I listen to the next day’s episode in advance in bed before sleep every night. The actual programme, not a discussion about it. It comes from Podcast Addict, I think it is called.
I use a VPN to listen and watch bbc in France. Having paid for over 60 years and paying for the express vnp I don’t have a conscience. Works with ITV too.
I’m obviously being dense here but I can’t find anything from the BBC that says overseas listeners will be restricted to live broadcasts only. As you say, their statements are confusing but I just can’t find that one!
We can get BBC radio via our TVs satellite receiver - it is a little cumbersome when I want to listen to the cricket whilst mowing the grass with the tractor - but the little trailer I bought plus a very long lead make it a possibility!!
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My sentiments exactly! They should have locked her up and thrown away the key. Poor George.
So Express VPN works well with the BBC, Barry?
Just listened to Feedback from Thurs 6 March 15h30 R4 which covers this subject. Listeners complaining and the BBC responding. Think there’ll be a lot more of this to come.
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I have used Hidden24 as a VPN for several years. I chose it mainly because I believe it supports a worthy cause. It is run by and for journalists, and is free for them. It is described as fully private and secure and logs nothing. https://www.hidden24.co.uk/
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I hadn’t heard of Hidden 24 - it sounds like a good company to support, and I like the idea that you can buy just a one month trial. However, sites like TechRadar don’t seem to rate it very highly …
I had noticed the 2020 techradar review. All I can say is that I started using it in 2018. It is limited but in my experience just works. I had used several other VPNs before and had issues with each. I use a VPN intermittently, so price is a consideration and it is cheap. A friend who is an IT expert uses the Swiss one Proton. A Jan 2025 review of several VPNs is Best VPN Services 2025: Our Top Picks - Tech Advisor
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Not PIA, which is an accurate abreviation as it took prime 24 hours to block that one.
As I use ExpressVPN, I thought this move to ‘enhance the listener experience’ would not affect me. I listen to BBC sounds a lot when driving. I use Android Auto to do this and it works perfectly for me. Unfortunately Android Auto will not allow me to use a VPN on any of its applications. Anyone got any ideas to get around this problem?
Many years ago I used to record the Andy Kershaw show on a DAT recorder. May have to look into setting up recordings again if the VPN doesn’t work out. Should be a solution using my Mac.
It seems like a step backwards after the revolution that gave us listen/watch on demand. I wonder what would hapen if I asked my son to log in to the BBC in the UK with my credentials - whether it would reset Auntie’s switch.
Agree, and totally contra what used to be the BBC philosophy of reaching as wide an audience as possible.
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Apologies for interjecting from the Netherlands - I googled this issue and this forum came up. I too am an expat who will be losing my beloved BBC Sounds. I started a petition. Petition · Don't take away our radio! Keep BBCSounds Global, we need it! - Niederlande · Change.org
There are workarounds, the main one being a VPN with a dedicated IP address in the UK, but it is the principle of it. Radio was always has been and still is freely available in the UK. We are going back to the days of longwave radio - like in so many other ways, it feels like the 1930s. BBC stations are a lifeline to Brits abroad, and for me, loosing 6music feels like I’m losing a friend. It’s like being chucked!
I doubt it will have much effect but I wanted to give myself and other travellers, ex pats and anglophiles the chance to object.
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I don’t know anything about AndroidAuto but it shouldn’t know if you are using a VPN or not, it’s your phone that’s got the VPN running.
So, in my case I just have the VPN running in the background on my iPhone and any app running using CarPlay, for example BBC Sounds, doesn’t know the VPN is there.
It wouldn’t be difficult to compare it’s own GPS location and the geo-location of the IP address(es) that the phone is using. Plus there are relatively easy ways to programmatically determine whether a VPN is active by checking the networks in use.
Not sure what you mean by “it”. The Sounds app has no access to your location and I’m not sure it has access to your IP address, knowing Apple, I’d say not. The BBC at the other end can see your IP address, but they have no idea where you are. There’s nothing to stop the BBC modifying the Sounds app to demand access to location information in the future though, but that would raise privacy concerns.
Just to clarify what happens John, I can play BBC Sounds on my ‘phone with or without the VPN is running.
When I switch the car on it automatically links to the phone. If there is no VPN running on the ‘phone, I can use BBC Sounds and change channels etc. on the car infotainment centre.
If I have a VPN running, when I switch the car on, I get the following message on my ‘phone screen
Edit. This happens before I try and use BBC Sounds so I do not think it is something the BBC are doing.
Ahh. That’s interesting Mik. I have just checked CarPlay on my car with and without NordVPN running on my iPhone and no problems. The BBC Sounds app performs the same. It looks like an Android issue and I know zilch about it 
Maybe @billybutcher knows?
Bit of a discussion on the issue here…
https://support.google.com/androidauto/thread/78142922/vpn-breaks-wireless-android-auto?hl=en
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