The state-owned ZDF is the biggest TV network in Germany. It supplies family-friendly entertainment ranging from news to TV shows and movies. While German residents can watch the channel for free (on the TV and online on-demand), when they go overseas they see nothing than an error message. If you are one of those Germans living in another country, you need to know how to watch ZDF abroad. Our brief guide will tell you everything you need to know, so go ahead and read it.
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Why ZDF is not Available in Other Countries
Since ZDF is owned by the government, it comes as no surprise that its main priority is the German market. It has no interest in broadcasting overseas. Even if it wanted, it couldn’t do it without significant investments – to televise certain content for foreign viewers, the channel would have to pay extra for licenses. Clearly, it is not what ZDF intends to do. So, if it can’t serve overseas markets, it simply restricted access from the outside.
When you go to ZDF online service, the first thing it does is scans your device’s IP address. If it is not in Germany, your access is going to be denied. The way out of this situation is to fake your IP to look like you’re really in Germany. You can do so with a VPN.
Thanks to server networks spanning across the globe, such services make it possible to redirect your Internet traffic through a specific country and get a local IP address. Moreover, they encrypt your traffic thus protecting it from monitoring and inspection. This is especially important if you often travel abroad and have to use public WiFi hotspots, which are notorious for weak security.
The Best VPNs to Unblock ZDF
Before you download a VPN on your device, you need to ensure it covers all the bases in terms of functionality, security, and user experience. To unblock ZDF abroad and stay secure, you need to watch out for the following features:
- Servers based in Germany;
- Fast speeds to support smooth streaming;
- User-friendly apps for your devices;
- Fast and helpful customer service;
- Affordable subscription.
Only VPN providers that have all these features in place can guarantee enjoyable streaming. To save you time on searches, we initiated our own research, in which we checked a few dozens of providers. Below, are three VPNs that gained the highest scores – we recommend them for unblocking ZDF:
- 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 ZDF Abroad with a VPN
Although a VPN is a powerful security tool with lots of features and settings to play with, it is, in fact, super easy to use. You are required to take four simple steps before you can unblock and watch ZDF abroad:
- Register with one of the VPN providers we recommend;
- Download and install its app on your device;
- Start the app, log in using your credentials and connect to a server in Germany.
- Now you can open ZDF and watch it without any troubles.
That’s it!
You can set up a VPN on any device running Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux. If you consider yourself to be a tech-savvy person, you may even install VPN software on a router and protect every device connected to your network.
Conclusion
ZDF can become available in any country if you have a VPN. This multi-functional software will not only help get past geo-restrictions but also dramatically improve the security of your Internet connection. Try one of the services we singled out for you and we promise, you won’t be disappointed.
Do you have any more questions about how to watch ZDF abroad? We’ll happily answer them if you drop us a line in the comments!
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