Netflix abroad

diveunderthebonnet

I have a subscription to Netflix and downloaded a few films too my tablet ,watched one on the way to Greece for my holidays ,made the flight better BUT on the return journey would not play any films ,not supported abroad ? is there anyway around this as we are going to Egypt in a few months and it is a longer flight, dont know if this a Netflix issue or my tablet.
Any help or info greatly appreciated. 

Neil_Jones

https://help.netflix.com/en/node/24853 might be of interest.

You may get an option to say you're travelling which gives you a few more days for content from your home country.

sammyjammy

If you had connected to the internet whilst in Greece it thought thats where you were on the return journey hence it wouldn't work.  On the outward journey your last internet connection would have been UK.

wongataa

diveunderthebonnet said:

I have a subscription to Netflix and downloaded a few films too my tablet ,watched one on the way to Greece for my holidays ,made the flight better BUT on the return journey would not play any films ,not supported abroad ? is there anyway around this as we are going to Egypt in a few months and it is a longer flight, dont know if this a Netflix issue or my tablet.

Don't let the tablet connect to the internet when abroad.  Then Netflix will not know it is in a different country so then any content restrictions cannot take place.

MyRealNameToo

Or use a VPN to connect to the internet but appearing as if you are in the UK

Grumpy_chap

I did initially think this would be similar to the recent thread about using BBC and NOW TV abroad:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6651232/vpn-for-bbc-iplayer-and-now-tv-etc-abroad/p1

However, the Netflix site does say you can watch anywhere:
https://www.netflix.com/gb/

• Where can I watch?

  Watch anywhere, anytime. Sign in with your Netflix account to watch instantly on the web at netflix.com from your personal computer or on any internet-connected device that offers the Netflix app, including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, streaming media players and game consoles.
  
  You can also download your favourite programmes with the iOS or Android app. Use downloads to watch while you're on the go and without an internet connection. Take Netflix with you anywhere.

I would expect that Greece and "on a plane" fall within the geographical constraints of "anywhere".

wongataa said:

Don't let the tablet connect to the internet when abroad.  

I am not convinced that is a realistically practical solution for most if the tablet is also used to access e-mails, facetime relatives at home, use airline or in-resort apps (our hotel had an app for everything last trip), check local facilities.  All of these would require the device to connect to the internet while on holiday.  Most people won't have a tablet to do stuff plus a tablet to watch Netflix.

MyRealNameToo

Grumpy_chap said:

I did initially think this would be similar to the recent thread about using BBC and NOW TV abroad:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6651232/vpn-for-bbc-iplayer-and-now-tv-etc-abroad/p1

However, the Netflix site does say you can watch anywhere:
https://www.netflix.com/gb/

• Where can I watch?

  Watch anywhere, anytime. Sign in with your Netflix account to watch instantly on the web at netflix.com from your personal computer or on any internet-connected device that offers the Netflix app, including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, streaming media players and game consoles.
  
  You can also download your favourite programmes with the iOS or Android app. Use downloads to watch while you're on the go and without an internet connection. Take Netflix with you anywhere.

I would expect that Greece and "on a plane" fall within the geographical constraints of "anywhere".

wongataa said:

Don't let the tablet connect to the internet when abroad.  

I am not convinced that is a realistically practical solution for most if the tablet is also used to access e-mails, facetime relatives at home, use airline or in-resort apps (our hotel had an app for everything last trip), check local facilities.  All of these would require the device to connect to the internet while on holiday.  Most people won't have a tablet to do stuff plus a tablet to watch Netflix.

Content in different countries is different... a lot is obviously the same but not all. Anyone with a VPN will know this if they "accidentally" present as if in Japan you suddenly get a load of Manga films and series that arent shown if it thinks you are in the UK or US. 

Most of the time it's due to distribution rights, the content creator has already sold exclusive rights to someone in the UK and so the UK instance of Netflix can't show it but the US version can. 

This certainly applies to streaming and is one of the reasons we got a VPN to finish off a series that we'd watched 5 seasons of whilst abroad for 6 months but wasnt available in the UK for the last 3 episodes. I dont know how it applies to things that were downloaded and how they work when crossing regions. 

adrich

Did you figure it out? I’ve had something similar happen before. Sometimes downloaded titles still need a quick license check, and if the app thinks you’re in a different region (or you haven’t opened it on WiFi before the flight), they won’t play.

What worked for me was opening Netflix and starting each download briefly while still connected to the internet before boarding, kind of refreshes them. Also, make sure the app is updated.

If it keeps happening, it might be worth checking with support too. There’s a netflix phone number you can call from the app/website, and they usually sort this stuff pretty quickly.

diveunderthebonnet

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81955072#Comment_81955072

Well we have just returned from Egypt and Netflix played on the way there from Newcastle but would not play on the return journey ,will try what you have suggested on our next trip to Greece next month.

Grumpy_chap

Plays on the way out but not the way back might be if the system has detected not detected leaving the UK on the way out., but detects being abroad once abroad and then only allows play to resume once it detects you are back in the UK again.

diveunderthebonnet

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81955242#Comment_81955242

Suspect you are correct but how do you get the tablet to play or think it is still in the UK.