The Czech Republic is a small landlocked country located in Central Europe. It is ranked 115th in the world for size because the whole country is only 30,450 square miles in area. There are historic sites and places that date back more than 1,000 years, so there is plenty to see. If you are going to take a trip to the Czech Republic for work or pleasure, you’ll want to use a VPN when connecting to public WiFi. There are some good reasons behind the decision that we will get to in a moment. First, have a look at our top choices.
Rank | VPN Service | Our Score | Server Locations | Visit |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 9.8 | 160 | ||
2 | 9.4 | 87 | ||
3 | 9.2 | 95 | ||
4 | 9.0 | 110 | ||
5 | 8.8 | 73 |
Settlements in the Czech Republic date back to Paleolithic times. It was there that the oldest ceramic figurine was discovered (it was dated to 29,000 BCE). The area was once called Bohemia in the past because it was home to a Gallic tribe called the Boii during the 9th century. It was not until the 1900s that the name resembled what it is now. These days, the country is a unitary parliamentary constitutional republic. The economy is well developed and high wealth that is 87% of the European Union average.
The climate in the Czech Republic is divided into 3 categories. Those are the Subarctic, Oceanic, and Humid Continental. Its landlocked status means that there are 4 distinct seasons with warm summers and cold winters. Depending on the time of year you go there, you will have access to many different events as well as things to do. Just be sure to dress appropriately for the time of year you will be there.
Internet Access and Online Privacy in the Czech Republic
Until recently, using the internet in the Czech Republic mostly centered around Wireless ISP traffic. There are over 800 WISP providers, all with varying amounts of data offered in their plans. Now, however, cable internet has become common so speeds are good and prices are reasonable. Because of that, a growing number of establishments are offering free WiFi for their customers. That also leads us to our first reason to use a VPN.
If you are using WiFi, you are at an increased risk of someone getting your private and sensitive data. Whether those are financial records, company secrets, personal information, or other things, those can potentially be stolen if you are not using a VPN to encrypt your data. By doing so, you make it much more difficult for criminals to take advantage of the situation.
Another good reason to use a VPN is to help you deal with censorship and geo-restrictions. The Czech Republic blocks a few things including non-permitted internet games. Those include sites that deal with international lotteries. The country does respect freedom of speech and freedom of the press with the exceptions of hate speech, Holocaust denials, and the denial of Communist-era crimes. If you enjoy streaming and you want to watch content from your home country, the Czech Republic is an ideal place to do so. Just make sure you connect to a VPN in your home country first.
How to Choose a VPN for the Czech Republic
Whether you want to protect your privacy while using WiFi networks or get around geo-restrictions you might encounter, you will want to use a VPN while in the Czech Republic. There are a number of different providers that you can choose from, and sometimes it is hard to know which one is the best option. As we mentioned, a VPN protects your privacy by using encryption. Many of the providers we mention will give you a choice between protocols. The one you should whenever possible is OpenVPN.
OpenVPN it is considered to be the top choice in the community. If you are given the option between UDP and TCP, both will do the job nicely. The difference is, UDP is faster, so it may be preferable. If you have connection issues, you’ll want to check out the TCP version. Though it is slower, TCP has built-in error checking for a more stable connection.
The VPN services listed above are based on security, speed, reliability, and price. They are also providers with a good network of VPN servers in Central Europe. That way, you can get the best speeds. Of course, they all have great networks. Speed is important if you plan on accessing, downloading, streaming any content, or even communicating. Hopefully, this guide has helped you with your decision. If so please share it with your family and friends so they can protect their online privacy as well.