If you plan on taking a luxury holiday in Peru then chances are you have got relaxation on the mind.
A big way that many of us like to relax, even when in a luxury destination, is to watch the TV shows and movies that we like.
A potential challenge to this is when holidaying in places such as Peru is what is known as geo-restricted content.
Throughout this article, we will explain what geo-restricted content is, how you may be impacted by that in places such as Peru, and what you can do to get around it so you can still enjoy your luxury holiday without giving up on your favorite content.
What is Geo-Restricted Content?
Geo-restrictions on the internet, or geo-blocking, refers to the practice of filtering who can access certain internet content, based on the IP address being transmitted by the device they’re connected to the internet with a full.
An IP address is a sequence of numbers being broadcast by the device you are surfing the Internet on that indicates the internet service provider being used and gives approximate information about the location from which you are surfing the Internet.
Websites and online services can use this IP address to determine where you are accessing their website or internet service and potentially decide to block you from accessing their content or service, based on your location.
In the case of geo-restricted content, this refers to the practice of big streaming services such as Netflix, and HBO Max blocking people from certain countries from accessing their app, or at least changing what content is available within the app based on the IP address they are connecting to the app with.
For example, with a Netflix account, if I log in to Netflix from the United States I will see certain content that I will not see if I log in with the same Netflix account from Australia.
The reason for this is that often these streaming services buy the rights to broadcast content in certain locations, and they do not have the right to broadcast it in other locations.
Implicit in these agreements is also the responsibility of the streaming service to actively prevent people from accessing the content in those unlicensed areas.
As a result, these companies spend millions of dollars, devising ways to prevent you from accessing the content unless you are in their permitted geographic area where the content is licensed, or permitted to be viewed.
How Will Geo-Restricted Content Impact Me In Peru?
It is impossible to know exactly what content will and will not be available for you when you arrive in Peru, but we can stay with certainty that certain shows will not be available within the apps that you have to describe, and some of the apps may not even work in Peru.
So if you are planning on catching up on TV and movies while you are relaxing in Peru, then you will need to find a way around those restrictions.
The good news is that there are ways to get around these geo-restriction practices, but it will take a little bit of effort. We explain how in the following sections.
Two Ways to Bypass Georestrictions
There are two main ways you can bypass geo-restriction or geo-blocking. They are by the use of proxies, or with a VPN.
They are very similar, but they go about solving the problem in a slightly different ways.
Using a Proxy
A proxy is essentially an IP address from another location. We mentioned at the start of this article that an IP address is an identifying string of digits that your device transmits to the websites you are accessing so the website knows where you are accessing the internet from.
A proxy is essentially borrowing somebody else’s IP address, from the country you would like to pretend to be from, and then connecting to the desired website through the other IP address.
For example, If you are on holiday at your resort in Peru, and you would like to access a streaming service that does not service South America, you can organize a United States-based IP address to connect through as a proxy, and then the app that you are connecting with will think that you are connected with them from the United States, and not Peru.
Using a VPN
If VPN, or virtual private network, is an alternative way to access geo-restricted content. VPNs also use proxies but the interface you engage the proxy through gives you a lot more options, and a lot more locations to choose from.
You can easily find a VPN for Peru to ensure you aren’t missing out on anything online, while you are away.
Final Thoughts
Due to a range of licensing and profit-seeking considerations, a lot of the streaming services you conventionally use may not be accessible from Peru. As a result, you need to find a service to help you bypass these geo-restrictions. Proxies and VPNs are a great way to achieve that but will require a little bit of effort to get set up initially.
