Accessing the iPlayer abroad is simply not possible, due to geo-restrictions that BBC enforces. No one in any other country outside the UK can watch any of this content because the BBC blocks non-UK-based users -even users in nearby Ireland.

If you think that this is not fair, you are not alone. However, the UK likes keeping their content private, and so it’s only possible to access it from within UK borders. Copyright holders insist upon it, and the UK decided to fulfill their demands. So if you want to watch BBC iPlayer in the US, for example, you will get a message that the content is not available in your country. The same goes for every other location. This is because the BBC blocks foreigners from accessing the iPlayer by blocking all non-UK addresses.

VPNs work because they have servers in different countries all around the world, including the UK. They connect to a specific server, and you get a new IP address specifically for that country. The new IP address is local to the area where the server is located, which means that when you use it, the internet “sees” you as local to that region as well.

As we mentioned earlier, BBC iPlayer is a free streaming service. However, you still need to create an account in order to access its content. This is a simple process, and we will explain it later in this article. What is more important is that BBC iPlayer demands that you have a TV license in order to watch it. We already mentioned that the UK’s copyright holders won the battle for their legal rights, and these laws are now pretty serious.

There are many VPN providers currently out there, but the quality of their services vary. The last thing you want is to pay for a VPN that doesn’t suit your needs, so you’ll need to do some research to understand the particular features that each VPN has. You probably don’t need the one that offers the most features – just the right ones.

1. Server network

The first and most important thing that your VPN needs to have is a server in the UK. Not every provider has one, so make sure that the UK is on the list of countries that your chosen provider covers.

2. Speed

Next, you need a fast VPN, since you are going to use it for watching videos. VPNs encrypt your data and send it through the server of your choice. Doing so is bound to affect your internet speed. If you choose a slow provider, you won’t be able to watch videos. This is why you need to find one with unlimited speeds.

3. Multiple connections

Also, you should try to find a VPN that offers multiple, simultaneous connections. This will allow you to quickly go back and forth between your devices. Imagine if every time you switched devices, you had to log out of your VPN on one device and log in on the next one. It would take time and effort, and sometimes you are in a hurry and don’t want to waste time signing in every time.

Luckily, many VPNs offer three to five simultaneous connections or even more. This means that you can use the same VPN account on that many devices at the same time. Just download the VPN’s app on every one of your devices, log in on all of them, and you can be sure that all of them are protected.

4. Price

Of course, you want to find a VPN that won’t take too much money for its services. Most of them cost between $5 and $10 per month – oftentimes, even less depending on the provider’s current promotion. The price does not always determine the quality of the VPN. There are great VPNs that won’t break the bank, and the more costly VPNs might simply be offering you features that you will never use.

5. Strong encryption and protocols

If you are in a country that monitors or logs your online actions or has strong censorship rules and laws, you’ll need strong encryption and protocols.

That is why you need to make sure that your protection is the best available. Luckily, only a few countries have really strong laws against VPNs, so you should avoid using a VPN if you are located in one of those countries. Otherwise, you might be risking getting banned from online services is a strong possibility.