Croatian Radio and Television (HRT) is the country’s national broadcasting platform, with 5 local TV channels, 12 radio stations, and exclusive content. The platform is jam-packed with Croatian content, and HRT is the only platform broadcasting sporting events like the FIFA 2022 World Cup and the UEFA Champions League. Everything is fine as long as you are in Croatia. However, attempting to access HRT outside of Croatia will result in geo-restriction issues.
In this article, I’ll go over in great detail how we can watch HRT from abroad. By using a VPN service with Croatian servers, we will obtain a Croatian IP address. This way, we can access HRT from anywhere in the world.
To begin streaming HRT, simply follow the simple steps outlined below. I recommend reading the entire article if you want to understand why we need a VPN service to watch HRT.
Analysis: HRT, like all other platforms, is bound by copyright and licensing agreements. This means that HRT can only broadcast its content in Croatia. IP addresses from countries other than Croatia are denied access to the platform.
Solution: To change our IP address to a Croatian IP address, we will use a VPN service with a Croatian server. As a result, we will be able to watch all HRT content as if we were in Croatia.
A quick guide to streaming HRT outside Croatia via VPN:
- Visit the official website of Surfshark VPN – It has servers in Zagreb, Croatia.
- Click the “Get SurfShark” button on the top right and select the plan that best meets your needs.
- Enter your email address and complete your order with your preferred payment method.
- Install the Surfshark app that is compatible with your device.
- Log in to the SurfShark app using the login credentials that were sent to your e-mail.
- Go to the “Locations” tab, enter “Croatia” in the search bar, and connect to the available server.
You will have a Croatia IP address once the connection is established. With this simple solution, you can watch HRT as if you were in Croatia. As shown in the image below…
We were able to circumvent the geographical restrictions, but if you are using a VPN service for the first time and are curious about how it can assist you in circumventing geo-restriction, please continue reading.
Understanding HRT geo-restriction
All HRT content is only available in Croatian territory due to copyright and licensing agreements. As a result, the platform allows access to Croatia’s IP addresses while blocking IP addresses from other countries.
Assume you’re on a business trip abroad, have returned to your hotel room after a long day of meetings, and don’t want to miss your national team’s crucial match. When you try to access HRT, however, you will receive a warning message.
- …Use of this content has been disabled in accordance with the acquired rights…
To understand why we face such a problem, let’s check HRT’s terms of use.
- …Use of specific content outside of the Republic of Croatia has been disabled in accordance with acquired rights…
This is known as geo-restriction, and we are here to address this issue!
Watch HRT outside Croatia via VPN
Now that we’ve identified the source of the problem, it’s time to devise a solution. A VPN service encrypts our online traffic and assigns us a new IP address from the server to which we connect. Even if we are not in Croatia, we can use a VPN service to change our virtual location to Croatia.
All we require is a dependable VPN service! However, it is not advisable to use a random VPN service to watch HRT. We require a VPN service that meets certain criteria.
Choosing the best VPN for HRT
Before proceeding, it is critical to understand that not all VPN services can circumvent geo-restriction. To accomplish this, we require a VPN service with servers in Croatian datacenters. This is the only way to get a dependable, stable, and fast connection from outside Croatia to watch our favorite sporting events.
SurfShark appears to be the best VPN service for streaming HRT after extensive testing.
I obtained a download speed of 172.44 Mbps by connecting to the company’s Zagreb server. A speed performance like this is more than sufficient for streaming live content at the highest quality and browsing the web as if you are not connected to a VPN service.
You can get yourself a SurfShark account with a few steps.
- Visit SurfShark’s official website and choose a plan.
- Fill out the form with your personal information.
- Complete the transaction with your preferred payment method.
Once the payment is completed, SurfShark will send your login credentials to your email address.
VPN app installation
Now that we have our account, it’s time to download and install the VPN app that is compatible with our preferred device to stream HRT.
- Visit the official website of SurfShark again.
- Click the “Login” button on the top right corner.
- Log in with the credentials that were sent to your e-mail address.
- Choose and install the appropriate VPN application for your device.
- Open the installed app and log in using the same credentials.
Don’t forget to permit all VPN requests during this process to avoid any possible issues that may occur in the future.
Connecting to the Croatia server
If you followed all of the steps above, your VPN app should be ready to use. To start streaming HRT, all that’s left to do is connect to the SurfSharks Croatia server.
- Click the “Locations” menu in the app interface.
- Enter “Croatia” in the search bar and connect to an available server.
The SurfShark app turns green when the connection is established. This means we have a Croatia IP address now and are ready to stream HRT anywhere in the world.
Creating an HRT account
If you are connected to SurfShark’s Croatia server and already have your HRT account, all you have to do is log in to the portal to start streaming your favorite content. What if you don’t have an account? Don’t worry, I have not forgotten about you!
- Visit HRT’s official website.
- Click the login icon in the top right corner.
- Click “Register for free” on the page that opens.
If you prefer, you can use your Google or Facebook account for easy access. Otherwise, you can create an account manually.
- Fill in the form with your personal information and e-mail address.
- Check your email and verify your HRT account.
When you log in to your account after verifying your email address, you’ll get a notification indicating your account is activated.
OK, all set!
Streaming HRT
Now that we have a Croatian IP address and an HRT account, we have access to all available programs, live TV channels, etc.
Note: Unlike some other paid platforms, it makes no difference whether you create your HRT account with or without a Croatian IP address. Just make sure you’re connected to the Croatia server before using the platform.
HRT (Croatia) VPNs (3 working alternatives)
If you are not satisfied with just one option, I have listed three more VPN alternatives that will assist us in removing HRT’s geo-restrictions. It’s also a good idea to have backup plans in case SurfShark IP addresses are ever restricted.
Cyberghost
CyberGhost is a VPN service with global server coverage. The company offers dedicated or virtual servers in 91 countries, including Croatia.
CyberGhost runs on 14 dedicated servers hosted by m247 in Zagreb, Croatia. Also, CyberGhost’s VPN client is easy to use, and it only takes a few clicks to get your Croatia IP address.
CyberGhost’s speed performance does not disappoint. You can stream HRT content in the highest quality possible with CyberGhost’s 175.20 Mbps download speed.
If you are concerned about your online traffic, this Romanian-based organization is a smart choice. Furthermore, a single CyberGhost account can support up to 7 simultaneous connections, and the cheapest plan starts at just $2.29 per month.
NordVPN
Panama-based NordVPN is a provider with servers in 59 countries that primarily focuses on internet privacy. Unlike many other VPN providers, NordVPN prioritizes data privacy and speed performance over server expansion.
NordVPN can assist us in this regard, as we are looking for VPN providers with Croatia servers. By connecting to NordVPN’s Croatia server, we can easily access HRT’s content.
With the 39.98 Mbps download speed NordVPN’s Croatia server provided, we may surf the web and watch sports events as if we are not connected to a VPN service.
Unfortunately, as compared to its competitors, NordVPN is quite pricey. A single account allows for only six simultaneous connections, and the base plan starts from 3.99$/month.
PIA
PrivateInternetAccess is a relatively new VPN service with servers in 84 countries, including Croatia.
The company may be new, but that does not imply inexperience. PIA is a sister company to KAPE, which also operates CyberGhost and ExpressVPN. PIA’s primary hosting provider is the m247 data center. By connecting to PIA’s Croatia server, you can stream HRT from anywhere in the world.
PIA offers a download speed of 117.84 Mbps and this performance is more than enough to stream live content with the highest quality available. If you intend to use P2P applications, I strongly advise you to avoid using PIA as your primary VPN provider. PIA is based in the United States, and your online activity may be monitored by the US government.
A single PIA account allows for ten simultaneous connections, and the lowest plan is $2.19 per month.
Summing up the HRT streaming
Croatian Radio and Television (HRT) is Croatia’s national broadcasting platform. There is a wide range of Croatian content available here, including movies, TV shows, music channels, and even international sporting events. As long as you are in Croatian territory you can access the platform without any issue. However, when you are outside the country, you will face geo-restriction issues.
The reason is simple: the platform only serves IP addresses from Croatia. This means that, under normal circumstances, it is not possible to watch HRT from abroad.
By using a VPN service, we can protect our online privacy and obtain a Croatian IP address. We can watch HRT from anywhere in the world, and we will not miss important sporting events like the FIFA 2022 World Cup.
Although SurfShark is my personal favorite, all we need is a dependable and fast VPN service like SurfShark, CyberGhost, NordVPN, or PrivateInternetAccess.
Enjoy watching Croatian content from other countries!
I’ve been a translator for many years. During this time, geo-restriction has always been the most problematic issue in the many countries I’ve visited. I’m here to tell you about my experience.