Orcon upgrades Global Mode Service with region-switcher

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › Orcon upgrades Global Mode Service with region-switcher

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79253 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#165785 20-Feb-2015 15:50

Just received:

Orcon upgrades Global Mode Service with region-switcher

Switching between international Netflix content will be easier with Orcon’s new Global Mode region-switcher.

Orcon is upgrading its Global Mode Service so users will be able to switch between regions and watch content from different Netflix catalogues in the US and UK with ease.

Orcon launched Global Mode in August last year, which is a free and automatic service for Orcon customers that allows Kiwis to access global streaming websites like Netflix.

“With the rise of smart devices, and smorgasbord of streaming options available, Kiwis are rethinking the way they use broadcast TV,” says Orcon general manager Mike Shirley.

“We want to give customers access to even more online content and the Global Mode region-switcher will make it even easier for Netflix users to switch to different regions to view the content they want.”

The Global Mode region switching feature will launch in March free-of-charge to Orcon customers.

1 | 2

2379 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#1243172 20-Feb-2015 16:58

Awesome news!

pedrogarcia

250 posts

Master Geek

Trusted

#1243201 20-Feb-2015 17:17

It is great news. Hopefully it works with the UK Roku so I can watch iPlayer etc without paying for a DNS changer.

NonprayingMantis

6434 posts

Uber Geek

#1243231 20-Feb-2015 18:09

Nice. Only 2 years after unblock-us had the same feature. Revolutionary!

MrTomato

149 posts

Master Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1243994 22-Feb-2015 08:31

All they need to do now is pull their fingers out and fix Global Mode's new BBC iPlayer problems!

Supposedly when you email globalmode@orcon.net.nz "the Global Mode team will look into it and turn around a response within 48 hours". Yeah, right. A week later? No response, no fix.

nathan

5695 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1244015 22-Feb-2015 09:52

This is still bypass networks white labelled service right?

MrTomato

149 posts

Master Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1244018 22-Feb-2015 10:01

nathan: This is still bypass networks white labelled service right?

Yep, Bypass Network Services Ltd.

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79253 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#1244020 22-Feb-2015 10:12

Which should be why Slingshot also started offering the same switch region feature at the same time.

Equinox IT

Cloud spending continues to surge globally, but most organisations haven’t made the changes necessary to maximise the value and cost-efficiency benefits of their cloud investments. Download the whitepaper From Overspend to Advantage now.

openmedia

3324 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1244062 22-Feb-2015 11:26

MrTomato: All they need to do now is pull their fingers out and fix Global Mode's new BBC iPlayer problems!

Supposedly when you email globalmode@orcon.net.nz "the Global Mode team will look into it and turn around a response within 48 hours". Yeah, right. A week later? No response, no fix.

So I'm not alone. iPlayer on Android will no longer stream, but downloading first still works.

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

MrTomato

149 posts

Master Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1244070 22-Feb-2015 11:39

openmedia: iPlayer on Android will no longer stream, but downloading first still works.

Yes, that's it. In terms of streaming, some of the most popular programmes will actually stream (presumably something to do with the CDN the BBC uses), some will stream but then stop during the programme, and others (usually less popular programmes) won't stream at all.

The BBC have also changed their radio streams again. There are new streams which currently aren't supported in Global Mode, and listening to BBC radio through the web-based iPlayer Radio site should work, but is currently being actively broken by Global Mode. It's a right mess!

I emailed globalmode@orcon.net.nz a week ago, but haven't even received a courtesy form response, let alone an actual response or a fix.

It would be great if you could flick them an email reporting the problem too - perhaps they don't bother to do anything if they don't receive a certain number of fault complaints!

openmedia

3324 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1267658 25-Mar-2015 14:37

Any updates on when the region switcher will be available?

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

bonus

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1267873 25-Mar-2015 19:52

Yes I would like to know this to (been lurking for years but registered to post this :) )

Just called the call centre, they didnt know anything about it, just offered to disable global mode which ive done so can register for netflix nz. Hopefully not to far away until we can select regions ourselves.

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79253 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#1268106 26-Mar-2015 09:18

Orcon Global Mode Switcher is not available yet.

For now turn Global Mode ON to access US Netflix, and Global Mode OFF to access NZ Netflix.

Nikoftime

103 posts

Master Geek

#1268967 27-Mar-2015 11:49

MrTomato:
openmedia: iPlayer on Android will no longer stream, but downloading first still works.

Yes, that's it. In terms of streaming, some of the most popular programmes will actually stream (presumably something to do with the CDN the BBC uses), some will stream but then stop during the programme, and others (usually less popular programmes) won't stream at all.

The BBC have also changed their radio streams again. There are new streams which currently aren't supported in Global Mode, and listening to BBC radio through the web-based iPlayer Radio site should work, but is currently being actively broken by Global Mode. It's a right mess!

I emailed globalmode@orcon.net.nz a week ago, but haven't even received a courtesy form response, let alone an actual response or a fix.

It would be great if you could flick them an email reporting the problem too - perhaps they don't bother to do anything if they don't receive a certain number of fault complaints!

I'm also having unreliable and variable success using global mode with slingshot
I have had very long conversations with Slingshot's help desk but eventually they gave up and now tell me its my problem to solve.

Samsung smart TV
Iplayer App seems to work well now that the region switcher has been introduced
ITV player app - plays the ads before programme but actual TV show does not stream

Samsung galaxy Android tablet
Iplayer app streams live TV but no success with previously broadcast shows
4OD app works
ITV app - does not work

Samsung galaxy android tablet and s3 mini smartphone
using the BBC iplayer radio app.
Prior to slingshot and global mode this app worked well
Now the radio app does not stream any live shows but will stream old shows when search funtion used. Cannot stream the geoblocked shows such as radio 5 live extra coverage of cricket world cup

hamish225

1418 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

#1269073 27-Mar-2015 14:58

yeah well i still can't see it in my account.

why would they say they've upgraded it when really they haven't? not yet anyway.

*Insert big spe*dtest result here*

Jarno

270 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1269129 27-Mar-2015 16:40

According to the email blast today, the official way to switch regions on Orcon's Global Mode is the on/off button:

** Netflix Is Here! What You Need To Know.

------------------------------------------------------------

Hi there,

You’ve probably heard the big news that Netflix has arrived in NZ!

This is awesome, we’re big fans of streaming TV and the more options the better. Orcon customers have had
access to the Netflix US website with Global Mode for a while, but now you can choose which version of the
site you want to access.

By default, Global Mode will send you to the Netflix US website. But, if you want to access the NZ site,
then you can take a few simple steps to turn Global Mode off:

1. Log into My Orcon here (https://www.orcon.net.nz/site/login) using your Orcon username and password.

2. Select Global Mode from the left hand menu

3. Click ‘Enable Global Mode’ to turn it on, or ‘Disable Global Mode’ to turn it off.

4. Restart your modem by turning it off and on again to apply the change

Once you’re done (don’t forget number four), you’ll have access to the Netflix NZ site. You can turn
Global Mode off or on as often as you like depending on what you want to watch.

So it does not sound like a region selector is imminent.

1 | 2