Canada is lucky to be among the top three countries with the biggest Netflix libraries, surpassed only by the US and the UK. That still means there are approximately 200 shows and movies that Canadians can’t watch yet that are available in the US. Not to mention hit sitcoms like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which is only available on Netflix UK or Hulu – a US-only service.
Since we’ve mentioned the UK, we can’t forget about the exclusivity of the BBC iPlayer. You can only watch fan favorites like Doctor Who on the BBC’s streaming service, or get confused as the Doctor hops from platform to platform. Yep, the show got pulled from Amazon Prime – reportedly mid-episode for some viewers. It is set to appear on HBO Max when it launches May 27th, 2020 – but again, the service is exclusive to the US.
With so many shows being lost in bidding wars between streaming platforms, it’s no wonder people are turning to better alternatives. One of them involves using a VPN to bypass geo-restrictions and make the most out of Netflix’s international library.
Read on to see how you can watch content from anywhere in the world. While you’re at it, click here to find out how to get the fastest streaming speeds as well.
How to Use a Canada VPN for Streaming
VPNs used to take quite a while to set up, being more suited towards corporate or office environments. Nowadays, you can install one as easily as any other software on your computer or an app on your phone. Just pick a provider and they’ll have an installer package ready after you sign up.
Now, Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and others won’t let you access their shows (or even their platform) due to licensing issues. To respect these contracts, they block people from “incorrect” regions. How can they detect where you’re accessing their services from? All they need is your IP address, which can reveal your country, city, and even ZIP code.
A VPN helps you bypass restrictions by masking your true IP and replacing it with the one from the server you’ve connected to. To unlock Netflix’s full, international library, all you need to do is connect to a VPN server in a different country. Feel like some Always Sunny? Hop on a UK server and enjoy the show. Try the BBC iPlayer selection while you’re at it.
Do note that free VPNs are unlikely to work, since streaming services tend to block their servers fairly fast. It can even happen to subscription-based VPNs, but their funding allows them to get fresh new IPs all the time. Not to mention they can stay on top of the latest obfuscation techniques to prevent that from happening in the first place.
Aside from unlimited content, there’s another way a Canada VPN can improve your streaming convenience.
Avoid Bandwidth Throttling with a VPN
While Canadian ISPs are subject to CRTC net neutrality rules, it’s not unheard of for some providers to still throttle your connection. In fact, the CRTC sees no problem with it as long as they explicitly mention the way they throttle content.
Like to binge-watch shows? Then you might have noticed your streaming quality goes down after a while. ISPs can selectively throttle video streaming and other network-intensive applications like that. A Canada VPN will help you avoid that too, since it helps you encrypt your traffic.
Essentially, this means your network activity will appear as gibberish to outsiders – whether it’s the government, hackers, or your ISP. Since they can’t see what services make up the majority of your traffic, they can’t selectively slow them down. Of course, a VPN can’t help you if they throttle your entire connection (like when going over your data caps).
Other than that, using a VPN is a must for streaming enthusiasts. Moreover, hiding your IP and encrypting your traffic is a great way to enhance your online privacy and security. A nice bonus, even if you’re just trying to find something new to pass the time.
