The government of Azerbaijan has a stranglehold over the country’s internet. This implies that it influences the information you read, thus influencing your views. This alone would justify the use of a VPN (since these allow you to bypass country-wide censorship). However, this is not their only advantage; these services also encrypt your communication, rendering it unreadable.
VPNs protect your information by encrypting it and sending it via a secondary server. This helps keep snoopers out of your internet activities while also enabling you to circumvent any content limitations imposed by your country. Additionally, this same technology enables visitors to access geo-restricted services that are often unavailable in Azerbaijan.
Given this location’s challenging digital environment, you must select the appropriate VPN. However, we did not want to suggest services that were effective solely in these circumstances. Below are the criteria we followed to ensure that you receive a VPN that works effectively both within and outside Azerbaijan:
- Provides access to a large network of servers.
- Sufficiently fast for data-intensive tasks such as video conferencing.
- Without difficulty, circumvents country-wide limitations.
- Utilize robust security measures (including encryption) to conceal your traffic.
- Does not retain any data that may be used to identify you.
- Comes pre-installed with applications for all major operating systems.
Best VPN for Azerbaijan
NordVPN
NordVPN provides users with access to over 5,000 servers in several different countries. It has lightning-fast connections and limitless bandwidth, as well as excellent unblocking capabilities. As such, it’s an obvious option for anybody seeking to evade Azerbaijan’s internet restrictions. Having said that, these same characteristics make it a great choice for streaming geo-restricted content when traveling. Users may protect multiple devices simultaneously.
This VPN is unquestionably secure. It protects your traffic with 256-bit encryption, DNS, WebRTC, and IPv6 leak prevention. Additionally, there is a configurable kill switch, automated ad-blocking, and virus scanning, as well as obfuscated servers that bypass even the most stringent web filtering. NordVPN is a service that maintains no logs. If you need assistance, you may contact support professionals 24 hours a day through live chat or email.
NordVPN provides mobile applications for iOS, Android, Mac OS X, Linux, and Windows. Additionally, users may install the service manually on compatible network routers.
How to use a VPN to protect yourself in Azerbaijan
While VPNs may seem complex at first, do not be discouraged; they are much simpler to use than you would believe.
Our four-step approach to internet safety in Azerbaijan is as follows:
- To begin with, subscribe to the suggested service above (we recommend NordVPN).
- Following that, download and install the app on any device that you want to use often. Most providers allow for up to five concurrent connections, although this varies per service.
- Connect to a server in the country of your choice. Bear in mind that if you want to circumvent online censorship, you must use a server located in a country other than the one you are currently in.
- Congratulations: your traffic is now encrypted, allowing you to visit any website you want. If you continue to have difficulties, we suggest deleting your cookies and retrying or contacting your VPN support staff for further help.
VPNs for Azerbaijan: FAQs
Is it necessary to utilize a free VPN?
Free VPNs are unsatisfactory at the best of times, but they’re an especially terrible option in countries like Azerbaijan or China that impose widespread internet restrictions. To begin with, there is no assurance they will be able to circumvent the government’s internet filtering. Even if they work today, there is a good possibility they will not work in a week or a month. Finally, although commercial VPNs have the resources necessary to withstand government pressure, free services often lack these resources and therefore cannot be depended upon to keep your actions secret.
There are other points to consider. For example, free VPNs often have very tiny networks, which means you’ll likely experience very sluggish connections. And this is all assuming that you are using a genuine service, not a Trojan or a so-called “VPN” that lacks encryption. Bypassing government censorship is beyond the capabilities of a free VPN; for the greatest protection, it’s preferable to use a reliable commercial VPN that places a premium on security and privacy.
Why am I required to use a VPN in Azerbaijan?
Azerbaijan’s government often bans content that portrays the country negatively. Additionally, it has been known to use legal threats to coerce journalists into deleting negative coverage. To add insult to injury, the country’s war with Armenia has moved online, with experts on both sides claiming extensive misinformation campaigns, hacking, and DDoS assaults.
A VPN may aid in the resolution of many of these problems. To begin with, they let you connect to the rest of the internet, even in nations with an ever-growing list of banned websites. Second, they encrypt your data, making it unreadable to snoopers. Third, whereas a DDoS assault on your home router would often prohibit you from accessing the internet at all, VPN networks can easily manage the traffic, enabling you to bypass the attack and continue surfing freely.
Note: Using a VPN to view content that is illegal in your country is neither encouraged nor condoned. If in doubt, we highly advise you to familiarize yourself with your country’s applicable laws.
Is it possible to watch Azerbaijani television online?
Since none of Azerbaijan’s main broadcasters geo-restriction their content, it is feasible to watch quite a few Azerbaijani TV stations from overseas. Indeed, in the majority of instances, you may watch it for free without having to register. However, we still suggest utilizing a VPN whenever feasible for streaming, just for the security and privacy advantages it provides.
The following is a partial list of Azerbaijani television networks that provide a live stream:
- AZTV
- İctimai Television
- Idman TV
- ATV
- CBC
- Mədəniyyət TV
- ARB