For a great selection of dramas, comedies, sports coverage, and news, Australians go to SBS, the Special Broadcasting Service. It is free to watch on the TV, on the channel’s website on demand, and through its apps. Although Australians can access it without any problems, those who travel overseas (or not Aussies whatsoever) will see only an error message. Meanwhile, the channel’s content is worth it to access from abroad. So the question is whether there is a way to watch SBS On Demand outside Australia without much hassle. Yes, there is! Read on and we will teach you how to do it.
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Why SBS Isn’t Available Everywhere?
The channel briefly explained the situation on its website: “Rights agreements mean that SBS On Demand is only available in Australia.” Indeed, if any TV network wants to air a show, it must purchase a broadcasting license from the rights holders. Every license works strictly in a specific region, in SBS’s case, this is Australia. If copyrighters discover that their intellectual property is available outside the agreed-upon country, the channel would have to pay huge fines. That’s why it had to carry out geo-blocks for everyone outside Australia.
Whenever you access SBS online or use its apps, it identifies your location by looking at your IP address. So, to watch SBS from abroad, you need to get an Australian IP address. Luckily, you don’t have to move Down Under because there is a simple service that delivers IP addresses from any country of your choice and it is called a VPN. A huge benefit of VPNs in comparison to other similar services (SmartDNS and proxies) is that it comes with Internet traffic encryption. Whenever you enable it, your data is secured against theft and monitoring. This is a great solution to maintain your digital privacy.
The Best VPNs to Unblock SBS on Demand from Other Countries
VPNs are pretty flexible services delivering lots of useful features. However, to ensure an enjoyable experience with streaming services you want to unblock, they must come with the following:
- Servers in Australia;
- Fast and smooth performance;
- Respectful attitude toward your privacy;
- User-friendly apps for your devices;
- Support 24/7;
- Affordable subscription.
No doubt, you will need all these features in place but it might be hard to find them all in one provider. Luckily, we already know which services are able to help you unblock SBS in the most professional and user-friendly matter. Take a look at the three best VPNs for SBS we singled out from dozens of counterparts:
- Provider
- User Rating
- Price
NordVPN- 14827 Votes
- $3.29 / month
PureVPN- 7715 Votes
- $3.24 / month
ExpressVPN- 6930 Votes
- $6.67 /mo
Quick Guide: How to Watch SBS On Demand Outside Australia with a VPN
A VPN will let you stream SBS on Demand as if you were in Australia for real. Just follow this simple guide to get started with a VPN:
- Get any VPN provider from our recommended list.
- Download and install the VPN client on your device.
- Start the VPN, and connect to a server in Australia.
- Visit SBS on Demand, sign in to your account, and watch the content anywhere outside Australia.
And that’s it! If you experience any problems with a connection, just clear your cache and try another Australian server. Before you access SBS, make sure you really have an Australian IP address – here is a handy IP checker tool.
Conclusion
You may not live in Australia but you can benefit from Australian television with a VPN. These services are able to unblock geo-restricted content from every country, no muss, no fuss. If you choose a feature-packed and professional VPN you will enjoy every single second of your experience. It will also protect your online privacy, to top everything off.
We hope you enjoyed our simple guide on how to watch SBS on Demand outside Australia. Got any questions? Feel free to ask us through the comments and we’ll find the answer ASAP.
I am an Aussie living between Sweden and Australia, currently in Sweden. I would love to be able to Watch SBS (and ABC if possible) On Demand…..I am not very tech literate. I have a McBook an d we have smart tv. Can I set up the VPN now while I am in sweden, or only in Oz
Hi, You can watch both SBS and ABC with a VPN, it’s really simple. Pick one of the VPNs and subscribe, install it on your device and connect to an Australian server. Once connected, open the streaming service website and log in with your credentials. If you have any problems, try changing the VPN server. You can install and use a VPN on any device and in any country, anytime.