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Netflix blocking VPN's

Ironwood

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Netflix has said they will start blocking proxies and VPN's. They geoblock Netflix US in Canada. We can only see about 40% of US content and we are charged more than a US subscriber for service. But are they blocking subscriber accounts outside their home ISP? We are vacationing this week and I haven't been able to access our Netflix account from two different hotel and one resort WiFi. It seems access is blocked. Are they up to something new?
 

dioxide45

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Is it possible that the properties are blocking Netflix in order to save bandwidth?
 
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am1

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Not happy about it. No matter where I am I want subtitles in english, when the spoken language is something else. Even english programming gets the subtitles in the language of the country you are in which can make following along difficult.
 

dioxide45

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Unlikely, the main thing these services sell themselves on is watching shows.

I am not sure the OP is trying to access Netflix through their VPN while at the resort. I think they are just trying to access Netflix over the resorts Wifi. So it is possible that the resort the OP is at is simply blocking Netflix on their network.
 

SMHarman

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I am not sure the OP is trying to access Netflix through their VPN while at the resort. I think they are just trying to access Netflix over the resorts Wifi. So it is possible that the resort the OP is at is simply blocking Netflix on their network.
Ah gotcha. But even WSJ allows Netflix through its WiFi and that is the thinner pipe to the island.

Peak use made Netflix unwatchable. I bought movies on VUDU/UV and downloaded them for local playback on VUDU or Flixster. Apple people can do the same with iTunes I think.
 
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Makai Guy

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My understanding is when a service like Netlfix acquires a program, what they pay for is the right to distribute it to an agreed upon geographical area. They don't have the right to distribute outside the agreed upon area. That's why different countries have different programming available.

I believe their announcement about not supporting access thru VPNs has to to with not being able to tell where the user is located, making it impossible to tell whether they have the right to distribute to the user's geographic location. I think I've read the content owners have been putting pressure on them over this issue.
 

dioxide45

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My understanding is when a service like Netlfix acquires a program, what they pay for is the right to distribute it to an agreed upon geographical area. They don't have the right to distribute outside the agreed upon area. That's why different countries have different programming available.

I believe their announcement about not supporting access thru VPNs has to to with not being able to tell where the user is located, making it impossible to tell whether they have the right to distribute to the user's geographic location. I think I've read the content owners have been putting pressure on them over this issue.

This is it exactly. Of course those that don't have the same content available to them as those accessing the service from the US will want to try to have that content available to them. Thus many work-arounds such as VPN crop up. It is a constant battle back and forth. Kid of like in the BUG days. My uncle had one of those big ugly dishes where someone would "unscramble" the channels for him, then he would go days to weeks without channels while the channels were scrambled again.

This is a little different where at least people are paying for the service, just not the service that they are entitled to.
 

Chrispee

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IMO this is all a lot of lip service from Netflix to try and keep their content providers happy. In order to carry out their threat, I believe Netflix would have to go through and individually blacklist ISP addresses from all VPN providers. The amount of work (and ongoing work) to do this would be insurmountable since there are so many VPN services (that are currently 100% legal), and there is no real incentive for Netflix to work hard eradicating this issue.
 

Ironwood

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I am not sure the OP is trying to access Netflix through their VPN while at the resort. I think they are just trying to access Netflix over the resorts Wifi. So it is possible that the resort the OP is at is simply blocking Netflix on their network.

Back home a couple of hours ago, and it never occurred to me that hotels and resorts might block Netflix and other streamers to preserve bandwidth, but that may be what was happening. I've had no difficulty accessing it through my home wifi on my tablet, cell phone and smart TV. Next time I consider a hotel I'll ask if they are blocking streaming but really, what response would I get from the front desk.
 

am1

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When I called in to cancel today, the rep told me netflix is working on getting the same library for everyone, everywhere.
 
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