Skip to content

Why do I need a VPN?

Whether you’re an expat living in a foreign country where the internet is heavily regulated, a mobile user constantly on the road, or just someone concerned with maintaining their privacy online, having a VPN is becoming essential.

Below we take a look at some of the key advantages and limitations of using a VPN:

Advantages

  1. Bypass Blocks – Circumvent content restrictions placed by some governments and corporations
  2. Better Security – Prevent malicious hackers and other third parties eavesdropping on your activity
  3. Better Performance – Access sites hosted in foreign countries faster than you could normally
  4. Low Cost – Many personal VPN providers offer very affordable monthly / yearly subscriptions
  5. Flexibility – VPN’s work on almost any type of internet connection (broadband, wifi, 3G, etc.)

Limitations

  1. Speed – If the connection you’re using is already very slow a VPN is unlikely to improve this
  2. Data – Some VPN providers place a limit on how much data you can use per month

If you’ve ever spent time in a country where sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are blocked or have experienced online identity theft then you’ll already know exactly why you need a VPN. There are alternatives such as anonymous proxies or peer-to-peer networks like Tor but these are generally less reliable and much slower.

Legalities

Using a VPN is completely legal as long as you are not using it to perform an illegal activity (e.g. running a criminal gang). Thousands of companies depend on Virtual Private Networks to conduct business where security is important, and it’s inconceivable that government regulators would inflict that kind of collateral damage by imposing a blanket ban on VPN use. Whilst it may be a “grey” area in some repressive countries, to our knowledge nobody has ever been charged or convicted for using a VPN.