HBO makes top-notch shows. As far as production level goes, it beats Netflix. But there’s a catch. You can’t watch HBO Max in New Zealand. Meanwhile, Netflix is just about everywhere. Well, at least until you apply this guide.
...But first...
HBO Max doesn’t have the rights to show its content in New Zealand.
You might be asking how is that possible if HBO owns its content, and the answer is pretty simple.
In the case of HBO Max, HBO doesn’t own all the content as it also gets it from 3rd parties.
...And when it does own it, it sells rights to it, in other regions.
The result? HBO Max in New Zealand is currently not a thing, but also that HBO takes measures to prevent people in New Zealand from watching.
You will need to make HBO think you are in New Zealand.
You do that by being there virtually, and that’s when a VPN comes in.
A VPN will allow you to change your location to be in the US while you are in New Zealand.
...But if you ever tried using a VPN to unblock anything, then you know that it’s not as simple as connecting to the right server.
That’s because platforms like HBO Max also have to make efforts against VPN services, meaning most of them don’t work when it comes to unblocking streaming services.
....And that’s where PrivateVPN comes in as a service that you won’t see offering thousands of servers, but that instead offers hundreds of high-quality servers that can unblock the streaming services you want to be watching.
Is that it?
Well, you also need an account, and unless you have an American issued card, it’s not as simple as it might look.
Most people in New Zealand do not have an American card.
The same applies around the world, which is why this is a big issue when creating accounts on streaming services that have such card geo-blocks.
...And that’s where the solution we have found comes in.
Instead of dealing with HBO, download the HBO Max app on your phone, and sign up directly from there.
Why does this work?
As both Apple and Google take care of the payment on their own when it comes to apps, and they don’t place blocks such as HBO.
The only catch?
That you will need to change the region of your app store to first download the app, which is not automatically available in New Zealand.
Want to watch HBO Max on a TV to get the most out of HBO’s content?
Unfortunately, you can’t currently do it on either the Apple TV, Chromecast, or even the Roku as they simply do not support VPN services.
...But there are 2 solutions.
The easiest? To connect your laptop to a TV via an HDMI cable.
The best? To get an Amazon Fire TV Stick as it supports VPN services.
If you just ordered a Fire TV Stick, you will need to create an account that’s based in the US.
...But if you already have an account, here’s how to change the region:
...But whether it’s DAZN, CBS, HBO, or any other major platform, you can unblock it with the help of PrivateVPN.
Try it out now.
Written by Michael Smolski.
Disclaimer: While PrivateVPN works with HBO Max, due to the nature of services like HBO Max making efforts against VPN services, it is not able to guarantee non-stop 100% of the time support at all given times. No service can make such guarantees.