How to Watch British TV in Australia (UK BBC)

Yes, it’s actually possible even from the other side of the world, you can watch UK TV online in Australia.  What’s more it’s not that difficult to do, so for lovers of British Television it’s worth the effort and the small expense.

Now at first glance you’d think this would be simple, after all every single UK TV station has an extensive online presence. There’s the wonderful BBC who allow you to live stream, watch from archives and even download to watch online all the BBC channels. For the commercial stations you’ve got ITVX, Channel 4 have ‘All 4 and My 5 for Channel 5.

Every one of these stations includes live streaming channels plus archives to watch whenever you like. The biggest ones BBC iPlayer and ITV are absolutely huge and can easily provide something great to watch every night including drama, soaps, comedies, documentaries and movies.

Usage Restricted to UK Users

The quality is amazing as long as you have a decent internet connection to support HD and you can even stream these shows direct to your TV using the right cables or technology. However, there is one small issue to circumvent before you can start watching UK TV in Australia or anywhere outside the UK.

That is region blocks or geo-blocking, the technology that all major media sites use to restrict access to specific locations – all the UK stations use this to stop anyone from outside the UK watching online.

The method they use is quite simple, when you visit the site, they check your IP address and look up to see what country it’s registered to – anything other than the UK and you’ll get this message:

You’ll get a similar message for the other UK TV stations too from an Australian internet connection.

Geo-Blocking Technology is Everywhere in 2024

It’s not just British TV online which do this though, Australian media like ABC block access from outside Australia. In fact, most developed countries in the world restrict access to their domestic market because of copyright restrictions. Try and watch any online US stations or those from European countries and you’ll get exactly the same issue. When it comes to online media and entertainment sites, the internet is actually getting much smaller by the day.

The technology they’re using to achieve this is actually quite simple and happens pretty much in the background. When you visit a site like the BBC or ITV it records your IP address. This address is then checked to see which country it’s registered in – if it’s not from the UK then you’re redirected to the international version which has no TV or streaming capability.

So, what can we do about it? Is there a way to enjoy the UK version of Love Island abroad, watch NFL news from the States or for expats to keep in touch with the BBC?

Here’s How to Watch UK TV in Australia

What you need to do, is take some control of your IP address which how all these sites determine your location. Although you can’t actually change this address (unless you own an ISP), you can hide your true location by using something called a VPN (Virtual Private Network). As long as the VPN server is located in the country you need then you’ll be able to access whatever you like and watch whatever you want. Obviously for the BBC and other UK TV stations you need the server to be registered in the UK.

Here’s an example of one being used in this video:  –

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As you can see, if you route your connection through a UK based server then everything will work perfectly. The program illustrated in the video also includes access to servers all around the world so you can switch countries whenever you like.

UK TV VPN Recommendation

If you just want a recommendation for a fast, affordable VPN service that works well for watching British TV the we can suggest NordVPN. It’s definitely not the only one that works, but is the most reliable we’ve found for BBC iPlayer (which is many people’s priority). It’s certainly the most popular and thousands of people use it every day from Australia to enjoy their fix of UK Television online.

If you want to read more about this issue then please read on.

Choosing the Right VPN for UK Television in Australia

There are many of these VPN services around for small subscriptions but be careful which you choose. The BBC blocks many of them routinely, most of the cheaper services don’t work anymore as their overloaded connections are easy to detect. The other channels are also increasing their detection facilities too so you should double check if you want to watch ITV Player abroad or something similar. Although some still work the majority of VPNs have given up trying to keep British TV sites available on their services.

How VPNs Get Blocked!

Although using a VPN is generally quite simply in 2023, you should be aware that they are not all equal. There are a couple of things you should check before you invest in any long subscriptions for watching UK TV stations from Australia.

Arguably the most important is simply that it actually works with your desired UK TV stations from Australia. For most of us, these will be BBC iPlayer, ITVX and possibly stations like All4, Channel 5 and Sky. Out of these, by far the most aggressive at blocking access to VPN is currently the BBC iPlayer.

So how do companies like the BBC actually block VPN connections? How can they tell you’re hiding your IP address behind another computer. Well the methods are actually simpler than you might imagine and certainly don’t involve any highly technical VPN detection system.

Main methods that UK TV sites use to detect and block VPNs.

1. IP Blacklists – yes, there are shared lists of IP addresses which are known to be used for proxies and VPNs. If your VPN provider uses these IP addresses then you’ll get blocked automatically when trying to stream from most of the UK TV channels. It’s why none of the free and super cheap services work anymore with popular TV sites, all their IP’s are on these lists.
2. Concurrent IP Connections – this sounds technical, but is more like a common sense detection system. Basically an application like BBC iPlayer will monitor how many streaming connections are originating from each IP address. If they see hundreds or thousands all viewing different TV shows from the same IP then there’s a huge probability that it’s a proxy/VPN connection.
3. Target Individual Companies – anyone can sign up to a VPN service and check which IP addresses they’re using. Also any VPN company who starts openly advertising this TV circumvention or worse starts infringing on trademark use is likely to be targeted very quickly both by technical and legal teams!

However, there are still a few which work – generally they’re usually the more serious security programs or those smaller companies who don’t have lots of ‘TV watching’ users.  They often cost a little more but if you want a reliable service to watch the BBC on a computer for example then the very cheapest don’t work.

Specialized ‘UK VPN TV’ Servers

The other option is to pick one of the bigger services like NordVPN which make an active effort to maintain access for TV sites. They have an interesting tactic of optimizing access to a specific range of servers. Instead of trying to keep every single IP address in the UK open to the BBC, they maintain access to a small selection of specific servers instead.

This tactic makes the task much more manageable, taking a small subsection means they can manage use and limit access. Also they can rotate the IP addresses routinely on these specified servers to protect any detection.

So if you choose NordVPN, then make sure you select one of the ‘BBC enabled’ servers when you connect as these are much more likely to work.  Currently in 2023, these are UK# 1840-1847, 1850-1863, 1865, 1869, 1873, 1875-1878, 1880-1881, 1900-1901, 1903-1904, 1911, 1913, 1917, 1919-1920.

FAQ – Additional Questions

Here’s a selection of specific questions received on this site – we’ve covered some directly or indirectly in the post previously but reprinted for convenience.

Can I Stream Aus TV with a VPN ?

Yes, when you leave Australia then you’ll face the exact geo-blocking technology in reverse. Sites like ABC only allow access to Australian IP addresses. If your VPN has an Australian server connect to this while abroad and all your favorite sites will work on holiday!

Will a VPN Slow Down My Connection ?

For many in Australia, internet speed can be a real issue. This is of course, crucial when trying to stream video from a UK TV site. The BBC allows streaming in all sorts of quality depending on the individual programme – you can select which option from those available.

 

Generally, you need around between 2 Mbs for Standard quality (SD), 3-5Mbs (megabytes per second) for HD and 1080 HD quality and at least 20 Mbs for 4K quality. It’s not an exact number but generally anything under these speeds will cause buffering and stutters. Using a VPN shouldn’t affect your speed much but if you’re on a slow connection then it could make the difference.

It’s worth checking as VPN speed will vary depending on the server you’re connecting to – obviously UK to Australia is a long journey so there could be some impact. Test the VPN connection speed as soon as you subscribe and make sure it’s suitable, all the decent VPN services have a money back guarantee window of usually 30 days to allow you to check this.

What is the Best streaming service for British shows in Australia?

There’s no doubt that the best two streaming services for British TV are BBC iPlayer and ITVX. You’ll also find some great shows from all over the world on All 4 and Channel 5 too. If you want to watch something specific then Sky Go is the largest premium subscription channel which you can also watch from Australia using a UK VPN connection. remember though you will need a UK based form of payment to subscribe too though i.e. a card linked to a UK bank or credit card company.

How to watch Channel 5 outside UK?

Unfortunately, Channel 5 is blocked outside of the UK due to copyright restrictions. However, there are some third-party services that may be able to provide access to the channel, such as a Virtual Private Network (VPN). A VPN allows you to change your IP address to a UK-based one, making it appear as if you are located in the UK and thus allowing you to access the channel.

Do I Need a UK TV License to Watch BBC TV from Australia ?

Officially, you do need a UK TV license to watch the BBC iPlayer within the UK. However you can watch from Australia using a VPN and the BBC iPlayer app or website. You will still be asked if you have a UK TV license, however these cannot be purchased outside the UK. If you say YES there is no further check and you can stream all the programmes without a problem.

Do I Need a BBC Account to use BBC iPlayer in Australia?

Although a VPN can be used to bypass the geo-restrictions on the BBC iPlayer application – you will still need to create a user account. There’s no problem though, just ensure you have a UK connection, a valid email and any valid UK postcode.

Is Using a VPN to watch UK TV illegal?

No of course not, this is just a TV site! It is however breaking the BBC iPlayer’s terms and conditions so you could effectively be blocked at any point. Don’t watch the BBC in the UK if you’re actually living there without a TV licence though as this can lead to a fine.

IS this the only way to learn How to Watch English TV in Australia?

Nope, but it’s probably the best – here’s a quick summary of options if you want to research further.

1. Streaming Services: Many streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Disney+ have a vast collection of English TV shows. Make sure these services are available in your area.

2. VPN Services: If certain content is not available in your region due to geo-restrictions, you can use a VPN service to alter your IP address to a region where the content is available.

3. Satellite/Cable TV: Check with your local cable or satellite TV provider. They often provide packages that include English channels.

4. Online TV platforms: Websites like BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, and Channel 4’s All4 allow you to stream English TV shows. But remember, you may need a VPN if the content is not available in your region.

5. DVD/Blu-ray: You can purchase or rent DVDs or Blu-ray discs of English TV shows.

6. YouTube: Some English TV shows might be available on YouTube, either free or for a small fee.

7. Apps: Many TV networks have their own apps where they stream their shows.

Remember to always respect copyright and digital content laws when accessing content.