Consumer VPN service could be popular as regional paywalls go up Consumer VPN firm AnchorFree is touting mobile data cost saving through compression as well as Wi-Fi security as means to gain more users for its software: buts it's likely that many of its users will be more interested in getting around regional media paywalls - or even national government firewalls. David Gorodyansky, chief …
and if it ain't then John Leyden has been around quite long enough to know that this isn't exactly news or innovation - lots of readers have been VPN-ing around IP blocks for years.
And sadly it seems unlikely to last, or at least the VPN firms will have to up their game. Some GeoIP outfits now identify their static blocks as VPN exits and some firms already use this to reject tunneled connections (eg the purchasing side of Valve's Steam). I guess they'll need to start exiting through normal ISPs with dynamic IPs (business grade subscriptions to avoid being shuttered for violating terms of service)
For all the moaning on here, this (or something else, like Tunnel Bear) is a very cheap way to improve Netflix a zillionfold. I've never been able to get the required bandwidth or data volume from a free VPN connection, but for a measly £2.00 a month I can happily stream Thor, 24, x-files, DS9 and other geeky goodness in London. Can't do that from Netflix's miserable UK selection.
Yes I could torrent, but this way I feel as though I am actually doing the right thing and paying for content, without being subject to the stupid, anachronistic regional restrictions.
People are not moaning about the VPN - they're moaning because this ad is disguised as NEWS!
If El Reg stated it was an ad, or even pushed as a "Hey guys, heres a service you might try for X, Y and Z reasons". Then they would be getting a pat on the back, not nagging readers... but the problem is they don't
+1
I set up a steam account in the UK, but I can no longer use the credit card I used to use because its a UK card and I'm not on a UK ip address any more. I can see why they do it, but they could at least run you through something like the "new computer validation" system they have set up.
I guess then bethesda wouldn't get their extra Australian markup.
But I don't pirate stuff - I just don't buy.
Yes. If you a re a reasonably savvy consumer (and of course, as a Reg reader you are, right?) For the price of a cheap NAS running debian hanging off your home ADSL router you can set up openVPN and tunnel out through that from wherever you may be. Or you could spend a few more quid and set up the tunnel end point on a rented VPS somewhere. Just check the terms of serrvce first.
"We don't want the technology to be used to download torrents and we discourage that"
This is code for: "we DO log what you do". And since they are based in the US you can be damn sure that they do because if you did torrent a movie they want to be able to track you down and cut you off (when they get the DMCA notices from hollywood).
If you want a proper non-loggging service then use something like the danish-based citizenvpn.com which has a special setup to avoid logging regulations.
Though I agree with those who say the article walks like an ad, talks like and ad and has the distinctive odour of an ad :).
Only issue I'm having is working out if a VPN connection with them would give me a British IP address so I can access iPlayer and my UK Netflix account while travelling on business (could use corporate VPN but that might be seen as misuse).
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