A VPN is a fantastic online tool that can give a user a huge amount of benefits when it comes to going on the internet. Originally, a VPN was used for user secrecy – they essentially did not want people tracking their internet traffic or online data. It was revealed that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) all over the world were tracking their customers’ online data. They would collect all the online data for a huge amount of people, and would even go on to sell to it people like national governments and private companies. It was recently revealed that data is becoming more valuable of a commodity than oil, so it made sense that some online users wanted to protect their anonymity and data visibility
As time went on and the world became more digital, VPNs began to expand their useful features and they quickly became an all-encompassing tool for internet users. VPN usage in 2020 saw a huge boom due to the lockdown – and not just because people wanted to use the internet with more anonymity. The ability of a VPN to give users more content and access to content that would otherwise be restricted is huge, and during the pandemic, we saw a boom in VPN users that made it a much more mainstream tool. Online users might need to adjust their proxy settings for chrome, for example, to use a VPN and get the full capability.
A VPN can give its user a huge amount of content, whether it is through unblocking restricted news content to getting you rerouted to a country where your favourite sporting event is being streamed. Here are the reasons why a VPN gives you more content online:
You Can Unlock Hidden Video Content
Online streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Disney Plus, and others operate in a way where the service differs depending on where you are in the world. A good example could be if you wanted to watch Japanese anime content that is on Netflix. If you are based in the United States, you will find that this kind of content is almost non-existent. The best VPN for Netflix can reroute your streaming through Japan, giving you all the Japanese anime content you wish and allowing you to put this same process to any country or region across the world. A lot of platforms operate like this, so by not using a VPN when you stream you are essentially paying for a product and not getting full access.
You Can Watch Any Sports Broadcast In The World
When you are a big sports fan, the downside is the restrictions and upselling for the broadcasting of different events – it’s very hard to stream sports without being hit by big subscription fees. If you are a huge snooker fan in the US but want to watch the latest open, you will find it almost impossible. In the United States, you may be forced to pay for a subscription that you don’t want and it could be fairly pricey. On the other side, if you are sitting in the UK you will have free viewing of a national broadcast that is not edited, amended, or cut down. For such a small fee, it could prove to be a better option than using a streaming service in your region, and you will get access to so many global events.
Use Regionally-Exclusive Streaming Platforms
While a lot of streaming platforms are available globally and will alter the content accessible depending on geological data, some streaming platforms or sites are only available in certain countries. Big examples of this process can be found in BBC iPlayer and Hulu, which are only available in one country. Whilst they can be subscription-based, most of them are free to watch, but if you are outside the region in which you need to be to watch, you will outright have your access blocked. A VPN can provide a workaround by placing your server in the country where the streaming platform is based. Once you are connected, you can just connect to the platform through the VPN and watch as if you are in the country.
Get Better Quality Streams
Many people who try to stream the latest blockbuster on Netflix or use ESPN to watch the big NFL game on the weekend all face the risk of streaming’s biggest nightmare: the dreaded buffering. If you encounter the annoying loading icon midway through your content, you could be a victim of either poor bandwidth or network throttling. Thankfully, a VPN can help you get past the latter through its handy encryption feature. Network throttling occurs when your ISP puts in the process of cutting down your internet speed as they think you are taking up too much bandwidth. They usually do this to spread out the bandwidth of your locality, and whether you are taking in a lot of bandwidth or not, you will find that it can lead to buffering or severely downgraded stream quality. With a VPN encrypting your data and online activity, you can avoid getting your network throttled, maintain your bandwidth and get the best quality streams possible while you sit and watch sports and entertainment.
