History (previously known as History Channel) launched back in 1995, providing the best history-based documentaries and historical fiction series on television. The channel is owned by A+E Network, and as of 2015, it was available 96,149,000 American households. But it did not stay there. History went global, offering its services in around seven different regions. However, each region offers specific content since History is geo-blocked. So far, the US library is the best, which brings us to this guide. Here’s how you can watch History anywhere in the world.
History – The Geo-restricted Documentary Vault
The channel is first and foremost American, but throughout the years, History created international localized versions of the service in India, Canada, Europe, Australia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America.
Despite reaching a global state, the service still uses geo-blocks to limit what users get to access based on their geographical location. This technology uses geolocation techniques such as checking the user’s IP address to determine his/her whereabouts.
That way, the channel can restrict access to premium multimedia content on the Internet, such as films and television shows. It’s primarily due to copyright and licensing reasons.
Now, History also falls into the mix of geo-blocked services as not all that it offers is available everywhere. We tried several versions before we started writing this guide.
In Canada, users will see that History doesn’t differ much from the US version. However, some shows do not include the full list of episodes to binge-watch.
We also tried the one in Europe, particularly in the United Kingdom. The library we got there pales in comparison to the one in the United States. Not to mention the lack of the Live feature.
As we stay in Europe, apparently, History is not accessible in the entire region. In fact, when we tried the service in France, this geo-error message appeared the moment we launched the video:
“Geographic Restriction. This content is not available in your location.”
Now, you might be wondering how we were able to test all these versions. Well, we did not travel, that’s for sure. We used a simple spoofing online tool called a Virtual Private Network. That’s the most efficient way to access US History abroad. Let us show you what it is and how to use it in the next part.
History Goes Global – Enter VPNs
A Virtual Private Network is an internet tool that allows users to spoof their online location and appear to be accessing the web from anywhere in the world.
The technology works by rerouting user traffic through a dedicated server in a country of their choosing. Once connected, the VPN encrypts the data, adding an extra layer of protection and hides the user’s IP address, increasing anonymity in the process.
Finally, the VPN assigns a new IP address to the user based on the location of the server he/she connected to. As a result, anything in that region can be accessible no matter where the user.
For example, if you connect to an American server, you’ll receive a US IP address. Now that’s exactly what you need to access History and you shall with ease.
History Everywhere – The Steps
You now know what a VPN is and does. However, we still need to guide you through the connection process in order to unblock History outside the US. Here’s what you need to do:
- First, sign up with a credible VPN service. According to our tests, ExpressVPN still reigns supreme in the VPN industry in terms of quality and speed.
- Download and install the VPN application on your device. There are clients on Mac, iOS, PC, and Android. ExpressVPN is also one of the few VPNs that support Amazon Fire Stick.
- Next, sign in with your VPN account and open the server list.
- Connect to an American server and wait a few seconds for the connection to establish.
- Check your new IP address by visiting this Verifier.
- Launch History.
- Watch History anywhere you may be.
Speed is always an essential factor when it comes to streaming content abroad, which is why we performed a couple of tests on some servers. Basically, the biggest effect we got on our connection was with a distant server. We witnessed a 6% drop, which is still considered excellent for those who stream content in UHD.
On the other hand, ExpressVPN has a Smart DNS feature, which allows you to bypass regional restrictions without having to lose speed in the process. No encryption is present, so you’ll be losing the added security.
Finally, ExpressVPN has a 30-day refund policy in case the service doesn’t live up to your expectations. If that’s the case, there are other top VPNs that can get History outside the US. Take a look at the table below for a brief idea.
- 30-Day Money-back Guarantee
- Unlimited Bandwidth
- Apps For All Your Devices
- 24/7 Live Support
The Compatible Devices
Big screens aren’t just created to watch movies and television series. You can also enjoy a good documentary on whatever device you’re operating. Fortunately, History is available on several devices, including:
- PC
- Mac
- Android
- iPhone
- iPad
- Apple TV
- Android TV
- Amazon Fire Stick
- Chromecast
If you have an Amazon Fire Stick, using ExpressVPN to unblock the channel is your best option. As we mentioned, the provider has a dedicated client on Fire TV, which makes your connecting job a lot easier.
History – The Content
Most of you know History because you are Vikings fans. However, there’s more to the channel than just war and Valhalla. In fact, History has a lot to offer, and here are some of the titles to get you started:
- Knightfall
- Ax Men
- Forged in Fire
- Ancient Aliens
- The Curse of Oak Island
- Pawn Stars
- Alone
- American Pickers
- Project Blue Book
- Counting Cars
- Ice Road Truckers
- Six
- Hunting Hitler
- The Bible
- The Universe
- The World Wars
- Clash of the Gods
- Swamp People
- Unidentified
Watch History Anywhere – Final Words
Aside from documentaries, History offers some great reality TV series and even some non-historical content. Now, the American cable television channel, History, can be accessed all over the world thanks to VPNs.
But please note that you still need a cable subscription to access its content. Without one, most of the titles won’t be streamable. If you have any more questions, please drop them in the comments below.