Singapore Expats

Hi, Im kinda new in singapore, is there a way to get US netflix in SG, as the shows/movie tend to be different from the states.

You cannot access US Netflix unless you use a VPN. If you're looking for people to share netflix premium to save cost you can check out Facebook groups like The Savvy Subber.

Sounds a little bit problematic (

The market of VPN providers is plentiful, so you can get good deals for as little as US$3/mo if you sign for a full year. I have used the cheapest plan for Strong VPN, I even bought their VPN router so I can run all my devices through it... it works, and they run promos all the time. But do note that sometimes Netflix can sense that you are on VPN - this will clear up after some time, after they reassign you to a new IP address. Also, as you might expect, going through VPN will put a drag on your connection, so expect a little more delay at the beginning and possibly a bit of video quality degradation.

I don’t know why but I’ve never had success accessing US Netflix using a VPN. I’m not sure if it’s because of the providers that I’ve tried with or because of some other technical issue on my part but regardless of what I do I can never seem to gain access. I have read that if you log into your device using an Apple ID that you register as being from the US,Your device settings, downloadable apps as well as content will all be American, so you can give that a try.

Lisafuller wrote: ↑

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 1:26 am

I don’t know why but I’ve never had success accessing US Netflix using a VPN.

Most likely it would be your VPN. It’s a cat and mouse game, the VPN provider must continuously change their IP addresses and mask the fact that they are a VPN, otherwise they can be sniffed out.

I have read that if you log into your device using an Apple ID that you register as being from the US,Your device settings, downloadable apps as well as content will all be American, so you can give that a try.

Apple is unique in that Apple content is geo-restricted based your Apple ID instead of your IP address. Your Apple ID will follow the address on your credit card, so no VPN is needed.

However, this does not apply to non-Apple content like Netflix, even though you are accessing it with an Apple device; you will still face geo-restrictions based on your IP address for any non-Apple content, and the only way around this is a good VPN.

Here are a few other geo-restriction workarounds, aside from Apple content...

1. iHeart Radio - access to 850 radio stations across the is a US without VPN once you have the app. The app download is geo-restricted.

2. Google Voice - unlimited free calls and texts to any US phone number - sign up is geo-restricted, but as soon as you temporarily associate your Google number with a US phone via a one-time code, the geo-restrictions fall off, permanently.

3. PBS content - this is a public US television network. While some shows geo-restricted, several are not. For example ‘Motor Week’ which is a car related show that I like to watch is freely accessible without any VPN.

4. Kindle Books - if you have a US library membership and a US based Amazon ID, there are no geo-restrictions on borrowing ebooks and downloading them on a Kindle Paperwhite from overseas. I renew my library membership every time I make a trip back.

No, unless you want a US Netflix option (more/better selections).

And take note that no matter which country you sign up in, when you access it from Singapore (without a VPN) you get Singapore content.

That’s not always a bad thing, sometimes licensing issues in the US mean certain content is available here but not there... my brother and I share an account and you’d be surprised how many times I’ve suggested he watch something only to find it wasn’t available in the US. Sometimes it’s visa-versa, but the amount of content in Singapore isn’t half bad!

It's kept me reasonably occupied. I only started a subscription around June of 2020, I also activated my Amazon Prime about month after that, then binged for 3 months!!! I've yet to watch any on the main TV, preferring to view in my home office on a 29" monitor without the din of the rest of the household.

Have you watched Breaking Bad yet?

If not... that would be priority #1

Add to that the four seasons of Fargo!

Breaking Bad is on my to watch list. My son says I remind him of Walter. Personally I think my doppleganger is Jens Kidman, the lead singer of Meshuggah, a Swedish extreme metal band. Will need to check out Fargo as well.

malcontent wrote: ↑

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 11:12 am

Lisafuller wrote: ↑

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 1:26 am

I don’t know why but I’ve never had success accessing US Netflix using a VPN.

Most likely it would be your VPN. It’s a cat and mouse game, the VPN provider must continuously change their IP addresses and mask the fact that they are a VPN, otherwise they can be sniffed out.

I have read that if you log into your device using an Apple ID that you register as being from the US,Your device settings, downloadable apps as well as content will all be American, so you can give that a try.

Apple is unique in that Apple content is geo-restricted based your Apple ID instead of your IP address. Your Apple ID will follow the address on your credit card, so no VPN is needed.

However, this does not apply to non-Apple content like Netflix, even though you are accessing it with an Apple device; you will still face geo-restrictions based on your IP address for any non-Apple content, and the only way around this is a good VPN.

Hi malcontent, thanks for your helpful response. What are some good VPNs that you would recommend? Ideally a free one, or else one that is relatively inexpensive. Thanks!

There is so much competition and so many players in the VPN market. I’ve used free ones before, it’s ok for temporary use with one device, but you can’t expect much from them. Anyway, good paid services are typically around US$3/month, so it’s worth paying if you use it on a regular basis.

For paid services, I really only have experience with StrongVPN. They have been around a long time, have great service (via chat), they explicitly state that you will be able to access to Netflix/Hulu/etc, and they are competitive at around $3/mo (cheapest plan, promo rate). I even bought their preconfigured router so that any devices connected to that second wifi spot are always on VPN seamlessly.