How to Watch DirecTV Canada in March 2024

If you haven’t already heard of it, DirecTV is the top-ranked satellite TV provider in the United States.

With access to channels like ESPN, Cinemax, Nickelodeon, Starz, and more, there is really something for everyone on this popular satellite service.

If you are a Canadian or a US ex-pat trying to access DirecTV in Canada, however, you will be disappointed to hear that the DirecTV service is inaccessible from outside the US.

Instead of being able to access your DirecTV streaming in Canada, you will see this annoying DirecTV error message instead:

But don’t quit just yet! All you have to do to access DirecTV in Canada is to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

Keep in mind, though, that not all VPN services will work at helping Canadians unblock channels on the DirecTV service from Canada. To save you time and effort, we have done the legwork for you to come up with the top VPN provider options to help you utilize this popular satellite service in Canada or anywhere else around the world.

Keep reading to learn which VPN services we most highly recommend!

Why You Need a VPN to Watch DirecTV Canada 

Because of strict content distribution regulations, streaming services, like DirecTV, can only air their content in locations in which they are licensed for viewing.

Since content is blocked in Canada (and other locations outside the US) DirecTV uses IP tracking technology to turn away users who are trying to watch DirecTV from restricted places.

Because DirecTV is not available to Canadians, or to those traveling to Canada, you will need to find a way to “be” in the USA in order to access this service; This is where a VPN service enters.

A VPN encrypts your Internet connection, sending your activity through an encrypted tunnel to one of its private servers in the US.

When you connect to a VPN server in the USA, your actual IP address and online Canadian location are concealed, and all that is visible to the DirecTV satellite service and to your ISP is your VPN’s server location and IP address in the USA.

Pro Tip: If you try using a VPN service and still find that you are having trouble accessing the DirecTV services even after connecting to one of your VPN’s US servers, don’t give up! The next step is to clear your cookies and cache; Then reconnect to a VPN server and re-access your DirecTV service from Canada. If you are using one of our recommended VPNs, you can also switch to a different server, since these top VPNs have plenty of server options in the USA that can access DirecTV Canada. If you are still unable to unblock your streaming services, contact your VPN’s live-chat customer support, who will be able to direct you to a VPN server that will work effectively for DirecTV Canada.

If you ever need to get in touch with contact DirecTV customer service while you are in Canada, you can also contact DirecTV easily while you are connected to your VPN!

3 Best VPNs for Streaming DirectTV in Canada 

If you want to stream DirecTV in Canada, the following VPN services will give you the best connection:

1. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is a great option if you are looking to stream DirecTV entertainment programming from Canada with the fastest speeds.

ExpressVPN has over 3,000 servers in 94 countries, including plenty of US servers to unblock US-based streaming services, like DirecTV, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and Netflix US from Canada.

In terms of online privacy and security, while using the Internet in Canada, ExpressVPN offers military–grade encryption, a no–logs policy, a Kill Switch, and DNS leak protection. It also offers split tunneling, which will let you send some of your traffic through an encrypted tunnel while some are left out of this tunnel, so you can access Canadian services with your direct unencrypted traffic in Canada.

The ExpressVPN VPN app is compatible with pretty much any devices or platforms you are using, including your iOS, Android, Windows, Xbox One, Apple TV, Chromecast, Samsung Smart TV, Amazon Firestick, Linux, LG Smart TV, or Mac platform, and you can download it and use it on up to 5 devices simultaneously.

You can test ExpressVPN for up to 30 days with a money-back guarantee, but, based on its streaming speeds, we are pretty convinced that you will not want to cancel this plan.

2. NordVPN

NordVPN is another VPN that can help you access the DirecTV channels from Canadian soil.

NordVPN has over 5,200 servers in 60 countries around the world, including over 1,970 servers in the US alone, so you will never have trouble finding one to help you access your DirecTV provider from Canada.

NordVPN offers fast speeds, giving us the ability to stream in 4K when we put it to the test.

Users can download the VPN app and connect it to Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, or any other major streaming devices, allowing you up to 6 devices on a single user account from Canada.

If you want to unblock other streaming services, NordVPN also helps you access services like Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Netflix US, and BBC iPlayer, which are typically out of reach in the Canadian region.

NordVPN is a good choice for beginners with its user-friendly, simple interface, and you can test this service for up to 30 days with its money–back guarantee.

3. Surfshark

Surfshark is one of the most affordable VPN services to use that will give you a good quality connection when watching your DirecTV entertainment and programming from Canada.

This provider has over 3,200 servers in 65 countries, including over 600 in more than 23 cities around the United States that can help Canadian viewers visit DirecTV, even from outside the US.

Surfshark can also help unblock other geo-restricted streaming services from Canada, like Hulu, Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, and more.

When you subscribe to this VPN provider, one of the coolest perks is that you can connect an unlimited number of devices to a single user account, so you can watch the DirecTV service on your Android while your family members all watch different geo-blocked services on their devices simultaneously from Canada.

Surfshark supports pretty much all of your devices, including Roku, Android, iOS, Amazon Firestick, Xbox One, Sony Smart TV, Chromecast, LG Smart TV, Linux, and more.

Differences Between DirecTV & DirectTV Now 

When it comes to DirecTV (AT&T TV) versus DirecTV Now (AT&T Now), the one additional word in the title (“Now”) actually does make a difference.

DirecTV Now, unlike DirecTV, does not require you to use any particular devices, such as a device that is specifically an AT&T device.

When you watch DirecTV Now, you can access dedicated apps for devices like your Android, iOS, Roku, Amazon firestick, and more, and you are able to log in straight through your browser on the official site.

There are currently 6 plans offered by DirecTV Now, some of which offer upward of 100 channels!

The more premier plans on DirecTV Now (Plus or Max) offer DVR (cloud-based) and also HBO, free of charge.

You can contact DirecTV from Canada to find out more if you have questions about these plans.

Can I Watch DirecTV with a Free VPN? 

While free VPN services may claim that they will work for DirecTV, they are highly unlikely to actually be able to.

Free VPNs offer have a very limited network of servers, which means that the servers they have will most likely be crowded, giving you poor connectivity in Canada.

Free services are usually among the first to be blocked by streaming services and providers that track IP addresses, so the chances of you avoiding an error message when using DirecTV with a free provider is slim.

On top of this, free providers often compromise your privacy and security online, selling users’ private data to third parties for a profit, putting you at risk for popups and malware.

Last, free VPNs often put caps on your data and limits on your bandwidth, so you will have the limited streaming capability if you are able to access the DirecTV platform from Canada.

Our recommendation is to use a reputable VPN provider, like the ones listed above, and take advantage of the 30-day money-back guarantees that they all offer.

Can I Watch DirecTV with a Smart DNS Proxy 

While it is true that some Smart DNS proxies will be able to help you unblock DirecTV Canada, based on our experience, VPNs are the better bet.

A smart DNS proxy does have some benefits, though. First, you can use this smart DNS on more of a variety of devices than are allowed on a VPN. Smart proxies monitor any DNS request sent by your device, sending traffic from your browser to the appropriately-located server, such as one of the US servers, in this case.

Also, if you are using a device that doesn’t support a VPN directly, a smart DNS proxy will let you unblock geo-restricted content.

It is easier, however, to set up a VPN than to set up Smart DNS.

If you want to use a VPN that also offers smart DNS, ExpressVPN is a great choice, also with MediaStreamer smart DNS.

List of Channels to Watch on DirecTV

Here are some of the channels you can find on DirecTV in Canada:

 National Geographic
 FX
 ABC
 USA
 MTV
 Disney
 Nickelodeon
 ESPN
 CNN

FAQs

Conclusion

If you are set on accessing this popular satellite TV service from Canada, don’t worry! You can use the DirecTV services quickly as if you are in the USA simply by using a reputable VPN service.