Watching Belgian TV in Spain: guide and tips

Obviously, you want to know if Simmoneke from Home finally finds happiness. You prefer to watch the fumbling of Belgian soccer clubs in the European leagues accompanied by the unctuous commentary of a compatriot, not one of those rattling Spaniards who only pushes the knife in deeper. And of course you like to follow the Belgian news to fete that "monkey country. You may have to be able to look Martine Tanghe/Stef Wauters in the eye at least once a day to catch the night's sleep. That makes sense. You may move to Spain - or at least buy a second home there - but that doesn't mean you can't appreciate familiar faces. Needless to say, you then want to watch Belgian TV in Spain.

The good news: that's a lot easier now than it was a long time ago. Gone are the days when you had to try to catch the soccer results from the Jupiler Pro League between the radio noise. You no longer have to ask the bomma to record all the episodes of Family on VHS so you can catch up on your damage every time you crash on patriotic soil. With satellite and/or Internet, you can watch Belgian TV directly in Spain. Depending on your situation, there are several options. Some are paid, some are free. Some legal, some just less so. Whatever you choose, in no time you can watch Frank Deboosere predict hailstorms live while you yourself fill your glass with sangria once more on your sun-drenched balcony.

Watching TV on the Internet through telecom provider

In 2007, the European Commission approved a rule around the "portability of online services. In human terms, you should be able to access the services you pay for in your home country, Belgium, anywhere in the European Union (and Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein).

If you have a TV package in Belgium with one of the three major telecom providers - Telenet, Orange, Proximus - you can use an app to log in to your account abroad as well. So in practice, this applies especially to Belgians who live in Belgium but regularly visit their second home in Spain and like to watch TV there.

The same applies, by the way, to other providers of audio and video. So you can also use your subscription to Spotify or Netflix in Spain.

However, there are still differences between providers.

Orange

Orange offers about 40 channels across Europe, which admittedly you can only access via 4G. So not via wifi. A question of rights. Retrieving older broadcasts is not possible with Orange.

Telenet

As a Telenet customer, you can watch almost all the channels you receive at home via your digicorder while abroad. BBC and Fox are the only exceptions, again because of rights. You can request programs up to a day and a half after their broadcast, unless you have a business Fluo subscription.

Proximus

Proximus ensures that customers can watch all the channels they also receive via digicorder on the home front.

Watching TV on the Internet via TV channels

Not only do the providers offer apps that allow you to get started abroad, but most Flemish TV channels don't leave their loyal viewers out in the cold anywhere. Most broadcasters follow the principles of European rules around portability of online services.

So, as a resident of Belgium, you have the right to temporarily take the offer of programs when you travel within Europe. This is a great solution for those who live most of the year in Belgium and own a second residence in Spain. In principle, Belgians with an official address in Spain cannot use it, although there are always some loopholes. About which more later.

VRT

The public broadcaster's free online video platform is called VRT NU. On it, both on the website and app, you can watch the programs of One, Canvas, Ketnet and Ketnet Junior live for free, both via website or app. If you missed something, you can request it up to 30 days after the broadcast date. For VRT NU, you do need an account based on a Belgian domicile.

Other channels

You can also create a free account on the websites of Four, Five, Six or VTM that allows you to watch the channels live or on a delayed basis. However, you often need to disable your adblocker.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I watch some movies or sports programs abroad?

That has to do with rights. Often the channels have only paid for the rights to broadcast the films or sports programs on Belgian territory. To extend those rights to the rest of the EU, they must seek explicit permission from the owner of the rights. In the case of a movie, for example, it is the movie studio. Therefore, you will find mostly in-house productions on the apps.

Is it possible to bypass this geographic blocking?

Yep, although it's not quite legal. VPN is called the panacea that can puncture geographic blocking.

It works as follows. Some video streams are blocked because the IP address of your laptop, smartphone or tablet is not Belgian. So your device knows that you are not in dreary Belgium, but under the Spanish sun. A VPN, or virtual private network, acts as an intermediary between your device and the website you are trying to reach. And makes it appear that you are indeed at home.

The best VPNs cost $3 to $15 per month, depending on the app you prefer. Examples include Express VPN, Cyberghost and NordVPN. Many providers refund your money if you cancel their service within 30 days. If you want to look at something once, that method can save you money.

While there are free VPNs, they are not always thunderous in terms of quality. Which sometimes makes them too slow to stream videos. Moreover, they offer your data to the highest bidder for commercial purposes.

How can I watch Belgian TV on the Internet if I am domiciled in Spain?

Again, a VPN can provide the solution. See above question.

Should I look on my smartphone?

Of course, Xavier Waterslaeghers' sublime acting comes off better on the big screen. You should not be peering at that tiny screen on your phone. Through Chromecast, you can forward the stream of the program from your smartphone or laptop to your TV. Casting is what it's called.

Connecting your laptop to your TV with an HDMI cable is also possible, of course.

How much data does watching TV over the Internet consume?

It depends on the quality of your connection. An hour of watching TV gobbles up 750 megabytes to over 1 gigabyte.

Watching TV via satellite (TV Vlaanderen)

The digital capabilities described above are music to the ears of all those who like to hang out in front of the picture tube. Unfortunately, there is a "but... As for the Internet, Spain is not Belgium. Especially in rural and sparsely populated areas, there is not always sufficient coverage. Which adds to the quality of the Internet. And no one wants their webstream to get stuck just when the final number of the Lotto is announced.

Satellite is then an alternative. TV Vlaanderen is the official provider bringing the Flemish TV channels into Spanish living rooms. Since you receive the TV signal directly via satellite, no matter where your Spanish dream home is located, rural or urban, in a tourist beach town or in Pluto's lair, you will always have good reception. Razor-sharp picture and perfect sound is what TV Flanders prides itself on. Picture quality is usually better than digital.

With TV Flanders, you also get 400 international channels on top of the Belgian offer from €14.90 per month. On the TV Flanders website, you can order the necessary equipment, including standard dish and reception head. For 16.45 euros in shipping costs, TV Vlaanderen will send that material to Spain. A little handy Harry can install the dish himself in a jiffy, using this installation video:

Beforehand, however, you should make sure that dishes are allowed on your apartment building - this is not the case everywhere - and that your dish has a clear view to the south.

Do you already see yourself watching Belgian TV in Spain, but have not yet found the desired property to make the dream come true? Contact Gold Estates with no obligation for more info. We will help you make your dream come true.

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