The two key advantages of using a VPN service are security and the possibility of bypassing online restrictions. A lot of VPN services highlight both benefits to attract customers with different needs, but My Expat Network clearly aims to appeal to those who are focused on unblocking content that is not available in their current location. As the name suggests, this provider is ideal for expats who want to bypass geo-blocks to get access to the content that they used to watch at home. If you are traveling abroad or have moved to a different country and can’t get access to certain websites or applications, My Expat Network will allow you to get around censorship and geographical restrictions. Here is more about what my Expat Network has to offer.
Privacy and Security
My Expat Network is not only designed to help users to enjoy access to the content they want, regardless of their location. The service also offers security to ensure that your online traffic is not exposed to third-parties. They support L2TP/IPSec (an option that works well with mobile devices), as well as OpenVPN, which is widely known for providing a higher level of protection than any other protocol available. One thing to note is that since My Expat Network’s main purpose is to allow users to stream and access content that is only available in specific countries, the service doesn’t offer strong encryption.
If you are only interested in accessing content from English speaking countries like United States and the UK, My Expat Network is a good option, but if you also demand top protection for your privacy, you should consider a different provider. That being said, My Expat Network states that it doesn’t keep logs of your online activities, although some connection details and bandwidth usage are logged. The company is based in the UK, which is part of the Five Eyes and it doesn’t accept Bitcoin as a method of payment, but again, since they are not focused on privacy, this doesn’t come as a surprise.
Features
My Expat Network has dedicated clients for Windows and macOS and mobile apps for Android and iOS, so you have many options to enjoy secure, versatile streaming, no matter where you are. The service also works on other popular platforms like Linux and it is possible to set it up on routers running DD-WRT, which will allow you to use the service on gaming consoles, TV boxes and other devices that don’t have built-in VPN support. There are detailed guides that will help you to set up the service on the operating systems supported. While installing the software is generally easy, if you come across any issues or need help, you can rely on their free installation service.
The provider states that it supports unlimited bandwidth, but since they monitor bandwidth usage, if they come across any instance of abuse of the service, they could impose limits on the users involved. That being said, most users wouldn’t experience any issues since it is unlikely that they handle the amount of data that could result in any limitation. As previously mentioned, My Expat Network is mainly intended as a solution to bypass restrictions so that you can stream content, or access websites freely. There are over 100 fast servers available that have been optimized to support seamless streaming.
My Expat Network is dedicated to enable access to services and websites available in countries that are known for producing some of the most popular content in English. This is why their servers are located in a limited selection of countries. You can only connect to servers in United States, Australia, Canada and the UK. If you are an expat from one of these countries, or if you want to discover what content is available in these locations, the options offered by My Expat Network should be more than enough. However, if you are looking for flexibility to access international content, having only 4 countries you can connect to, would be disappointing.
In general, the speeds are good, but this will depend on the location you are connecting to and from. In addition, it it should be noted that the service is optimized for SD and not for HD streaming. With My Expat network, you will be able to connect to a server in the desired location and unblock content, but overall, the service is fairly basic and it doesn’t support any features that could make it extraordinary. The clients are very simple and don’t offer advanced functionality.
Plans
There are different plans available, based on the countries you can connect to. It is possible to select a plan that allows you to access content from a specific country. The price per month for the US plan is $4 USD. The UK plan costs £4 GBP per month, the Canada plan costs C$8 per month and the plan that allows you to connect to servers in Australia costs AUD$8. It is also possible to opt for a plan that lets you connect to all the countries available and that supports up to five devices at the same time. It costs $12 USD per month. The truth is that My Expat Network is more expensive than other providers that give you access to a wider selection of locations and that support simultaneous connections in all their plans. There is no free trial available, but their money back guarantee covers you for 30 days. My Expat Network also has a router shop so you can get devices that have been already configured to run the service.
Customer Support
Apart from offering useful set up guides, the website offers general information about the service and a brief FAQ section. The free installation service is one of the best things about the support that My Expat Network offers. If you need to use this option, you just need to send a request and they will install the service for you remotely. You can also contact the Support team via ticket. They also have profiles on Facebook and Twitter. A live chat would be a good addition, but the responses through the current communication channels are generally fast and very helpful.
Conclusion
My Expat Network is a simple solution if you are only interested in bypassing geographical restrictions to access the content that you want. However, it is not the strongest option in terms of security and compared to other providers, it is expensive. Still, the service is reliable and it has been in operation for over 5 years. Its simplicity and excellent customer support make it ideal for new users who just want to unblock their favorite content from home.