If you want to watch British TV abroad, there are four routes: a satellite dish, UK apps used through a VPN, a streaming box and an IPTV subscription. Each costs something different, each stops working in a different way and each is covered by different rules. This article compares them in a table and gives a short decision guide. It lists options and does not rank them.
In short
- Satellite needs a dish, and reception depends on where you live.
- Broadcasters' own catch-up apps are built for viewers inside the UK.
- IPTV is an internet stream that needs good broadband and a compatible app.
- Rules about television licensing and streaming differ by country.
The four routes compared
| Satellite dish | UK apps with a VPN | Streaming box | IPTV subscription | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How it works | Dish and receiver pick up satellite signals | Apps sign in from the UK through a VPN server | A box with apps and a service subscription | Internet stream in a compatible app |
| Up-front cost | Dish, receiver, installation | VPN fee | The box | None beyond a device you own |
| Running cost | Any subscription | VPN fee and the apps' terms | The service fee | The plan |
| What can stop it | Weak signal, dish size, weather, moves | App operators' rules, VPN blocks | Service changes | Your broadband, the service |
| Broadband needed | None for the signal | Good | Good | Good |
| Rules to check | Licensing, local planning rules | App terms, local VPN rules | Seller's rights | Seller's rights, local rules |
Satellite
A dish is independent of your broadband, which is its appeal. The catch is the 2014 move to a tighter satellite beam, which is why southern Spain and the Algarve in particular now call for much bigger dishes, pointed accurately, and subscription channels need their own contract. An installer can tell you what works at your address, and British TV in Spain lists the questions to ask.
UK apps through a VPN
The apps that UK broadcasters run are meant for viewers inside the UK, and they check where you are. People use a VPN to appear to be in the UK. That conflicts with the apps' own terms, VPN servers are blocked from time to time, and no workaround is offered here. See VPNs and IPTV for what a VPN does and does not do. A VPN may also be restricted in some countries.
Streaming boxes
Some companies sell boxes that carry a bundle of channels over the internet. They are a separate product with their own terms, subscriptions and rights positions. Check who the seller is, what the rights position is and how refunds work before you buy. Reviews of such services are mixed, and most complaints concern outages, slow support and automatic renewals.
IPTV subscription
An IPTV subscription is an internet stream for which you get a log-in and enter it in an app. It needs no dish, works anywhere your broadband does and runs on devices you already own. Its drawbacks are the same as those of any internet service: broadband quality, the seller's rights position and the limits of the seller's support. British IPTV is a reseller, with streams coming from servers other providers run. The page on British TV abroad covers the details.
Which route suits whom
- Want live channels and have a good dish site: satellite.
- Want only catch-up and accept the apps' rules: the apps, bearing in mind the restrictions.
- Want everything in one box and accept a contract: a streaming box.
- Want one subscription for every screen and have good broadband: IPTV.
- Move between countries or homes: IPTV or apps travel more easily than a dish.
- Have slow broadband: satellite avoids relying on it.
What changes when you move
People who split the year between the UK and another country find that a dish stays where it is, an app log-in moves with them, and a box can be packed in a suitcase. If you are likely to move again within a year or two, favour the routes that travel. If you are settled, a fixed installation may cost less over the years. Think about the next move now, not after you have paid.
Questions to put to any seller
Ask who the business is, what the line-up is, how many screens can play at once, what the refund terms are, how long delivery takes and which hours support works. A seller who answers these plainly is more likely to behave plainly later. Keep the answers in writing.
Time zones and support
Programme times follow the zone set in your app, and support hours are fixed to one clock. British IPTV's support runs 9 am to 2 am UK time; the country pages convert that for Spain, Portugal, France, Cyprus and the UAE.
Money and payment
Prices are in pounds for British IPTV, and your card issuer converts them. See paying for IPTV from abroad for declines and conversion.
Rules to check
The rules differ. The UK TV Licence is about watching live television inside the UK. Other countries have their own licensing, or none at all. Rules on VPN use and on streaming services differ by country and are yours to check. The Legal and licensing page states what British IPTV is and is not.
A checklist before you decide
- What does the route cost in total over a year?
- What can stop it working at your address?
- Who do I ask for help, and in which hours?
- What are the refund or exit terms?
- What rules apply where I live?