Ask LH: Can I Access My Stan Account From Overseas?

Dear Lifehacker, I just joined up to Stan and intend to watch it on my iPad. I’m going overseas for three weeks to the USA at the end of next month. Can I watch Stan on my iPad while I’m overseas? Thanks, Doti

Dear Doti,

Unlike Netflix, Stan is an Australian streaming service that does not have a global presence. (It is partly owned by Fairfax which also owns Allure Media.) Unfortunately, this means you can’t access it around the globe. Here’s what Stan has to say on its Help page:

Stan is available exclusively to customers who are inside Australian boundaries. If you are abroad, or using a VPN that makes you appear to be outside of the Australian region, then you will not be able to stream content or access the “Manage Account” page.

Trying to access Stan from overseas will result in an ‘Error 3222’ message. You can makes changes to your account from overseas by contacting Stan support team — but you won’t be able to watch movies until you return to Australia.

One possible workaround is to sign up to a virtual private network (VPN) that includes an Australian IP address in its package. This will fool the service into thinking your iPad is located in Australia while you’re in the US. On the downside, these services aren’t free and while it’s not technically illegal, you will be breaking Stan’s terms of service which could result in the termination of your membership.

If you travel overseas regularly, you might be better off ditching Stan and signing up to Netflix. This automatically grants you the complete library of whichever country you’re visiting. So instead of receiving zero content in the US, you’ll get even more content than usual.

Cheers
Lifehacker

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