If you are an Android user in Myanmar, you have probably faced multiple times this message:
This Item Isn’t Available in Your Country
How frustrating can it be?
In this post, we will explain step by step how to bypass this country limitation. It is actually very simple and straight forward.
First, we need to download a VPN software.
This VPN software once activated will tunnel your traffic through an endpoint in a different country. Google will think you are located in this country and let you download the desired app.
The VPN can be enabled and disabled with a simple tap. You don’t have to enable it all the time. Just do it when you need to download an app not available in Myanmar. You can also use it to enjoy Spotify or Hulu in Myanmar for instance.
At first sight, there are dozens of VPN software available in the market. They all can do the job seamlessly but beware.
There is no such thing as a free lunch
When it comes to pricing, these VPN applications come in two flavors. Some of them are on a freemium model, and the others are entirely free.
In the freemium model, you can opt for the free version which is usually limited in volume per day or per month. The paid version of the same VPN gives you access to unlimited volume and additional features such as adblocking.
We would strictly advise you to stay away from the free VPN applications.
The main reason is that the only viable business model of these free services is to monetize your data. There have been a lot of noise in the press recently about VPN software that leak your data. By using a free VPN, you are basically offering them a full access to your browsing history and behavior. Internet users use VPN for privacy purpose but a free VPN is exactly the opposite. Your data is captured, scrutinized and sold to advertisers.
Another way for free VPN applications to make money off their users is through browser hijacking. With this technique, the VPN application hijacks and redirects your browser to partner websites without your permission.
Here are two freemium VPNs that are said to be trustworthy:
TunnelBear is a VPN service from Canada. The free version will give you 500MB per day which is more than enough to download plenty of apps on the Play Store or to enjoy Spotify from Myanmar.
Windscribe is also from Canada and gives you a free allowance of 10GB per month.
If you decide to go with Windscribe, here is the way to bypass the Play Store restriction,
First download Windscribe from the Play Store and install it. Then signup for a free account.
Next step is to erase your Play Store data and stop the service.
Settings > Apps> Google Play Store > Clear Data then Clear Cache and Stop.
Come back to Winscribe.
Choose the country you want to browse from (United States for instance)
Once the VPN is connected, all your requests to the Play Store will be tunneled through the US.
You can now try to search for an app not available in Myanmar. Lets say Hulu for instance.
This is the result:
If you try the same search without the VPN, you will notice the first result will not be available.
Thanks to this VPN application, you can now access content which is not accessible from Myanmar. Use the same VPN app to access the vast catalog of movies and tv shows from Netflix US or to listen to your favorite music band on Spotify.
Herbert is a nom de plume.
I am an experienced telecom professional blogging about the fastest growing Internet market in the world: Myanmar.
Geeta
Good
this work also in 2019 🙂