Stuck without BBC iPlayer because of geo-restrictions or other internet blocks? Check out how to use a VPN for BBC iPlayer shows and radio stations so that you can access your favorite entertainment no matter where you are in the world.
Table of Contents
- 1 Can You Watch BBC iPlayer Abroad?
- 2 Can You Watch BBC iPlayer Live?
- 3 How to Choose the Best VPN for BBC iPlayer
- 4 Best BBC IPlayer VPN In 2018
- 5 How to Install and Setup a VPN
- 6 My VPN isn’t Working with BBC iPlayer
- 7 How to Watch BBC iPlayer Abroad on an iPad or Tablet
- 8 BBC iPlayer Radio
- 9 BBC iPlayer Proxy Error
- 10 Our Conclusion
BBC iPlayer is an internet streaming service that lets you tap into exclusive UK television and radio broadcasts hosted on the BBC network. Because the BBC produces some of the best quality television and radio shows, iPlayer is among the most popular choices for streaming and catchup entertainment. From the riveting criminal dramas like Collateral, Keeping Faith, and Strike: Career of Evil to the hilarious This Country, Mum, and The Young Offenders, BBC certainly knows how to keep people entertained. With the BBC iPlayer app, you can also access fascinating documentaries like Life and Death Row: The Mass Execution or Rent For Sex: Ellie Undercover, sports stations, food networks, and more.
Using iPlayer, you can watch BBC live or catch up on some of your favorite episodes that you might have missed. The BBC iPlayer app for Android is available for smartphones, tablets, computers, and smart televisions, and allows members to tune in pretty much wherever and whenever they want with one key exception – BBC iPlayer only works in the UK. In fact, if you try to access it outside the UK, you will get this message:
BBC iPlayer only works in the UK. Sorry, it’s due to rights issues.
Credit: BBC
Exclusive Limited Time Deal: 12 Months + 3 Months FREE for a yearly subscription.
This is a major problem for anyone from the UK who is traveling for business or pleasure or for people outside of the UK who have gotten hooked on this quality entertainment. While there are a few possible workarounds that people try to implement, the only way to really enjoy your BBC iPlayer app or services is through a reliable VPN.
Our recommended vpn to watch BBC iPlayer is Express VPN.
Can You Watch BBC iPlayer Abroad?
Whether you’re a UK citizen or not, when traveling abroad, you won’t be able to watch BBC iPlayer directly. That’s because of something called geo-restricted content. Without getting too technical, the BBC is required by law to restrict its content to anyone outside of the UK due to rights agreements and licensing regulations. Since only UK citizens pay taxes that cover the mandatory licensing fees, only UK citizens rightfully have access to this entertainment.
Fortunately, that is what VPNs are for. With the help of these services, you can access all of your iPlayer shows and channels even when visiting abroad. Read the next sections to learn how to watch BBC iPlayer in the USA or anywhere else.
Can You Watch BBC iPlayer Live?
BBC iPlayer Live is the BBC’s channel for broadcasting live events such as Match of the Day and Six Nations Rugby. The good news for people not in the UK is that a VPN will also unblock the live broadcasts, so you won’t miss a game wherever you are.
How to Choose the Best VPN for BBC iPlayer
If you’ve looked into VPNs, you already know there’s a lot of competition on the market. Since they all tout various features and benefits, how do you determine which one is the best BBC iPlayer VPN? While all features are beneficial in some way, there are specific features that will help you watch BBC iPlayer shows, and these are the things to look for when selecting a VPN. The most important features are:
- Bypassing Geo-restrictions
This is the most important feature – the reason you aren’t able to watch online is due to the geo-restrictions BBC iPlayer has set up. Simply put, the server reads your IP address location. If it is a UK-based IP address, it allows you to access the site. Otherwise, it rejects you. A VPN needs to bypass these geo-restrictions in order to give you access to channels like BBC One/Two/Three/Four and BBC News. - Speed
Since most of what you’ll be doing when you watch BBC iPlayer is streaming, you’ll need a fast connection. There’s nothing more frustrating than a sluggish file streaming that constantly stops and starts, losing the momentum of the show and ruining a good watching experience. Look for a VPN for iPlayer that offers good speed consistently like ExpressVPN which is known for super-fast connections. - Number of Servers/IP Addresses
The number of servers will not only ensure your streaming is faster, but it will also help with anonymity, so opt for a service with loads of servers like CyberGhost which boasts more than 1,300 servers worldwide! Also, the company should replace IP addresses as they become blacklisted, for more efficiency. - Location of Servers
One of the most important features of a VPN for BBC iPlayer is its server location. You can have hundreds of servers, but if they aren’t in the UK, this isn’t going to help you. Fortunately, most quality VPNs have servers all over the world, particularly in the UK. Multiple UK servers are even better. - Good Privacy Policies
Finally, you want a VPN with good privacy policies because, frankly, you’re doing something illegal. Trying to watch BBC iPlayer from outside of the UK is against the law, so you want to make sure that your identity is securely hidden and the VPN service you use isn’t keeping logs that can be handed over to the government if requested. A service like NordVPN is based in Panama, so there are no government issues to worry about, and no logs are kept either way.
Exclusive Limited Time Deal: 12 Months + 3 Months FREE for a yearly subscription.
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 – The Fastest, Most Reliable, and Best VPN For 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.
1 Month
12 Months + 3 Months FREE
6 Months
#2 CyberGhost – high level of security VPN
CyberGhost has a lot of fans thanks to its high level of security, a reliable 30-day money back guarantee, a 7 day free trial that truly allows you to “try before you buy.” 141 of its over 1,100 servers are located in the UK giving you plenty of choice for unblocking BBC iPlayer.
Why it’s a hot choice:
- Military-grade 256-bit AES encryption.
- Unlimited bandwidth for high speeds.
CyberGhost costs $11.99 per month, but you can bring that down to $2.75 per month if you pay for 2 years upfront or $5.99 when you pay for one year at a time.
1 Month
24 Months
12 Months
#3 NordVPN – Double Encryption And No-Log Policy
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.
1 Month
24 Months
12 Months
#4 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.
1 Month
12 Months + 5 Months FREE
3 Months
#5 SaferVPN – Fast Streaming For 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.
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24 Months
12 Months
#6 PureVPN No Buffering; Good For Watching 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.
1 Month
6 Months
1 Year
How to find the best VPN for BBC iPlayer usage, how to set up your VPN, and what to do when problems arise will all be covered right now, so stay tuned if you want to watch BBC iPlayer with no strings attached.
How to Install and Setup a VPN
- Installing a VPN is as simple as downloading any other file to your computer. Here’s how:
- Find the best VPN for BBC iPlayer (more on that below)
- Click on the download button on the VPN site you’ve chosen
- Allow the VPN access to your computer by clicking yes to the installation
Once installed, select a UK-based server, type in the site, and your BBC iPlayer will be up and running.
You can find a detailed installation guide in our VPN Reviews:
My VPN isn’t Working with BBC iPlayer
As BBC is a major corporation, it’s well aware that people are trying to hack the system. As such, BBC is always updating its security and catching spoofed IP addresses. When it finds a bogus IP, BBC blocks it, and it stops working forever.
If your VPN isn’t working, this is probably what happened. You can do two things to alleviate the issue:
Option#1: Choose a different VPN server (each VPN has multiple servers/IPs)
As mentioned, you want a VPN with multiple servers and IP addresses. That way, when one stops working, you just switch to another and continue streaming.
Option #2: Get a VPN dedicated IP
If you want uninterrupted streaming indefinitely, opt for a VPN dedicated IP. while these won’t provide the same anonymity as shared IPs, dedicated IPs are harder to blacklist since the shared IPs are the ones on the BBC’s radar.
How to Watch BBC iPlayer Abroad on an iPad or Tablet
VPNs are fast and easy to set up on your computer, but some people feel that using a VPN for BBC iPlayer viewing on a tablet is not nearly as straightforward. In reality, it’s only a step or two more difficult than setting it up on your computer. Here’s how to do it:
- Download the VPN of choice
- Go to your Settings → General → Network/VPN (depending on your version of tablet/iPad)
- Click Add VPN Configuration, leave it on the selected L2TP tab, fill out the information (most of it is information you’ll know like your account name and password and anything else you can get from the VPN service) and save it
- Now, you can turn your VPN on and off at will using the toggle switch next to that VPN and selecting the UK configuration
BBC iPlayer Radio
As the name implies, BBC iPlayer Radio is the radio stations broadcasted by the BBC. It features popular talk shows, news reporting, entertainment, and music stations, and it offers top quality radio for anyone in the UK. The same geo-restrictions apply to this subset of the BBC iPlayer, and the same workarounds (i.e., your reliable VPN) help you access your favorite radio stations uninterrupted.
BBC iPlayer Proxy Error
Up until recently, if you wanted to access geo-restricted content like the BBC iPlayer, you just set up a proxy server, and Voila! Everything was open to you. Today, the BBC has a proxy blocker, so your traditional proxy server won’t work anymore. As mentioned, the BBC is really cracking down on infringement, so it’s not surprising that this simplified version no longer works.
Our Conclusion
BBC iPlayer has some of the best programming available today, so naturally, people from all over the world want to access it. If you are tired of getting the “BBC iPlayer only works in the UK” messages, then you need to take action. Only a strong and reliable VPN will give you access to your favorite shows like Doctor Who and Peaky Blinders, so get connected with the fastest and most anonymous VPN out there today.
The Best 2018 VPN for BBC iPlayer is Express VPN.
Helpful information. Fortunate me I discovered
your site by chance, and I’m stunned why this coincidence did not happened in advance!
I bookmarked it.
Update to my last post about BBC iPlayer connection through NordVPN. If you contact there chat line they will tell you which of there server connections in the uk can access the BBC. Well done to them – great servic
Hi David, I am glad that you were able to sort it out and that NordVPN was able to assist you in finding the best possible server to watch BBC iPlayer.
Both NordVPN and expressvpn are now blocked by the BBC iPlayer. Ive been with TunnelBear for the last 18 months but they are also blocked. I signed up for the free trials with NordVPN and ExpressVPN today to see if they would work with the iPlayer. They don’t. I connected to the Expressvpn chat line. They said they are working on it and they are aware. It’s a shame they haven’t withdrawn their advertising stating they can access the iPlayer it would have saved me time. I’ve run out of options now. Does anybody know of a vpn that does have BBC access as at 1April 2018?
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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?
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.
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.
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’!!!
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 ?
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?
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.
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….
I have emailed the BBC at least 3 times to suggest just that. I would be delighted to pay the licence fee to get good TV and no B*** adverts.
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
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?
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.
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!
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?
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!
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.
Thank you Tonia,
We’ve taken this into consideration and updated our list accordingly. Your input is valuable to us!
Hi Tonia,
I thank you for your input and will include a note in the article to this effect.
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.
Nordvpn rocks on this… I have been using this to access BBC Iplayer from China.
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
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.
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!
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.
express vpn was working now blocked,support is helpful but cannot seem to be able to dodge bbc
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.
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
Hi Ingrid,
You can test 1 of the services we recommend above and use it for 30 days.
Thank you!
So much for NordVPN. Being seriously blocked!
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
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.
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!
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
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.
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
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?”
Hi John,
We would suggest ExpressVPN or NordVPN for BBC iPlayer.
Thank you! Ilana
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!!!!
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!
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”
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.
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
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.
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
I just paid for Buffered VPN and it doesnt work with BBC iplayer 🙁
How do I get my money back?
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
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.
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
BBC have blocked VPN access to iPlayer. Looks like some VPN providers have a fix for this already, hopefully Totalvpn will soon too
From France connecting to the BBC iplayer using BufferedVPN and Firefox in Win10 does not work. I player is blocked.
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
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.
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.
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!
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.
BBC Iplayer dose not work – don’t buy it
Jason,
Can you describe how BBC Iplayer isn’t working for you ?
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.
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
https://securethoughts.com/how-to-watch-netflix-outside-the-usa/
Thanks for the comment!