If you want to express your love for Netflix but maybe don’t have access to US Shows & Movies while being in Indonesia as per of geo-block, now you can escape it.
Netflix is one of the most popular streaming platforms around the world.
Even though this platform is available for streaming in more than 180 countries worldwide, it has still yet to become a real staple in Indonesian entertainment the way it has in the UK and America.
Despite Indonesia having the fourth-largest population globally, Netflix is yet to hit around one million subscribers in the region. This is also because more than half of the population in the country has access to the internet.
So what could be the reasons for this? Well, there are two major reasons.
- The first reason is that Telkom, a state-owned telecommunication company, banned its users from accessing Netflix.
- The next reason is due to the limited media content that is available on Netflix Indonesia. This becomes very clear when you compare it with Netflix US, which has the best collection of titles and movies.
- Then there is another fact that Netflix Indonesia costs more than it does Netflix US. This is despite Netflix Indonesia offering considerably fewer movies and TV shows than Netflix US.
Therefore, it is little wonder that while subscriptions to Indonesian Netflix remain high, there is a large number of Indonesians who need to access Netflix US.
So, how can users in Indonesia get through restrictions and be able to access Netflix US or other countries around the world?
It is quite simple to do this from Indonesia but only if you sign up for a virtual private network.
In this blog, TechNinjaPro will explain what you need to do.
[Quick Guide] How to Watch American Netflix in Indonesia
Here are the simple steps to help you watch US Netflix in Indonesia:
- Subscribe to a reliable VPN service like NordVPN.
- Download the VPN application on your device and log in.
- Search for and connect to a server in the US.
- Log in to your Netflix account on the Netflix application.
- Unblock US Netflix in Indonesia.
Is Unblocking Netflix Using a VPN Illegal?
Well, it is not the same category as video piracy, so you would not get arrested for it. Also, you would not lose your Netflix account if found using a VPN service (especially NordVPN as it is based in The British Vergin Islands).
Netflix has come up with different techniques that enable them to detect VPN connections, and as a result, it will block you from accessing its platform until you turn off the VPN service.
This is why you cannot take any odds when selecting a VPN service.
How Does a VPN Unblock Netflix?
An IP is a unique identification number allocated to the device you use to connect to the network. It also contains your location data, and that’s how Netflix can trace to you that you are connecting from Indonesia and will direct you to the Netflix Indonesia library.
When you use a VPN service (like NordVPN), it acts as a middle man between the internet and your device.
So, instead of sending your connection request directly to the internet, it first passes through the VPN server you pick. In this case, you picked a US server.
The VPN service will then hide your real IP and assign you a new IP address corresponding to the location you are connecting to. When the connection request finally reaches Netflix US, they will think you are connecting from the US.
How Can I Get Around Netflix Geo-Blocking?
When you connect to a VPN service, two things happen.
- Firstly, all of your online data is encrypted. This secures it and stops ISP and snoopers from seeing what you are doing online.
- This encrypted data is then redirected through a VPN server. When this happens, the IP of your data is tagged with changes to that of the server. This is a privacy feature, but it also helps bypass geo-blocking.
Because VPN services offer servers worldwide, it is possible to change your IP to one from a different region.
So, to access US Netflix, all you need to do is connect to a US server, and Netflix will then be fooled into thinking that you are in the US, even when you are not.
How Does Netflix Prevent Non-Residents From Viewing American Netflix Content?
There are several methods that Netflix uses to restrict access to its American library:
1. Geo-blocking
This is a simple way of preventing users from accessing content based on their location.
For example, if you want to watch content that’s only available in the United States, then you will need an IP address located in the US (or Canada). This can be done through a VPN or proxy server that reroutes your internet traffic through another country (and hence gives you an IP address there).
2. IP Address Blocking
The first thing that Netflix does to prevent non-residents from viewing American Netflix content is by blocking IP addresses from the United States and other countries that are not authorized to view their libraries.
This is done by using geolocation software and IP address tracking software.
3. Geo-Location Software
Netflix uses geolocation technology to determine which country you are connecting from and restrict your access based on your location. The company uses this technology in several ways, including:
- When you sign up for a new account, it will ask you for your home address and then compare it against its database of known IP addresses associated with each country.
- When you attempt to access American Netflix content while abroad, the website will redirect you back to your home page because it thinks you’re still in your home country.
- If you try to access American Netflix content while abroad using a VPN or proxy service, it will see that as an IP address coming from outside its authorized regions and block access to its website altogether.
Best VPNs to Watch US Netflix in Indonesia
How is Netflix Indonesia Different from US Netflix?
The Netflix US library boasts the biggest collection of media content of any Netflix library globally. With more than 6000 titles, US Netflix tops Netflix Indonesia by over 1000 shows.
Netflix in Indonesia has a smaller and different collection of shows than US Netflix due to licensing agreements.
As media lovers, given Netflix a lot of credit for its amazing content, but, in reality, it does have great content; it does not actually own most of its shows and titles.
Instead, Netflix purchases streaming rights from producers and studios who decide where their media can be streamed. Most of the time.
Viewing is restricted to the country where it was released, so all the great US media is less readily available outside the US.
Then there is another factor, “censorship”. Indonesian law and custom need Netflix to censor any content that could be deemed explicit or blasphemous.
This means that a lot of content freely available on Netflix US is censored in Indonesia.
Why Does Telkom Indonesia Block Netflix?
Telkom is a state-owned telecommunication company that continues to block its users from accessing Netflix in Indonesia for political gain.
It also owns a national cable service and letting Netflix enter the country would invite significant competition to its brand.
However, Telkom claims that they keep blocking its users from accessing Netflix because of explicit content in many movies and TV shows.
Whatever the reasons, experts have heard rumors of a possible partnership between Netflix and Telkom, so do not be surprised if Netflix starts streaming more content in Indonesia fairly soon.
FAQs
Yes, you can use Netflix in Indonesia. To access the US Netflix library in Indonesia, you need a VPN. TechNinjaPro has recommended some of the best VPN services earlier in this blog, as those VPN services are superfast and reliably unblock different Netflix libraries with no lag or buffering.
Netflix has come up with different tools to detect when a user is connecting with a VPN, and in this situation, Netflix will block you from viewing its website and leave you with an irritating error message:
"Oops, something went wrong. You seem to be using an unblocker or proxy. Please turn off unblocker and proxy services and try again."
By using a reliable VPN service, Netflix will never know you are watching its TV shows and movies from outside its permitted region.
Final Verdict
There are a lot of reasons why so many Indonesian users are more interested in streaming US Netflix than their own national TV service.
Whether you need lower fees, more content, or uncensored movies and TV shows, a virtual private network is a perfect solution for you.