How to Watch ARD Outside Germany

The ARD is the world’s second-largest public broadcaster, which was founded on the basis of representing common interests of the new, decentralized, post-war broadcasting services. With a budget of 6.9 billion Euros, ARD offers a variety of well-known German channels like Das Erste, Arte, 3sat, EinsPlus, Einsfestival, tagesschau24, KiKa, Phoenix, Bayerischer as well as live sports such as the Olympic games, Champions League, and Bundesliga. What’s even more exciting about ARD is that it will be streaming the World Cup 2018 for free to German citizens. You read it right, only Germans. That’s pretty unfortunate for German expats and people outside Germany, but that doesn’t mean they are out of luck completely. In order for them to be able to watch ARD outside Germany, they must seek a virtual private network for assistance.  Subscribing to a VPN and setting it up is easier than you imagine. Plus, once connected, you can stream ARD content on any of the following Andriod, Mac, iOS, PC, iPhone, and iPad.

How to Unblock ARD outside Germany with a VPN

Germans who want to practice their German citizenship abroad must make use of VPNs’ services. Otherwise, they won’t be able to watch ADR or any German channel based in their hometown. To avoid receiving messages like “Derzeit kein Livestream verfügbar”, you should change your IP address and get a German one. By doing so, the channels you are trying to access would think that you’re in Germany as opposed to your actual location. Then, you’ll no longer face any restrictions when trying to access channels, websites, and services of different countries. Here’s how you use a VPN to unblock ARD:

1. Sign up with a VPN provider (preferably ExpressVPN).
2. Download and install the VPN app on the device you stream the content on.
3. Launch the application and sign in.
4. Connect to a German VPN server to get a German IP address.
5. Head on to ARD and watch Mediathek channels.

When it comes to choosing a VPN, ExpressVPN tops the list. This service provider has proved to be a solid product that guarantees its users a smooth experience. Bypassing geo restrictions and securing Internet connections is what ExpressVPN is known for. For more information on other VPN service providers, check out the table below.

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VPN Benefits

• Hide your IP Address: Once connected to a VPN, you will no longer appear to be using your actual IP address.
• Encrypts Internet traffic: Your data and online activities are kept secure and private so sites and apps can’t track you.
• Browse the web privately: With an IP address different than yours, you can go online without worrying about anyone finding out it’s you.
• Bypass Geographic restrictions: You can access all kinds of restricted content anywhere in the world.
• Download torrents anonymously: Once you mask your IP, your ISP won’t be able to track your torrenting activities.

Watch ARD Outside Germany

ARD is one of the oldest and most watched public-service broadcasters since 1950 so it’s pretty understandable why Germans would want to continue watching it even when abroad. Let’s recap. After signing up for a VPN, you visit the website, service or channel that will locate your physical location. So that when your IP address appears to be coming from Germany, no restrictive messages will pop up. Instead, you’ll be able to access the most happening TV shows, movies, and sports events wherever you are in the world.