Few free streaming services are as good as TVNZ Plus, New Zealand's national and private broadcaster. If that's a lofty accolade, we'll take it higher; even in Netflix's heyday, it was hard to say it was as good.

With a free service, one can expect and accept that at least one major obstacle will be built in; TVNZ+ is not, and it's not a free service.

For the most part, you get the latest big releases at the same time as most of the paid premium networks and broadcasters around the world. Needless to say, the library is excellent, and in addition to TV shows and movies, TVNZ+ also regularly live streams sports matches.

However, while it is easy to access TVNZ+ within New Zealand, you may run into problems if you are outside the country, even if you live in New Zealand. So here are some specific instructions on how to watch TVNZ+ live from anywhere in the world.

If you are in New Zealand, all you need to do to watch TVNZ+ live is register an account on the TVNZ website.

Simply enter your name, year of birth, e-mail address, gender, and password. There is no need to submit your full home address or even your zip code.

Once you click on the link and verify your email address, you will have full access to the on-demand TVNZ library, as well as TVNZ 1, TVNZ 2, TVNZ Duke, and their corresponding +1 channels, Bloomberg Originals, Bloomberg TV+, FIFA+, and the ability to live stream temporary pop-up channels that occasionally appear for live sporting events.

TVNZ+ is locked to New Zealand, so the service will only be available within New Zealand.

You may be able to access the website from abroad, but you will not be able to see anything. This is known as a regional restriction, but there is an easy way around this.

Signing up for the best VPN will allow you to connect to servers based in virtually any country in the world, no matter where you are, as long as you have an Internet connection.

For example, if you leave New Zealand on vacation, a VPN will allow you to connect to servers in your home country and access the full TVNZ+ library.

TVNZ+ allows you to get TV programs that you would have to pay for in most other countries the moment major new programs are released, all the time.

Recent examples include “Day of the Jackal,” “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon” Season 2, “Tulsa King” Season 2, “Colin on Account” Season 2, “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist,” ” Interview with the Vampire” Season 2, ‘Teacup’, and ‘Ghosts US’ Season 4.

The track record in this regard is truly exemplary, and its full library can be browsed quickly and easily using the search function.

TVNZ+ also regularly broadcasts sports coverage, which is the cherry on the cake.

At the time of this writing, its biggest coverage includes the NFL (at least three games each week) and home internationals for the New Zealand cricket team.

It also broadcasts at least three matches in each round of the United Rugby Championship and all Super Smash matches for men and women's cricket.

A VPN can be used to unlock TVNZ+'s treasure trove of TV shows, movies, and sports coverage, so that you can enjoy all the programming offered wherever you are.

But that's not all that VPNs can help with; they also encrypt and anonymize your browsing data, protecting your privacy not only from cyber criminals and government snooping, but also from your Internet service provider.