Can I watch my YouTube TV while traveling?

YouTube TV and Travel: Streaming on the Go, But with a Catch

YouTube TV promises cord-cutting convenience, but what happens when your cord-cutting adventures take you beyond your living room? Can you still enjoy your favorite shows while traveling? The short answer is yes, but with a crucial caveat.

YouTube TV allows you to watch your subscribed channels virtually anywhere with an internet connection. Whether you’re on a cross-country road trip, relaxing on a beach vacation, or working remotely in a foreign country, you can likely access your YouTube TV account and stream your content. This flexibility is a major selling point, freeing you from the geographical restrictions of traditional cable television.

However, there’s a wrinkle concerning local channels. To maintain access to your regionally specific local channels – the news, affiliates, and local programming you subscribed to based on your home address – you need to periodically “check in” to your designated Home Area. This check-in needs to occur within a 90-day window.

Think of this as a digital residency requirement for your local channels. YouTube TV needs to verify your location to ensure you’re still entitled to those specific broadcasts. Failing to check in within the 90-day period might result in the temporary loss of your local channels until you re-establish your Home Area location.

This doesn’t affect your access to national channels or on-demand content. You can continue to enjoy those regardless of your location. The 90-day check-in only pertains to those channels specifically tied to your registered home address. The process itself is typically simple, often involving simply launching the YouTube TV app while connected to the internet within your Home Area.

So, while YouTube TV is incredibly portable and allows for seamless viewing while traveling, remember that maintaining access to your local channels requires a short, periodic visit back to your designated home location. Plan accordingly, and your favorite shows can accompany you on any adventure.