Author Topic: BBC and Amazon.co.uk now blocking me when I use SecureLine  (Read 13782 times)

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BBC and Amazon.co.uk now blocking me when I use SecureLine
« on: April 04, 2017, 04:01:50 PM »
Hi,

I use Avast Secureline to browse securely and it generally works very well. However, since the beginning of April, some sites that I use regularly are blocking my access to certain content, presumably because I am using a VPN.

The BBC (bbc.co.uk) redirects me to bbc.com and if I try and use the iPlayer then I get a content restriction notice. This is also now happening when I try and stream my Amazon Prime movies as well.

What can be done to avoid this? There is no point in me keeping this service if websites just block access to content because I'm using a VPN.

Please advise what can be done.

Thank you
« Last Edit: April 04, 2017, 04:09:31 PM by PBarrett »

Offline MrMaxaMan

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Re: BBC and Amazon.co.uk now blocking me when I use SecureLine
« Reply #1 on: April 04, 2017, 05:04:13 PM »
The same thing is happening to me. I just tried using BBC iplayer and it wouldn't work saying that it only works in the UK even though I am using the London server.
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Re: BBC and Amazon.co.uk now blocking me when I use SecureLine
« Reply #2 on: April 04, 2017, 07:57:50 PM »
Can we get an official response from Avast please? I guess the BBC have figured out your IP address for the London server. It's annoying though as when I'm in the UK I still use Secureline.


Offline Eddy

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Re: BBC and Amazon.co.uk now blocking me when I use SecureLine
« Reply #3 on: April 04, 2017, 08:48:00 PM »
The BCC and others do block VPN's.
But IP detection is not the only way to detect your location and they are blocking on those other detections as well.

There is nothing you or avast can do about it.

Offline MrMaxaMan

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Re: BBC and Amazon.co.uk now blocking me when I use SecureLine
« Reply #4 on: April 04, 2017, 09:06:01 PM »
There are other VPN's that work with iplayer so I don't see why Avast can't do something about it. I do live in the UK so I can simply switch it off. But I don't see why I should have to.
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Offline Eddy

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Re: BBC and Amazon.co.uk now blocking me when I use SecureLine
« Reply #5 on: April 04, 2017, 09:14:08 PM »
avast can't do anything about it as they don't own the BBC.

As it is the BBC that is blocking things, they are the only one who can change things.

Offline MrMaxaMan

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Re: BBC and Amazon.co.uk now blocking me when I use SecureLine
« Reply #6 on: April 04, 2017, 09:17:31 PM »
If it's not possible then why do other VPN's find their way around it when they get blocked?
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Re: BBC and Amazon.co.uk now blocking me when I use SecureLine
« Reply #7 on: April 04, 2017, 09:20:50 PM »
If it's not possible then why do other VPN's find their way around it when they get blocked?

Exactly. https://www.my-expat-network.com seem to do ok. I've got several friends who use it here and there is never any problem.

If I can't get a resolution (or reply) from Avast, then I'll simply vote with my feet and move over to another VPN service such as this.

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Re: BBC and Amazon.co.uk now blocking me when I use SecureLine
« Reply #8 on: April 04, 2017, 09:24:38 PM »
Also, if the Avast blurb states:

Quote
Bypass geo-restrictions
Access media and services available only in specific countries.

I think something should be done. I can't find anything that says "May not work for some websites".

Offline Eddy

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Re: BBC and Amazon.co.uk now blocking me when I use SecureLine
« Reply #9 on: April 04, 2017, 09:52:51 PM »
The do not find a way around it.
The BBC just haven't blocked them (yet).

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Re: BBC and Amazon.co.uk now blocking me when I use SecureLine
« Reply #10 on: April 05, 2017, 11:30:12 AM »
The do not find a way around it.
The BBC just haven't blocked them (yet).

Eddy, are you an official representative of Avast? Is your opinion based on facts or assumptions? If you are going to make these claims then please let me know how you find out.

If you are "the voice of Avast" (who are yet to officially comment on this), then please, make this clear.

I, along with others, pay for a service that, according to the Avast website, claims to "Bypass geo-restrictions". I understand that there many ways that a VPN can be blocked but, if a service is offered that does not work as advertised, then a fix should be found or an explanation as to why it has stopped working should be made by the provider.

Once again, I ask Avast to comment officially on this.  >:(

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Re: BBC and Amazon.co.uk now blocking me when I use SecureLine
« Reply #11 on: April 05, 2017, 11:44:26 AM »

I, along with others, pay for a service that, according to the Avast website, claims to "Bypass geo-restrictions". I understand that there many ways that a VPN can be blocked but, if a service is offered that does not work as advertised, then a fix should be found or an explanation as to why it has stopped working should be made by the provider.

Once again, I ask Avast to comment officially on this.  >:(
[/quote]

I totally agree

Offline MrMaxaMan

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Re: BBC and Amazon.co.uk now blocking me when I use SecureLine
« Reply #12 on: April 05, 2017, 07:46:21 PM »
VPN's change their IP address range to stop them from being blocked. It's simple enough to do, that way it's a constant catchup for companies trying to block them. For now it looks like Avast keep using the same IP addresses.
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Offline Eddy

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Re: BBC and Amazon.co.uk now blocking me when I use SecureLine
« Reply #13 on: April 06, 2017, 12:16:07 AM »
Quote
Eddy, are you an official representative of Avast?
People from avast will have "avast member" underneath their name.
Quote
Is your opinion based on facts or assumptions?
It is not a opinion.
I'm just stating facts with over 35 years of experience with computer, networks and such.
To give a clue, I started with a 300 baud acoustic modem.
Quote
If you are going to make these claims then please let me know how you find out.
That is easy, it is called knowledge.
And you don't have to believe me, you can simple contact the BBC's IT department and ask them or do research and learn how things are working/what is possible and such.
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I understand that there many ways that a VPN can be blocked but
As I said, they do not just block by IP but also by other means.
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if a service is offered that does not work as advertised, then a fix should be found
As I also said, there is no fix possible as it is not a problem with Secureline.
It is the BBC that is blocking things and they are the only ones who can change it.
Quote
if a service is offered that does not work as advertised
You could say it does work as advertised.
It does bypass geo-restrictions.
This is really easy to check.
Enable secureline and use one of the many sites that shows your IP and location.
If you have selected a UK server and the sites say that the IP is in the UK everything is working like it should.
The fact that a certain site won't let you visited it or prevent you from seeing things/doing things have nothing to do with Secureline (or any other VPN service for that matter) are working.

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VPN's change their IP address range to stop them from being blocked.
Sure avast can use millions of different IP's for Secureline.
But that will come at a cost.
Are you willing to pay $100's per month to use it ?

Quote
Once again, I ask Avast to comment officially on this
people from avast already did in other threads.
Go read them.

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Re: BBC and Amazon.co.uk now blocking me when I use SecureLine
« Reply #14 on: April 06, 2017, 09:44:20 AM »
Hey, Eddy, thanks for your fulsome reply.

While I don't have the number of years experience or the time on my hands that you obviously do, I too know how these things work and understand what you are saying.

But, I think you are wrong on one issue and have missed the point:

Quote
You could say it does work as advertised.
It does bypass geo-restrictions.
This is really easy to check.
Enable secureline and use one of the many sites that shows your IP and location.
If you have selected a UK server and the sites say that the IP is in the UK everything is working like it should.
The fact that a certain site won't let you visited it or prevent you from seeing things/doing things have nothing to do with Secureline (or any other VPN service for that matter) are working.

Simply by giving you an IP in a country where a website resides does not, in itself, "bypass geo-restrictions" for the content that the website provides. That's like saying "I can get you into Fort Knox!" then simply dumping you at a random destination in Kentucky. It's false advertising, pure and simple.

This is the last I will post on this as it looks as if Avast are not going to comment officially and I don't have time to trawl through pages and pages in the forum looking for the "other posts" you mention. I searched the forum before posting and didn't find anything.