Nowadays many people are switching from traditional TV subscriptions to online streaming. If you live in Belgium you’ll have access to many great streaming platforms like Netflix Belgium, HBO Belgium, and Belgian TV. But, if you want access to more online content you’re going to need a little bit of help.
What’s the problem
Even though you can access all your favourite Belgian content while in Belgium, you won’t be able to access content from any other country – for example, Netflix USA. Everytime you try to connect to Netflix you will be redirected to the main site – which only provides content based on where you live. This is because Netflix operates in many countries – including Belgium. But, if you try to access BBC iPlayer, a UK only streaming platform, you will be unable to watch anything. You will constantly receive the message “BBC iPlayer only works in the UK. Sorry, it’s due to rights issues”.
The problem is content copyright and licensing. Depending on which country you live in, you will be limited to certain content. Only people from Belgium can view Belgian licensed content, and the same goes for other countries. Every time you try to access a website, they can see where you are based on your IP address and the website/company can prevent your access or redirect you to the relevant content.
But why should you even bother? Isn’t Belgian Netflix good enough? Well, not exactly. Yes, there are plenty of movies and series for you to watch, but Netflix USA by far has the biggest piece of the pie. As of 2018, Netflix USA had over 10% more content than the European platforms. If you want to access content beyond your geographical location and gain access to much more content all over the world, you’re going to need a VPN.
How to use a VPN
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) will allow you to get passed all of these content limitations with a click of a button. Next time you want to watch amerikaanse Netflix you just have to connect to an American server. Most VPNs are very simple, but effective. All you have to do is choose which country you want to connect to and your IP will change to that country. Then the next time you try to connect to Netflix, they will see an American IP address and redirect you to the American content. It’s as simple as that.
The only difficulty with using a VPN is finding the right one. You’ll need to choose one that has plenty of servers and decent connection speed. There are many VPNs that will be able to connect you to Netflix USA, but once connected you might find it impossible to watch. No matter how stable your home internet connection is, if the VPNs connection speeds aren’t up to scratch then you will feel significant delays in connection. There are plenty of popular VPNs that offer reliable connection speeds and plenty of servers so that you won’t have to struggle for very long.
