Canadians always seem to get the short end of the stick when it comes to streaming video. It’s a frustrating situation the US networks put us in, wherein, Canadians have access to US stations over television, but are then blocked for any content streamed over the internet. The peculiar thing is that the content in question isn’t anything different than what is already displayed on TV – in fact, networks have mainly used streaming as a way to provide viewers with on-demand viewing of their television content. Of course, if we’re to believe the networks, the way in which we access this content apparently makes a big difference.

Enough of a difference, in fact, that the world of internet streaming has essentially become a geographically defined walled garden. If we don’t live in the U.S, we don’t get access. It’s as simple as that.

Hulu: Watch your favourites, anytime. For free.

Streaming has never been terribly important to me, which is probably why geo-blocking doesn’t bug me all that much. If I want to watch some sort of television content on my laptop or xbox, I’d much rather torrent a higher quality version, with the added bonus, of not only being able to access it anytime, but anywhere. Or better yet, I’ll buy the DVD releases. Then again, part of my streaming aversion is probably because, until now, it has simply been too inaccessible for Canadian users to stream meaningful, good quality content.

In the US, you have Hulu, ABC, NBC, FOX, and even Joost for a while, who provide high-quality streaming content of nearly all their shows. Then there’s UK, which does much of the same for the BBC. It’s only recently that Canada networks, like Global and CTV, have started streaming what US networks have long provided.

Getting past the network imposed blocks isn’t impossible, but not terribly easy, either. It usually relies on fiddling with obscure proxies, many of which either don’t work, or painfully slow for streaming purposes. Frankly, I’m surprised I hadn’t heard of the latest method sooner. I could blame that, in part, upon my nonchalant attitude towards streaming, but I still feel as if a little of my geek credibility has died inside.

AnchorFree is essentially a glorified VPN network, which not only provides private, but anonymous browsing, making it extremely difficult to identify where exactly a user is truly accessing from. While the intention is to protect and obfuscate your internet usage, particularly when browsing from a public place, this anonymity means that Hulu is only a click away for Canadian users. This certainly isn’t the first sort of service to allow unfettered access to blocked content; a similar service has existed for Chinese internet users for years, allowing them to subvert the so-called Great Firewall of China. Yet, while these methods required a host PC to be set up in a country specifically with unrestricted access, AnchorFree takes removes the troubles of finding a willing host. Install the software, connect through your favourite browser, and watch as geo-blocks crumble beneath your virtual feet.

At the very least, it means I can enjoy the latest in British television – without being anywhere near my TV.