With a snap of its fingers, ViacomCBS rebranded CBS All Access as Paramount+ and added a huge number of movies, TV shows, live news and sports. The United States, Latin America and Canada were the first markets to get Paramount+ with Europe’s Nordic countries following soon after. Later this year, Australia’s existing 10 All Access streaming service will become Paramount+. Unfortunately, American subscribers cannot watch Paramount+ in Australia and vice versa.
Paramount+ subscribers are locked into their local version of the streaming service. Once you step out of the United States, the Paramount+ geo-blocking system kicks in and stops your service. Unless…. When you use a virtual private network (VPN) such as ExpressVPN, you can restore access to your streaming subscriptions.
ExpressVPN: The Best VPN to Watch Paramount+ in Australia
One of the best VPN services on the market, ExpressVPN has a global network of fast, secure VPN servers. Unblocking Paramount+ in Australia isn't the only reason for choosing ExpressVPN. Whenever you travel abroad — or to your local coffee shop — you can protect your online activity.
No Blackouts
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Secure, fast, reliable, private, user-friendly
How to watch Paramount+ in Australia
When you want to unblock Paramount+ in Australia, all you need to do is follow four simple steps:
- Sign up for a VPN provider
- Download and install your VPN client
- Connect to an ExpressVPN server in the US
- Start watching Paramount+
Can I watch Paramount+ in Australia without a VPN?
The only way you can watch Paramount+ in Australia is by subscribing to the Australian service. American subscriptions only work in the United States. Even if you subscribe to both, the American and Australian versions won’t be the same. ViacomCBS, the parent company to Paramount+, strikes different licensing deals in each international market. That means the TV show you’ve been watching at home won’t necessarily be available in Australia.
The only way Paramount+ lets Americans keep watching their version is by restricting American subscribers to the United States and its Territories. Puerto Rico is the one exception. Even though it is part of the United States and its residents are American, anyone traveling to Puerto Rico from the mainland loses access to Paramount+.
Fortunately, connecting to an ExpressVPN server in the United States from anywhere else in the world lets you bypass Paramount’s geographic blocking system. As far as the streaming service can tell, you’re connected to the internet in the US so you can keep streaming the content you’ve paid for.
Core ExpressVPN benefits
Source: ExpressVPN
Being able to keep watching your favorite content Is one of many benefits ExpressVPN gives its customers. People using public WiFi hotspots are easy targets for hackers. ExpressVPN protects everything you do online whether it’s streaming or email or Zoom. Other benefits of an ExpressVPN subscription include:
Discounts and deals. ExpressVPN rewards customer loyalty by discounting its long-term subscription plans by up to 35% compared to its month-to-month plans. But if you don’t want to lock yourself into a long-term commitment, you’re free to pay by the month and cancel anytime you want.
30-day money-back guarantee. When you go with the monthly plan, ExpressVPN does make you pay up front. But you can cancel any time within the first thirty days and get a full refund — no questions asked.
Dense, global network. Unlike those free VPN services, ExpressVPN has a global network of more than 3,000 VPN servers. Hosted in 160 locations in 94 countries, these servers ensure you get a fast, secure connection whenever you need.
Fast customer support. From time to time, you may run into connection issues. The 24x7 chat support service responds quickly to your questions and helps you get a secure internet connection within minutes.
Simultaneous devices. Share your ExpressVPN account with the entire family when you travel. The service supports five simultaneous connections.
ExpressVPN works with more than just Paramount+. Use its secure internet connections to check email or conduct Zoom meetings while your traveling. And when you run out of content to watch on Paramount+, you can always switch to Netflix or Amazon Prime Video.
How to get Paramount+ in Australia with ExpressVPN
Here are the four simple steps for getting connected to your US Paramount+ account while in Australia.
Step 1: Sign up for ExpressVPN
Choose the no-risk monthly plan to try out ExpressVPN or pick the 6-month or 12-month plan to save money.
Source: ExpressVPN
Step 2: Download and install the ExpressVPN client
You will get a confirmation email after subscribing. Clicking on the confirmation link takes you back to the ExpressVPN site where you can choose apps from the following platforms:
- Amazon Fire TV
- Android
- Apple TV
- Chromebook
- Firefox
- Google Chrome
- iPhone, iPad, iPod
- Kindle Fire Tablets
- Linux
- Mac
- MediaStreamer
- PlayStation
- Routers from various vendors
- Select smart home devices
- Xbox
- Windows
If you need help, you can find manuals for each app as well guides for platforms not on this list.
Step 3: Activate your app
From the account section of the ExpressVPN website, find the activation code for your device. Enter it into the app to complete the installation process.
Source: ExpressVPN
Step 4: Connect to a US server
Now you’re ready for a secure internet connection. Tap the “Smart Locations” button and type “United States.” You will see a list of ExpressVPN server locations in the US. Pick one of the servers. The app’s button will change to “VPN is ON” and you’re ready to stream.
Source: ExpressVPN
Still getting a blocked message when you try to stream?
When too many people connect to the same server, the resulting network congestion can slow your download speeds to a crawl. Just switch to a different server and your connection should be back to normal. If not, you can count on ExpressVPN’s chat support team for help.
Flixed TV guides – What’s on Paramount+?
Paramount+ includes live feeds of local CBS stations, the CBSN news network as well as cable channels like BET, Comedy Central and MTV. Keeping tabs on the schedules of your favorite channels can be tough — especially when you’re on the road. Check out Flixed’s Local TV Guides and National Channel Schedules to see what’s on right now and weeks ahead.
What you need to know about Paramount+
Source: Paramount+
It’s no accident that Paramount+ has been a big hit out of the gate. Live TV channels, major league sports, original content and an on-demand library.
Where Paramount+ came from
The name comes from Paramount Pictures, a storied film studio founded in Hollywood’s early days. Paramount’s owned by the media conglomerate ViacomCBS, the home of (you guessed it) the CBS television network and its news and sports operations. ViacomCBS also owns cable channels like CMT, Nickelodeon, TMC, Comedy Central and Showtime.
The launch of Paramount+ brings all of that content together in a single, low-cost streaming service.
Paramount+ content
With more than 30,000 TV episodes and 2,500 movies, including recent releases, you’re family’s almost guaranteed to find something to watch.
Movies on Paramount+
Source: Paramount+
For more than a century, Paramount Picture has produced some of the most popular movies including franchises like Mission: Impossible, Star Trek and Transformers. Your subscription gives you access to a rotating selection of Paramount’s film catalog.
Paramount+ will also get early access to new Paramount releases. Within 30-45 days of premiering in theaters, you’ll be able to stream films like Mission: Impossible 7 and PAW PATROL: The Movie.
A deal with MGM Studios expands the Paramount+ movie catalog even further — but only if you subscribe in the United States.
TV shows on Paramount+
Source: Paramount+
As mentioned, ViacomCBS owns a number of popular broadcast and cable outlets. As currently running series air their latest episodes, you’ll find the new content in the Paramount+ app. You also get access to these networks’ deep back catalogs with shows like Star Trek, I Love Lucy and MAS*H.
The original content at Paramount+ builds on the legacy of CBS All Access which already produced several new Star Trek shows and a spinoff from The Good Wife. ViacomCBS is plowing a lot of money into new content production for the streaming service.
Live TV and sports on Paramount+
Source: Paramount+
You can watch live streams of the ViacomCBS cable channels as well as your local CBS affiliate station. There is a catch, though. If you visit another city in the US, you have to watch that city’s CBS station. You won’t have access to your home station. In addition to CBS, you get live content from the CBS News and CBS Sports streaming networks.
Sports will be a big deal for Paramount+ subscribers. In addition to the national CBS broadcasts, you’ll get access to a whole host of additional sports events including:
- National Football League
- The Masters, PGA Tour and the PGA Championship
- NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship
- National Women’s Soccer League
- UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Europa Conference League
- Concacaf
- Liga Profesional de Fútbol
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
Paramount+ pricing
The Paramount+ offers 2 different subscription plans:
To learn more about their plans and pricing click here.
Paramount+ features
Source: Paramount+
Paramount+ offers competitive features for an on-demand streaming service. Some of its content, movies in particular, are available in 4K HDR with surround sound. Up to six people can share the account, getting their own viewing histories and recommendations.
About average for a streamer, Paramount+ supports three simultaneous streams. The app stores on all the major device platforms carry the Paramount+ app. This includes Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV. On mobile, the app lets you download content for viewing when offline.
The biggest issue with Paramount+ is the lack of a cloud DVR. You cannot record live TV content for later viewing. Although not a big deal for TV shows that you can watch on demand, it means you could miss out on live sports.
Why does Paramount+ block American subscribers in Australia?
The content business makes things complicated so it can make as much money as possible. TV and film studios license their content to movie theaters, cable channels, broadcast networks, streaming services in every country around the world. The international licenses usually include terms that keep companies like Paramount+ from competing with the local distribution partner.
Netflix does this by switching users to the local country’s catalog. When American Netflix subscribers travel, they can still stream from a different selection of content. Of course, that isn’t the way Paramount+ does it. Even though the streaming service is available in dozens of countries, a subscription in one market does not give you access to other markets. Paramount+ simply cuts you off when you travel overseas.
How does Paramount+ block American subscribers in Australia?
Every time you go online, your internet service provider assigns your computer an internet address. Called an IP address, it is specific to the country where you connect to the internet. When Paramount+ sees that your address is not in the United States, it refuses to let you stream.
You can bypass this geoblocking by using ExpressVPN. By connecting to one of ExpressVPN's servers in the United States, your device gets assigned an American IP address. The blocking system at Paramount+ thinks you’re sitting somewhere in the United States no matter where in the world you really are. As a result, you are free to stream all the content you’ve paid for and watch Paramount+ from Australia or anywhere else.
Can Paramount+ block VPNs?
Because ExpressVPN is one of the largest VPN service providers, it’s hard for streamers like Paramount+ to block its VPN connections. ExpressVPN has the technology and the resources needed to ensure VPN-blocking technology never takes hold for long.
Chris Casper • Author
Chris Casper is a former tech industry product manager who escaped from California for New Mexico. Now he writes about science and tech while searching for the perfect green chile sauce.
Lisa Holden • Editor
Lisa Holden is an editor and creative based in Houston, TX. Lisa holds a BA in African-American Studies from Temple University and has spent her career working in news publications and magazines, even founding a magazine herself. She began working as an editor for Flixed in 2023. When she’s not editing or working on one of her many creative endeavors (whenever that is), she enjoys traveling to new places and biking on sunny days.
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