of VPN connection.

Why it’s a hot choice:

  • No throttling
  • Three UK-based servers

PrivateVPN costs $10.95 for a 1-month subscription, falling to $3.60 with an annual subscription since they offer an extra 5 months free. A 30 day money-back guarantee is also included.

Sign up with PrivateVPN here.

#3 VPN for BBC iPlayer

Exclusive Offer - Save 67% on an annual subscription with 5 month FREE

$3.60! $10.95

#4 SaferVPN to Watch BBC iPlayer

Even though SaferVPN is a relatively new provider, it has competitively strived for the best and managed to unblock BBC iPlayer through its UK servers as well as the US Netflix library. SaferVPN has even made it easy to connect your game consoles, Apple TV or Chromecast to a VPN so that you can easily get through a Top Gear or Dr. Who marathon on the big screen. Overall it is a relatively fast, secure and an easy to use VPN making it perfect for watching BBC iPlayer abroad.

Why it’s a hot choice to stream BBC iPlayer:

  • Easy user interface making it perfect for technophobes,
  • Fast streaming, so you can watch BBC iPlayer without the glitches.

SaferVPN costs $9.99 for one month and gets even cheaper at $3.49 a month for a 24 month subscription with their current offer. And all plans come with a 30 day money-back guarantee in case it doesn’t work for you.

Sign up with SaferVPN here.

#4 VPN for BBC iPlayer

Exclusive Offer - Get 65% off for a 2 year subscription plan

$3.49 $9.99

#5 PureVPN to Watch BBC iPlayer

This VPN provider, founded in Hong Kong, offers from nice perks for those hoping to land upon an iPlayer VPN that delivers what it promises. PureVPN promises to avoid ISP throttling to eliminate buffering during streaming and supports all major devices including Kodi, Smart TV, Amazon Fire, and Chromecast, making it a great choice for those wanting to access the iPlayer app. Five UK-based servers are operated in Manchester, London, Maidenhead, Gosport, and Leicester.

Why it’s a hot choice:

  • No buffering streaming is great for accessing multimedia sites, like iPlayer.
  • Wide platform support is perfect for those hoping to catch-up on episodes from any device.

PureVPN costs $10.95 for 1 month falling to $2.80 per month when two year subscriptions are taken out.

Sign up with PureVPN here.

#5 VPN for BBC iPlayer

Exclusive Offer - Get 70% off for a 2 year subscription plan.

$2.80 $10.95

The BBC IPlayer VPN Workaround

The BBC’s attempts to enforce aggressive content practice protection shouldn’t spell doom for the countless users with a legitimate desire to watch BBC abroad. Choosing a VPN provider with a wide server network that is willing to quickly provision new servers should any fall prey to detection measures is key to getting ahead of the posse. For its industry-leading speeds, strong UK server network, and proven ability to get new sites up and running quickly, ExpressVPN is our top choice for BBC iPlayer streaming.

If you want to use the best VPN to connect to the BBC iPlayer, download and install ExpressVPN today.

Best VPN for BBC iPlayer

Exclusive Limited Time Deal: 12 Months + 3 Months FREE for a yearly subscription.

$6.67 $12.95

Related Articles:

VPN reviews
ExpressVPN review
NordVPN review
SaferVPN review
HideMyAss review
IPVanish review
PureVPN review

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63 Comments
  1. Reply dottt1@comcast.net'
    Dorothy
    March 5, 2018 at 3:02 pm

    TunnelBear worked great for me up until last week. Then I get the dreaded “rights issue” message. ITV still works fine. Very sad. So much great programming on BBC. Why the heck don’t they just sell people outside of the UK a monthly subscription? We are paying it to VPN sites anyway. The BBC could get all that money for themselves? Seems really, really stupid from a business standpoint.

  2. Reply farhanameghami.fm@gmail.com'
    Clara J
    January 13, 2018 at 10:38 pm

    After trying out various VPNs, I found out that ExpressVPN is the best VPN service you can use to bypass regional restrictions. This includes being able to stream BBC iPlayer outside the UK quickly as well. ExpressVPN makes it possible for overseas users to stream contents of BBC iPlayer quite easily. Thanks to this VPN as I no longer have to view the geo-error message “BBC iPlayer only works in the UK. Sorry, it’s due to rights issues”, every time I try to catch-up TV on BBC outside UK.
    Even though BBC started blacklisting VPN IP addresses back in 2015, ExpressVPN still works just fine for me.

  3. Reply bodeosunsanya@gmail.com'
    Mark Anderson
    January 6, 2018 at 5:25 am

    The new restrictions are so unfair and pretty annoying. I’m using Express VPN and it’s giving me a kick knowing I’m still able to win despite their horrid measures. Thanks a lot.

  4. Reply farhanameghami.fm@gmail.com'
    Clara J
    January 4, 2018 at 10:27 pm

    Even though this is a good read for those who are looking for ways to access the BBC iPlayer outside the United Kingdom, it has been out dated as of now BBC has blocked off all VPNs from gaining access to iPlayer as the server first needs to make sure that user is IN the UK for which the end point must be detectable which is not possible for private networks that are established by the VPNs. However, even though ExpressVPN was the best call, its limitation of having connection logs for internal use (aggregated ones) could have still proved to be bothersome for users trying to gaining unbound access to their favorite iPlayer. Doesn’t it now look like that a more powerful VPN is in high demand?

    • Reply shira.s@webpals.com'
      ST Editor
      January 14, 2018 at 11:31 pm

      Hi, and thanks for bringing this issue up! The BBC has become more vigilant about blocking off access to VPNs, and indeed has succeeded in making it harder to access their content when outside the UK. However, it’s still possible to access the service on many VPNs, though generally ones with more server options available per country. ExpressVPN’s minimal logs could be a non-starter for some who prefer to be completely private online, but the company continues to test well for access to iPlayer thanks to its broad server list. It’s also worth noting that as companies get better at blocking VPNs, these companies have also fought back to keep offering their customers access to the content they want, no matter where they are.

  5. Reply rosgriffiths2@gmail.com'
    Ros
    December 29, 2017 at 4:21 am

    IPVanish servers have recently been detected by BBC iPlayer and it’s impossible to watch outside the UK at the moment in spite of the fact that they have tons of UK servers. I’m hanging on hoping they find a solution but don’t hold out much hope. So can anybody confirm which VPNs actually work currently with iPlayer?

    • Reply rkenig1@gmail.com'
      Rob
      January 18, 2018 at 6:35 am

      Received a reply on IPVANISH facebook they have given up trying to access BBC iplayer and they had to remind me their service is a privacy service fundamentally. To bad I have a 2 year contract.

      • Reply shira.s@webpals.com'
        ST Editor
        January 20, 2018 at 5:42 pm

        Hi Rob, Thank you for your information, we messaged with IPVanish and they said the same thing:

        *Despite our best technical efforts, IPVanish can no longer support access to BBC. Our hope is to make IPVanish work with as many websites as possible, but it is more important for us to remain transparent with you about this restriction. The BBC has taken measures to block all VPN connections from IPVanish. Though we have implored the network not to target those protecting their online privacy with our service, these pleas have fallen upon deaf ears.*

        *While our team works hard accommodating service access for streaming video, we wish to gently remind you that IPVanish is primarily a privacy product and should be used as such. We apologize for any inconvenience.*

        We will update this article accordingly.

        • Me@me.com'
          Anon
          February 18, 2018 at 9:27 pm

          I too had that response and to be quite honest I got a brutally rude response when I suggested that I had specifically checked bout BBC iPlayer access before I signed up. Since I was now outside their 7 day guarantee period I received a response basically telling me ‘tough’!!!

  6. Reply thakur00711@gmail.com'
    James
    December 29, 2017 at 2:46 am

    Thanks for giving us the important information about various VPN Used for streaming BBC iplayer and what i do if my vpn block or not working. Can you suggest me the best vpn for this ?

  7. Reply apple123@me.com'
    Tim
    December 28, 2017 at 10:40 pm

    I was using Zenmate for a while without any issues but suddenly I’m without access!!! Any idea what the problem is? How can I be sure that I won’t run into the same problem with any of the VPN services listed here?

    • Reply
      Ilana
      December 30, 2017 at 9:58 pm

      Hi Tim,
      Nothing against Zenmate, but we can assure you that at the time of writing, all of the VPN above effectively work to unblock BBC iPlayer. You can try the 30-day money back guarantee period and decide for yourself whether you want to move forward with a contract for a cheaper price per month if the service is to your satisfaction.

  8. Reply Simonjthorpe@mac.com'
    Simon Thorpe
    December 28, 2017 at 11:39 am

    How about a class action against the BBC to force them to allow the millions outside the uk to pay the licence fee or an equivalent sum. The Beeb needs the money so why on earth do the stop me from paying? They appear to be stupid….

  9. Reply daisy@gmail.com'
    Daisy
    December 27, 2017 at 9:25 am

    Hello Mr. Daniel R. Stevens, am sorry, I don’t agree with you on this…I have used ExpressVPN and IPVanish VPN to Watch BBC iPlayer, and from my experience, I must tell you that IPVanish supposed to be the #1 on this list. It’s still the best for me. Thank you

  10. Reply shahzadwaheed0@gmail.com'
    Jawad Ali
    December 27, 2017 at 4:45 am

    I live in Turkey and there are few videos that I have been told that are available on iplayers, after dozens of my attempts to get into iplayer they recognise my IP address as suspicious. I really need to get access to their iplayer, can you help me out or do you have any VPN that could help me get a stable UK IP address?

    • Reply
      ST Editor
      December 30, 2017 at 9:55 pm

      Hi Jawad,
      As I don’t have a Turkey IP, I can’t really get the answer that would be helpful for you. Please communicate with any of the VPN services above. By experience, all – ExpressVPN, NordVPN, SaferVPN, etc. have excellent customer support via their live chat option.

  11. Reply rubyislam211@gmail.com'
    Ruby Islam
    December 26, 2017 at 6:44 pm

    Hi Daniel R. Stevens, you saved me! BBC iPlayer is damn good and many people love the awesomeness. But for me, it’s not working and getting access back was really tough with new rules. I searched a lot and finally, I have found this cool article. Outstanding job, Daniel. This post is exactly what I needed to resolve my issue. Keep posting more info. Cheers!

  12. Reply iamdonnasmith2@gmail.com'
    Susan
    December 26, 2017 at 12:09 am

    I was able to access the iplayer using Nord and Express VPN. For some reason, both suddenly stopped working .Could this be because I changed my device?

    • Reply
      Ilana
      December 30, 2017 at 9:51 pm

      Hi Susan,
      I would strongly recommend getting in touch with them through their live chat. You will get immediate assistance and troubleshooting to find the solution. ExpressVPN and NordVPN are very quick at this!

  13. Reply tonia.steciuk@gmail.com'
    TS
    December 24, 2017 at 10:12 pm

    I don’t think that HideMyAss should be on this list of recommended VPNs, it doesn’t work for BBC iPlayer.

    This is what they said on their community forum one day ago:

    Unfortunately we still have no updates. Our server team is working on a permanent solution and tho they have shared with us there were some advancements, BBC access is not yet functional.

    I apologize for the inconvenience caused by this delay and assure you that this is our top priority.

    • Reply
      Ilana
      December 30, 2017 at 9:47 pm

      Thank you Tonia,
      We’ve taken this into consideration and updated our list accordingly. Your input is valuable to us!

    • Reply
      Ilana
      December 30, 2017 at 9:46 pm

      Hi Tonia,
      I thank you for your input and will include a note in the article to this effect.

  14. Reply chloethomas1193@gmail.com'
    Theo Sam
    December 13, 2017 at 7:13 pm

    Sometimes in the past, my ExpressVPN can’t access BBC iPlayer buy it rocks now. You should try it now because I thing the service was recently updated.

  15. Reply kasperkk13@gmail.com'
    Liam
    December 11, 2017 at 9:46 am

    Nordvpn rocks on this… I have been using this to access BBC Iplayer from China.

  16. Reply Ndacedj@gmail.com'
    Dave
    December 10, 2017 at 12:47 am

    I tried the ExpressVPN, worked for a while then stopped. Probably the IP was detected….. Going to try again soon. Very informative post. I would like to know if there are any other VPNs I can use

  17. Reply mitchelledavis92@gmail.com'
    Bryant
    December 6, 2017 at 8:11 am

    I’ve been using PureVPN to watch BBC iPlayer and my review is positive. Significant areas of improvement include server connection issues and other minor issues.

  18. Reply chloethomas1193@gmail.com'
    Jack Nolan
    December 6, 2017 at 2:23 am

    BBC iPlayer is accessible with ExpressVPN and NordVPN. I use ExpressVPN though but my friend uses NordVPN and I’ve never heard himcopmlain before. The two VPNs are perfect for BBC iPlayer!

  19. Reply robinhood_1984@hotmail.com'
    JCS
    November 28, 2017 at 11:37 am

    ExpressVPN stopped working with iPlayer with me about two months ago. Their customer service was diabolical with patronising “help” telling me to do things I’d already told them quite clearly did not work and offering no clue to to when, or indeed if new servers that were not blocked would be coming online I had no choice but to cancel.

  20. Reply grahamholman@hotmail.com'
    graham
    November 17, 2017 at 7:45 pm

    express vpn was working now blocked,support is helpful but cannot seem to be able to dodge bbc

    • Reply
      Ilana
      December 20, 2017 at 1:19 am

      Hi Graham,
      Please try their customer service live chat so that they can trouble shoot together with you and walk you though it. They’re very helpful for all of our queries.

  21. Reply ramazottinz@yahoo.co.nz'
    Ingrid
    November 12, 2017 at 12:02 am

    I used to use Astrill but it has stopped working this week, will try in a few days again to see if they get access again

    • Reply
      Bryan
      November 21, 2017 at 8:44 pm

      Hi Ingrid,
      You can test 1 of the services we recommend above and use it for 30 days.
      Thank you!

  22. Reply jaca44@yahoo.com'
    James
    November 5, 2017 at 12:04 pm

    So much for NordVPN. Being seriously blocked!

  23. Reply adrian.kilvington@ntlworld.com'
    adrian
    October 7, 2017 at 10:50 pm

    i have just tried nordvpn from aus to watch bbc iplayer. it worked fine yesterday and has now stopped so its obviously detected my vpn. Would kodi work or is that a non starter as it still needs a vpn?
    thanks

    Adrian

    • Reply avi.bu@webpals.com'
      John
      October 10, 2017 at 8:22 pm

      No, Kodi won’t work as you will still need to use a VPN.

      NordVPN has more then 115 servers IPs in the UK. You can try switching to a different server, that should solve the problem. You can find the full list here.

  24. Reply mandladoux@aliceadsl.fr'
    Michael
    October 2, 2017 at 9:19 am

    Hi,
    You may be interested to know that,following numerous problems, I had an email today from Pure vpn saying they were no longer able to provide support for access to uk bbc/netflix due to the blocking activities of both. They stated this was in the interest of ensuring that customers would not be misled. I thought that this was a pretty honest admission as most vpn providers lure customers into long term contracts on the basis of glowing statements regarding geo blocking despite the seemingly increasing determination by Auntie Beeb particularly to stop you enjoying yourself. Why on earth dont they just allow expats to cough up for the licence fee to help out with their ever diminishing income. Frustrating or what but what else can you expect from the brits these days!

    • Reply
      Ilana
      December 20, 2017 at 1:32 am

      Hi Michael, I contact them purevpn via their customer service live chat for them to confirm whether they are able to access Netflix and BBC iPlayer. Their answer is yes. here are the steps:
      1. Download the browser extension:
      https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/purevpn-–-best-vpn-proxy/bfidboloedlamgdmenmlbipfnccokknp (Chrome extension )
      https://support.purevpn.com/purevpn-firefox-extension (FireFox )
      2. Login
      3. Select which website you would like to access – you will see there is an option for Netflix and BBC

  25. Reply artisticforge@yahoo.com'
    niemand
    September 6, 2017 at 1:39 am

    Have you tried ExpressVPN or NordVPN today? Nearly all VPN with servers in the UK are geo-blocked from BBC iPlayer and in some cases bbc.co.uk/news. “bbc.co.uk” is being rewritten as “bbc.com” which indicates that the BBC assumes that the connection is being made from outside the UK. Given the new technology that the BBC is using I doubt that any VPN service will be able to access BBC iPlayer.

    Accessing BBC iplayer from outside the UK using VPN has come to an end.

    • Reply
      Ilana
      September 7, 2017 at 12:46 am

      Hi Niemand,
      I was advised by customer service to try disconnecting and reconnecting to the VPN once or twice to try to watch iPlayer.
      Your feedback is always appreciated.

      Thank you,
      Ilana

  26. Reply Anne_Elliot@slingshot.co.nz'
    John Griffiths
    August 23, 2017 at 10:33 am

    I v’e been using PIA now for 3 years all ok with BBCiplayer then on 21st Aug 2017 the BBC started blocking me (I was logged in from London or Southampton).
    Question now is “who does a VPN that can beat BBC?”

    • Reply
      Ilana
      September 3, 2017 at 11:47 pm

      Hi John,
      We would suggest ExpressVPN or NordVPN for BBC iPlayer.
      Thank you! Ilana

  27. Reply Nick.king2@virgin.net'
    Nick King
    May 17, 2017 at 8:03 am

    A few years back, I set up my own VPN (openVPN) server in my house in the UK hosted on a ‘RaspberryPi I was able to do this because 1) I have a good enough upload bit rate of 10MB/sec and 2) I know how to achieve this. I have. to say, it .has never let me down.

    More recently, I was keen to see how my little home grown set up worked compared to a VPN subscription with PIA VPN. I set it up on my Firestick using the ‘OpenVPN for Android’ client.

    As for the iplayer, it all seems fine but I know that the BBC are trying to stop folk from using a VPN and I guess it must be by learning IP address ranges owned by VPN servers (Looks like Netflicks have done just that). So, I would like to think that an ‘expat’ can ask a relation living in the UK to help by setting up a VPN server along with a Dynamic DNS. Also making sure they don’t watch things they shouldn’t!!!!

  28. Reply Jwordley@gmail.com'
    John W
    March 26, 2017 at 11:22 pm

    As an expat Brit living in Canada I would love to get legal access to iplayer. I did briefly make it work with Hula but that stopped after a few weeks. I am puzzled as to why the BBC don’t sort out the licensing or copyright issues so I can purchase a monthly subscription through whatever source. There was a BBC subscription service on the Apple Store a couple of years ago but they shut that down after a year or so. I would gladly pay $15/month to get “auntie BBC” and then cut my cable connection. I installed an antenna last year which gives me more than enough local OTA TV channels. So come on BBC get with the program and earn some more revenue!

  29. Reply Mariaelisabeth1904@gmail.com'
    Phillippe
    January 16, 2017 at 8:25 am

    Found this article & comments interesting. Don’t understand enough technically to be able to grasp some of the comments, however thought I’d mention a couple of things re-VPNs I’ve recently encountered. I’ve tried several different VPN companies, & at present am using IPVanish. I’d been accessing BBC iplayer OK, when on holiday in Europe, then after 1st Oct it suddenly detected my VPN supplied UK IP address as not my actual geo location, even though I always have geo location off. What has proved interesting is that Channel 4’s All4 App sometimes, but not always, accepts or declines access to their programmes, and with IPVanish I’ve discovered that its mostly using one of their 30+ London based servers that allows them to detect my IP address as a VPN one, so I usually switch to another town location, usually with success.
    However………. since moving to France recently, I need much more frequent, regular access to BBC content on iplayer, and recently started buying Programmes from the relatively new BBC Store App. Bear with me here, as it has now become clear that since I started, as recently as Dec 2016, BUYING BBC Store programmes, which I can both download AND watch on BOTH the iplayer App AND BBC Store App, somehow Auntie Beeb’s iplayer App has determined that because I’ve bought the programmes, it ignores the VPN IP address and lets me download & watch them, BUT then if I try and download & watch an iplayer programme, unbought, it immediately refuse ps me access, saying I’m out of the UK! Go figure! What the BBC seems to be doing here is disallowing my VPN IP address to access ‘non bought’ programmes, but even though I’m still signed in using my BBC ID, it ignores my detectable VPN IP address if I purchase a programmes, even though it IS STILL a legal requirement only to both buy & download ALL BBC content while in the UK. It seems Auntie Beeb is not only playing clever at catching out VPNs but also playing ‘fast ‘n loose’ by ignoring them to allow one to both purchase & download programmes!
    Its looking like the headline should read …….”Public Service Broadcaster Cafe” offers an expensive crop of ‘rehashed meals’ on its Menu. Takeaway service at extra cost on request”

  30. Reply davidpalmer24@hotmail.co.uk'
    David
    November 22, 2016 at 2:22 am

    The BBC is blocking VPN’s now, of course some vendors make it easy for them by making their IP’s easy to track.

    Sadly privateinternetaccess.com is one such sloppy network, I even used their hidden IP’s that are only available once connected but all seem to be banned. Hell even basic popular sites that do not need a VPN do not work with many PIA IP’s.

    Their support is a bit dire, rude staff on chat (when it is working) and a 4 hour response time on messages. They also refuse to help on geo issues around content (e.g. the BBC)

    I would take issue with you promoting HMA, based on your own criteria. HMA not only keep logs but they DO NOT SUPPORT torrents and will even terminate your service if they get a report from a content provider that you have used their service for that purpose.

    I have not heard of your headline deal called Buffered VPN, I will test it myself if it does indeed have a money back guarantee.

    I would also like to suggest some other criteria

    1. You should not have run your PC as an Admin to use the service (this is highly dangerous and exposes your PC to malware)

    2. They should openly support Torrents

    3. Not doing data logging is not enough, there needs to be no accessible customer records, it was bad enough when Russian authorities raided PIA and took all their servers but the US too gets injunctions. There has to be a chinese wall between the payment info and the customer name (which should always be anonymous).

    4. Ideally you should not need an App to use the service. PIA have a way to do this where you create an LL2P config in windows, they provide the LL2p login in their portal. Apps are OK I am just saying you should have a choice.

    5. The other thing that is needed is a huge number of servers in a lot of Countries. HMA wins with the sheer number of servers and Counties but a bit pointless if you can’t do torrents. PIA has not been bad for torrents, although from time to time the server connection crashes out exposing your real IP.

    Sadly a lot of sites are refusing to even work if they detect a VPN is in use, so we may be forced to use the dark web in future.

    • Reply
      Lyndon Seitz
      November 28, 2016 at 6:08 am

      Hey David,

      Thank you so much for this information and feedback, I saw your other comment and I apologize for not getting back to this sooner, I didn’t check the comments over the holiday. I’m certain this will help other readers.

      Best,
      Lyndon

  31. Reply pentwynfarm@hotmail.com'
    Carol
    October 21, 2016 at 5:35 pm

    I have been using MediaHint to watch BBC iPlayer. It worked fine until last week. Now I can’t get it to work at all.

    • Reply
      Lyndon Seitz
      October 28, 2016 at 10:00 pm

      Hello Carol,

      How odd. Have you tried contacting their customer service or support options to see if you can get an explanation from them?

      Best,
      Lyndon

  32. Reply lclement4@gmail.com'
    Louise Clement
    September 23, 2016 at 6:43 am

    I just paid for Buffered VPN and it doesnt work with BBC iplayer 🙁
    How do I get my money back?

    • Reply
      Lyndon Seitz
      September 28, 2016 at 4:35 pm

      Hello Louise,

      Sorry to hear about your issues, it seems to be a constant back and forth between content providers and VPN service providers. I would recommend contacting their customer service department to see if there is anything you can do.

      Best,
      Lyndon

  33. Reply Dongen.arjan@gmail.com'
    Alfred
    September 17, 2016 at 12:42 pm

    Ipvanish is not working anymore for BBC iPlayer… tested all locations but they see its VPN i guess its because of their domainnames of the servers… all ipvanish in it. Posted a question of their Facebook page.

    • Reply
      Lyndon Seitz
      September 18, 2016 at 5:49 am

      Hey Alfred,

      Sorry to hear about this. Chances are it’ll be a constant back and forth here for quite a while. Let us know if you find out anything!

      Best,
      Lyndon

  34. Reply saamsmith2@gmail.com'
    sam smith
    July 13, 2016 at 12:49 am

    BBC have blocked VPN access to iPlayer. Looks like some VPN providers have a fix for this already, hopefully Totalvpn will soon too

  35. Reply andyybonfacebook@btinternet.com'
    Andy B
    June 24, 2016 at 7:15 pm

    From France connecting to the BBC iplayer using BufferedVPN and Firefox in Win10 does not work. I player is blocked.

    • Reply
      Lyndon Seitz
      June 28, 2016 at 9:22 am

      Sorry to hear that Andy, unfortunately its a constant struggle of workarounds and blocks with these services. Hopefully BufferedVPN can fix the problem soon so people can enjoy the BBC iPlayer again.

      Best,
      Lyndon

  36. Reply nospam@nospam.goaway.uk'
    M Davison
    June 8, 2016 at 7:26 am

    A UK VPN IP number is no longer sufficient to access iPlayer. It’s fraudulent to suggest to people that they should pay for a VPN so that they can get iPlayer; when the BBC are blocking all recognised VPNs ‘and’ requiring browsers to have geo-location enabled…. which is an additional layer of geo-information that the user needs to be able to spoof.

    • Reply
      Lyndon Seitz
      June 20, 2016 at 10:12 am

      M Davison,

      We have tested the Buffered VPN after you made this comment from the USA and we were able to access BBC player. Have you tested this yourself or are you just saying that ? We tested this 24th of June 2016.

  37. Reply dave@bulktext.ie'
    David Young
    May 15, 2016 at 8:33 pm

    I tried to access and download BBC iPlayer last week using BufferedVPN from South Africa. Despite trying all of their locations within the UK, BBC iPlayer is blocked. This article explains why https://torrentfreak.com/bbc-iplayer-blocks-uk-vpn-servers-over-piracy-concerns-151016/

    It’s time that BufferedVPN acknowledged that the BBC has them stumped, so they should stop advertising their UK VPN’s because it causes a huge amount of frustration!

    • Reply
      Lyndon Seitz
      May 16, 2016 at 9:00 am

      Thanks David,

      We have updated our recommendation to BufferedVPN, their servers don’t seem to be getting blocked by BBC. It is a bit of a hit and miss situation at the moment where things are fluid and changing daily. Give them a try and let me know how it goes.

      Thanks for the update.

  38. Reply Jason.tunnicliffe@googlemail.co.uk'
    Jason
    May 3, 2016 at 3:52 pm

    BBC Iplayer dose not work – don’t buy it

    • Reply
      Lyndon Seitz
      May 9, 2016 at 8:53 am

      Jason,

      Can you describe how BBC Iplayer isn’t working for you ?

  39. Reply Nope@email.com'
    Jen
    December 28, 2015 at 4:13 am

    Nope – none of this because
    BBC . If we detect you might be using a VPN, you’ll be unable to play programmes. This is because we’re unable to detect the end point of your private network; we need to be confident you’re in the UK.

    • Reply
      Lyndon Seitz
      December 30, 2015 at 8:42 am

      Hey Jen – nice name 🙂
      You are right – due to piracy concerns, as of October 2015, VPN users have been blocked from using the BBc iPlayer.
      At least we can still catch a lot of those shows on Netflix and Hulu
      /how-to-watch-netflix-outside-the-usa/
      Thanks for the comment!

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