Watching TV From Home When You Live Abroad

Many of our customers watch TV from two places: the country they live in and the one they came from. The news from home, the series the whole family follows, the match everyone back home is talking about. This guide covers what changes when you watch from abroad, and how to set it up so it works for everyone in the house.

One login, both countries

With IPTV there is no plan per country. Your home channels, the channels of the country you live in and channels from around the world all sit on the same login, so a family that watches in two or three languages needs one subscription, not one per language.

The country and language pages describe what each market’s line-up covers, from the UK and Canada to Arabic, South Asian and Latin American channels. If there is one channel you would really miss, ask us about it on WhatsApp before you order.

Time zones: the part nobody warns you about

Every channel plays on its own country’s schedule. Watching from abroad, that means the evening news from home can arrive at lunchtime or after midnight. A few examples, for a programme that starts at 9pm at home:

The ranges are there because clocks change on different dates in different countries, so the gap moves by an hour for part of the year.

Two things make the difference:

• Catch-up. On the Ultra package, channels that offer catch-up let you go back in the TV guide and play a programme that has already aired. If you live several hours from home, this is the feature you will use most.
• Live events at odd hours. Sport is live or not at all. For the big matches, it is worth knowing the kick-off time in your own time zone a day ahead.

Devices: the same everywhere

The device you watch on does not depend on the country. Our own app runs on Fire TV Sticks, Android TV and Google TV devices, Android phones and Windows computers, and signs in with a short app code. Samsung and LG smart TVs, Apple TV, iPhone and iPad use a player app with the login we send. The setup guide covers each one.

If you move country, nothing changes: sign in on the new connection and your favourites and profiles are where you left them.

Paying from another country

Plans are priced in US dollars and paid by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or PayPal through a secure link we email you. Your bank converts the amount to your own currency at its own rate. There is no contract and nothing renews by itself: we remind you before your plan ends.

Setting it up for the whole family

Households watching from abroad often have three generations under one roof: grandparents who want home TV in their language, parents who switch between both countries, and children who mostly watch in the local language.

In our own app:

• Up to five profiles, each with its own favourites, Resume to Watch and My List.
• A Kids profile shows only kids’ groups, and a parental PIN keeps adult groups hidden.
• The app’s own menus can be in English, French or Spanish; the channels are in their own languages.
• Manage channels hides the groups nobody in the house watches, so the list stays short.

If two people want to watch different things at the same time, that is two connections on one plan, up to five.

Holidays, when everyone wants home TV at once

Religious holidays, national days and big finals are when families abroad most want their channels on every screen, and when everyone orders at the same time. Access is usually ready within 5–15 minutes of payment, but it is worth sorting it a few days before rather than on the night.

Try it on your own connection

The free trial of up to 24 hours is the honest test: watch the channels you care about, at the times you would actually watch them, on the TV you will use. Then pick a plan on the pricing page, or tell us on WhatsApp what you are looking for and we will point you to the right package.