How to Watch Swiss Television in Austria? (Updated for 2024)
We all love watching television on our local channels. A lot of us who grew up in certain places have become so accustomed to the TV content that it almost seems impossible to live without it.
However, many people also leave their countries eventually and find themselves missing the content they used to watch while at home. If you’re from Switzerland and you find yourself in Austria, you might not be able to access a lot of the content from back home anymore.
Thankfully, however, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) provides a reliable and easy way to get through restrictions and still access your preferred content.
Why is Swiss Television Blocked Outside Switzerland?
There are quite a lot of answers to this question. For some TV stations and services, it could merely be a desire to have content exclusive to their countries and nowhere else.
However, perhaps the most significant reason is the lack of broadcast rights outside the country. A lot of Swiss TV stations and channels don’t have the license to show their programs outside the country. This means that anyone in a foreign land will be unable to access them.
With a VPN, however, you can easily solve this issue with ease and just the click of a button. In this guide, we’ll look at some of the best VPNs in the business and what they offer:
ExpressVPN
Features
- Number of servers: More than 3,000
- Speeds: Unlimited
- Server locations: 160 in 105 countries
- Maximum devices supported: 5
- 24 live chat: Yes
- 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
Pros/Cons
- Fastest VPN out there
- Strict no logs policy
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Few discounts
Our top pick for people trying to access Swiss TV in Austria is ExpressVPN. Known by many as perhaps the best VPN service in the world, ExpressVPN has a lot to offer.
ExpressVPN currently has over 3,000 servers across 94 countries. Swiss servers are present, so can connect to any and enjoy your content.
Internet connection is stable on ExpressVPN’s Swiss servers. The VPN currently supports the Lightway protocol, which improves loading time.
ExpressVPN easily bypasses geo-location restrictions protocols of services like Netflix. This means that accessing Swiss TV will be easy. All you have to do is connect to a Swiss server, and you’re ready to go.
Moving on, you’ll enjoy the best in terms of security, too. ExpressVPN comes with the AES 256-bit encryption, which is the industry standard. Other security features include SHA-512 HMAC authentication and a 4096-bit RSA key. The VPN also protects you from IPv6 and DNS leaks.
Even more impressive is the Perfect Secrecy Feature. The security feature changes your security key. Thus, anyone who breaks your encryption won’t be able to access previous sessions’ data.
A kill switch is available on the VPN to protect you whenever you disconnect from the server unknowingly. ExpressVPN also doesn’t collect any information about your location.
ExpressVPN is available on macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Google Chrome, Firefox, Amazon Kindle Fire, etc. Routers have versions available too, and a paid account allows up to five devices to connect.
- Pros: Fastest VPN out there; Strict no logs policy; 256-bit AES encryption;
- Lowest price: $6.67
NordVPN
Features
- Cryptocurrency accepted? Yes
- Simultaneous connections: 6
- Dedicated IP-addresses? Yes
- Servers: 7,000+ in 111 countries
Pros/Cons
- Lots of pricing options
- Netflix support kept up to date
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Slow app
NordVPN is another top hitter in the VPN industry. Like ExpressVPN, it has gotten a lot of accolades for being safe and quick — a perfect combo for streaming enthusiasts.
To cover your most significant fears, you should know that NordVPN has one of the best geo-location restriction bypass systems available. It breaks through firewalls for Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming services like butter. Surely, Swiss TV won’t be a match for it.
If you’re worried about your ability to even access the platform, don’t be. NordVPN has an impressive catalog of over 5,400 servers across 59 countries — including Switzerland. So, connect to one of such servers, and you’re ready to stream.
Along with Swiss TV, you will also be able to enjoy peer-to-peer file sharing and torrenting with NordVPN.
Security-wise, you get a great deal with the VPN too. It comes with AES 256-bit encryption, a strict no-logs policy for your data security, and a kill switch for sudden off-server moments. NordVPN adds support for OpenVPN UDP/TCP and IKEv2/IPSec security protocols.
Perhaps the most advanced security feature on NordVPN is split tunneling, which allows you to access unrelated security domains. With the feature, you can use the same or different connections to access the VPN network and another public domain at the same time. Along with alleviating bottlenecks, the feature also improves your bandwidth significantly.
NordVPN is available on Windows, Android, iOS, macOS, Linux, Chrome, Android TV, and Firefox. One paid account allows up to six device connections simultaneously.
- Pros: Lots of pricing options; Netflix support kept up to date; 256-bit AES encryption;
- Lowest price: $3.71
Surfshark
Features
- Free trial? Yes
- Simultaneous connections: Unlimited
- Ad blocking? Yes
- Servers: 1000+ in 61 countries
Pros/Cons
- No footprints
- Allows torrenting
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Not the fastest
Surfshark is another amazing VPN service that everyone should try out. While many tend to go for it due to its relative affordability, the reviews on it have been stellar thus far.
Surfshark gives access to a little over 1,700 servers. Its servers are spread across 63 countries, which include a handful in Switzerland. So, you will be able to connect and access Swiss TV.
Restrictions are also a piece of cake for Surfshark as tests have shown that it breaks through geolocation firewalls easily. Since you can access Netflix and Hulu on the VPN, you can access Swiss TV as well. Surfshark also has an interesting NoBorders feature that lets it break firewalls in highly censored countries.
Moving on to security, this VPN doesn’t short-change you too. The ubiquitous AES 256-bit encryption is available. Also, Surfshark protects you from IPv6 and DNS data leaks. You will also love the MultiHop Mode, which routes your traffic through different networks before getting to your destination.
Privacy is top-notch on Surfshark too. The VPN collects some data from you, but that’s only limited to your billing details and email when you register. Everything else is safe. There’s also the Camouflage Mode, which conceals your identity even more.
You can get Surfshark on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Afire TV, Apple TV, Linux, Chrome, and Firefox. A paid account even gives you access to an unlimited number of connected devices.
- Pros: No footprints; Allows torrenting; 256-bit AES encryption;
- Lowest Price: $2.49
ProtonVPN
Features
- P2P support? Yes
- 30-day money-back guarantee? Yes
- Country of origin? Switzerland
- Servers: 600+ in over 40 countries
- Simultaneous devices: 5
Pros/Cons
- Professional support
- Modern interface and apps
- AES-256 encryption
- Lesser known provider
It might not be as popular as some of the VPN servers you know, but ProtonVPN is quite a good match for Swiss TV. While it needs some work, the infrastructure on the VPN is currently good enough for anyone.
ProtonVPN is available in 54 countries with 1,048 servers ready to connect. Servers are available in Switzerland. These Swiss servers are pretty fast. So, it works pretty well for you. Just connect to them, and you should be fine.
Restriction bypass is another area where ProtonVPN shines. It breaks through firewalls on some of the most restrictive services. There’s no reason why Swiss TV should be much of a problem for it. For additional proof, you get support for optimal file sharing on peer-to-peer networks and access to torrenting sites to download digital content and others.
Security is pretty good too. AES 256-bit encryption is available on the VPN network, and it employs the same Perfect Forward Secrecy feature that you get on ExpressVPN. As explained, the feature is a great privacy tool that protects your last browsing session data whenever you connect to the server again. A kill switch is available on ProtonVPN, and the service doesn’t take any of your logs.
ProtonVPN is available on iOS, macOS, Windows, and Android. You can get browser extensions for just about any browser — Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Safari, Mozilla Firefox, and even Opera. A single paid account on this service gives you access to ten device connections.
- Pros: Professional support; Modern interface and apps; AES-256 encryption;
- Lowest price: €4
CyberGhost
Features
- Connected devices at once: 7
- Automatic kill switch? Yes
- One click connect: Yes
- Servers: 5900 worldwide
Pros/Cons
- No logs policy
- 24/7 live chat
- Apps for mobile devices and routers
- No free option
CyberGhost is a top VPN service provider based out of Bucharest, Romania. Like Surfshark, the service has gotten a lot of accolades for providing top-notch VPN features for a relatively affordable price.
With CyberGhost, you have one of the broadest connections available. The VPN has over 6,400 servers worldwide, making it the largest VPN on our list by server count. While it only has these servers in 58 countries, rest assured that Switzerland is covered.
CyberGhost has also gotten a lot of accolades for having optimal connection speeds. The Swiss servers are speedy, so you will enjoy streaming on Swiss TV without any hiccups.
The VPN breaks through geo-location restrictions as well, so don’t worry about your ability to stream content or access TV shows from Austria. For added comfort, know that peer-to-peer file sharing and torrenting are available.
Security is also excellent on CyberGhost. The VPN offers the ubiquitous AES 256-bit encryption feature, as well as support for the L2TP/IPSec, OpenVPN TCP/UDP, and IKEv2 security protocols. As expected, DNS leak protection is available, as well as a strict no-logs policy.
CyberGhost also throws in the interesting random port connection feature. Using this, you will be able to connect to some non-HTTPS domains without fear of danger or security threats. It is definitely a nifty security feature to have.
CyberGhost is available on macOS, Linux, iOS, Windows, Android, Firefox, and Chrome. A paid account admits seven devices at maximum.
- Pros: No logs policy; 24/7 live chat; Apps for mobile devices and routers;
- Lowest price: €2
How to Select the Right VPN for Swiss TV Streaming
We already established that you’re trying to get access to another country so you can enjoy premium TV content. So, let’s see what you might want to consider when selecting the actual VPN that works best for you.
- Device Compatibility: Most VPNs support the leading platforms — Android, macOS, iOS, Windows, and Linux. However, some aren’t available on all platforms. If you have an iPhone, but you use a Windows-enabled computer, you want to get a VPN that supports both platforms so you can use them together. Otherwise, you get stuck between using one VPN for your phone and another for your computer. The convenience of using one VPN across multiple platforms can’t be overstated. You should also ensure that your selected VPN allows multiple devices to connect at once
- User-Friendly Interface: For some VPNs, setup and operation can be too confusing. So, if you don’t have much experience with VPNs in the first place, always opt for something simpler. You don’t want to jump through multiple hoops trying to get something to work.
- Security: As you surf the web and check out your favorite content, you want to ensure that you’re safe enough. Always go for a VPN with optimal security as this can save you a great deal of money as time goes on. At the least, a good VPN has the highest levels of encryption. The encryption ensures that anyone who manages to intercept your traffic won’t be able to decrypt it.
- Privacy: You don’t want anyone tracking your behavior and data while you browse. So, make sure to select a VPN with optimal privacy settings. For one, your VPN will need to have a strict no-logs policy that protects your data. Then, it should have anonymization tools that keep your identity safe from hackers while on the web.
- Speed: A VPN works by rerouting your internet traffic through its private server. If you choose the wrong service, it could affect your connection speed significantly. A slow VPN will defeat the purpose of using one in the first place, as it will make for a frustrating streaming experience. Make sure to test VPN servers to check out their speed before selecting one.
What Else Can I Enjoy With a VPN?
While the primary reason you want to get a VPN is to stream content from outside the country, you should know that they offer a lot more than this.
VPNs combine speed, security, and privacy like nothing else. With this, there’s almost no part of the internet that you can’t reach. You can bypass firewalls in countries like China to access their internet, and you can even get content from torrenting sites and peer-to-peer file-sharing platforms.
As far as getting easy access to the entirety of the internet goes, there’s hardly anything that gives you the same service level as a reliable VPN.
Conclusion
The Swiss love their TV programs. However, it’s a shame that they might not be able to access some of these programs outside their home country. If you’re in Austria and you want to watch some of your local content easily, any of these VPNs will be more than enough help for you.