How To Access Blocked UK Sites When Overseas

In the ever-expanding world of the internet, there still lie restrictions and limitations on accessing information and entertainment.

If you are traveling or living outside the UK, you might have faced pesky geo-restrictions on UK websites. These limitations often lead to missing out on the latest TV shows and live television. However, by utilizing a premium VPN, as suggested by a leading VPN review site BestVPN.co.

VPNs were originally designed for data privacy and linking two remote networks in different locations. All the data transferring through a VPN server is essentially encrypted and takes different routes before reaching its destination. That’s why it’s called “virtual” instead of a physical connection.

You can use a VPN in different ways. The easiest option is to get a web browser VPN plugin, which functions solely for the app. While this provides an adequate level of protection, it doesn’t secure your other online activities like email, torrenting, gaming, and file transfer. For enhancedbu protection and an added layer of privacy, it’s recommended to install the VPN client for your operating system to encrypt your entire internet traffic.

Another tech tool used to access geo-restricted sites is a “proxy server.”  It is essentially a server that serves as a pathway for various purposes, such as managing internet traffic and blocking undesirable websites. Some proxy servers store user data to minimize their workload.

Anonymous proxy servers are mostly used to conceal your location, hence, enhancing your privacy. It was an effective way of accessing geo-blocked sites before TOR gained widespread recognition. For example, you can use a proxy server to watch BBC iPlayer outside the UK.

By now, you’ve likely got an idea about the usage of both VPNs and proxy servers. Using both these methods can help you access UK websites and streaming platforms with geo-restrictions. However, we recommend using a premium VPN like ExpressVPN as it’s faster and more secure.

Using a VPN: Pros and Cons

The main positive aspect of using a VPN is its ability to protect your online activities from prying eyes. Whether it’s your school, workplace, or ISP, they’ll only see encrypted data transferring from remote servers. Moreover, you can trick your local UK websites into thinking as if you are located back home while connecting through a remote VPN server. This means you can easily access BBC iPlayer, ITV, and other UK websites.

VPNs have become popular for two main reasons. Firstly, they keep your online presence secure with the use of the latest AES 256-bit encryption and other privacy features. Secondly, you can effectively use them to hide your actual whereabouts and access geo-restricted websites by simply changing your IP address.

The main downsides to VPNs are speed and, with premium services, their cost. Encryption and the additional server route cause a slight change in the actual speed of your internet connection. However, a premium VPN may help you bypass ISP throttling, which is a positive thing.

Moreover, premium VPNs come with a significant monthly or annual cost. However, if you’re moving overseas for a brief stay, you can avail of the 30-day money-back guarantee of premium VPNs and use them for free.

While a VPN keeps your online information hidden from ISPs, websites, and government surveillance, it does store user data. If privacy is important to you, choose a VPN that provides a clear No-Logging Policy. For instance, ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands and doesn’t store your cache, cookies, and personal credentials.

Wrap Up

In general, we recommend opting for a premium VPN service instead of using a free VPN or proxy servers. Whether you are a binge-watcher looking to stream your favorite shows overseas or you want to browse the internet privately, a top-quality VPN is a must-have tool in your tech armory.

Thanks to the latest interventions, setting up and using a VPN has become far easier than it was before.  Modern VPNs offer user-friendly apps with one-click connectivity. Even if you are unable to set up a VPN, premium providers offer 24/7 customer support to help you fix your issues.