Private Internet Access (PIA) now offers physical or virtual locations in all 50 US states, the company has announced.
As part of its “50 Servers in 50 States” campaign, the popular VPN service now provides everyone in the US with more privacy, regardless of their state.
The move, according to PIA, was made because the United States lacks a nationwide approach to online privacy. Federal and state regulations surrounding data privacy and security are ambiguous, and they continue to fall short of tackling real-world challenges. And so, PIA thinks that it is up to each one of us to defend ourselves.
PIA emphasizes that not all services are available throughout the US, with many sporting events being subject to blackouts, while certain businesses don’t operate across state lines. Also, some websites can use your virtual location stemming from your IP address to charge you more for certain goods.
To that end, PIA’s 50 Servers in 50 States campaign aims to provide increased convenience and online privacy to citizens across the US. The goal is to offer at least one connection, whether via a physical server or virtual location, in every state in the US. And like that’s not enough, there is also a separate server in D.C., for a grand total of 51.
Why would you need an IP address for a specific state?
To explain why, PIA shared a few use cases, which are worth repeating:
Use case #1
Some online banking accounts require you to physically be in your home state to provide access to your account. In that sense, having an IP address in your home state ensures you’ll have access to your bank account while traveling anywhere in the US.
Use case #2
Major sporting events — including NFL, MLB, and NBA games — are blacked out in certain states due to syndication rights. With a VPN, you don’t have to worry about that. Just connect to a server in the state where the sporting event is streaming and you’re good to go. You may still need a valid subscription, though.
Use case #3
Most websites show news stories relevant to your current location. So, if you’re traveling to another state, you will want to connect to your home state’s VPN server to get the local news fix. For that to be possible, your VPN should have a server there – and PIA does have one.
Use case #4
If you’re planning to visit a different state and want to do your due diligence before touching the ground, you’ll want to look up smaller local restaurants’ and shops’ opening hours or get the best prices for hotels before getting there. In this scenario, a local IP address could actually save you some money.
Use case #5
Americans have until midnight Pacific time to file taxes so if you live in a state within the Pacific time zone but are currently out of town, having an IP address for your home state ensures you get extra few hours to file.
We’re sure you’ll figure out additional ways to take advantage of all those PIA’s servers across the U.S.
PIA is one of the best VPNs out there
Beyond its vast network of servers in the United States, PIA also has servers placed in other parts of the world. In fact, it is one of the best VPNs in the world and we highly recommend it. And this is especially true for Chromebook users for which PIA offers an amazing Chrome extension that goes way beyond what other VPNs provide.
Whether you need a VPN to access content or services that would otherwise be outside of your reach, bypass censorship or just to keep a low profile on the web — PIA will have your back. So do check it out. Hit the link below and take it from there.
Pros
Cons
- Fast, reliable download and upload speeds
- Works great for Netflix and torrenting
- Dedicated Chrome and Firefox extensions
- Connect 10 devices simultaneously
- Doesn't work well in China