Private Internet Access (PIA) is among the world’s leading VPN service providers. It will encrypt your internet connection and assign anonymous UIP so as to ensure that your online privacy is adequately protected. PIA is a company based in the United States. This means that it assures complete anonymity because the United States law doesn’t require the providers of VPN services to keep and maintain user data logs.These days, there are various software packages that criminals and spammers use to intercept data. Everyday, it is becoming easier to hijack information and steal data online from the insecure connections. Those who access internet via shared internet routers, wifi hotspots, etc are at high risk. Wireshark, kismet, Ethereal, and Firesheep are among the free applications which are readily available in the market and can be used to gain unauthorized access to the messages, pictures, accounts, etc of unsuspecting  internet users.  This is the reason why many people have devised to make use of the PIA VPN service to guard against intrusion of privacy by hackers, other internet users or government agencies such as CIA and Mossad to their private activities on the internet.PIA allows users to browse anonymously with VPN tunnel by use of high speed, multi-gigabit global gateways. It provides the users with options of setting up their connections using L2TP/IPSEC, PPTP, and Open VPN protocols.  The Private internet access VPN is best suited to the users living abroad who want to access restricted sites such as Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, BBC iPlayer, HULU, and Netflix US, among others. An important point that all users should note is that PIA is one of the few VPN service providers that allow BitTorrent traffic over their servers thus making it possible for user to overcome the six strikes anti piracy law in that it a allows anonymous downloads with new, brand IP address.  The meaning of this is that you don’t have to worry about the possible punishments which include ISP written warnings, slow speeds or full, internet disconnections. With PIA, all the P2P activity is fully encrypted and completely anonymized. The PIA VPN service also features SOCKS5 proxy which secures Dropbox and other individual applications instead of the entire connection.  

Plans/Packages

PIA offers affordable plans and packages per month, per 6 months, and per year.The Monthly Plan:The Private Internet Access VPN monthly plan will cost only $6.95. The features of this plan include the following:

• 1. Encrypted WiFi
• 2. L2TP/IPSec, PPTP, and OpenVPN protocols
• 3. Multiple VPN Gateways
• 4. SOCKS5 Proxy Included
• 5. No traffic logs
• 6. Instant Setup
• 7. Unlimited Bandwidth
• 8. VoIP and P2P Support
• 9. Secure VPN Account

The 6-Months Plan:

The Private Internet Access VPN 6-months plan will cost only $35.95 (which translates to $5.99 per month). The features of this plan are as those of the one month plan.

The One-Year Plan:

The Private Internet Access VPN one-year plan will cost only $39.95 (which translates to $3.33 per month). Similarly, the features of this plan are as those of the one month plan.  This is the most affordable option VPN package.

VPN Protection Layers (protocols)

Private Internet Access provides multi-layered, state of the art security with enhanced privacy protection by use of VPN tunneling. The PIA services have from the outset been designed to operate suing their in-built technology which is already exiting in the Smartphone or computer device. These services operate IP/TCP interface level, and this means that all the applications but not just the browser are secure.The following are the security layers that PIA uses to ensure and protect your online privacy.

IP Cloaking:

The PIA IP Cloak masks the user’s real IP address with an anonymous IP address thus making it impossible for internet services and websites to track your habits of browsing, discovering your real geographic location, or monitoring your searches or visits on the internet. After the user has established secure connection to the PIA security layer, they will be issued with new IP address based in the U.S, which will take place of different location.- Best vpn for BBC iplayer

Encryption:

The PIA encryption is the ultimate protection from eavesdropping and data monitoring. The PIA service utilizes encryption of the highest grade, which is based on the cryptographically secure and well known Blowfish CBC algorithm. This encryption is used together with OpenVPN protocol to ensure that your data transmissions are completely secure. These modern technologies are based the highest level cryptographic formulas which offer the best possible security in the high risk situations. PIA also offers SOCKS5, PPTP, and IPSec/L2TP technologies.

Firewall:

 The PIA Firewall blocks all the unwanted connections. The integration of filtering capabilities and the advanced firewall of Netfilter Project is the ultimate assurance that you’ll no longer receive unwanted connection to your Smartphone or computer. This software delivers sever grade filtering to ensure optimal performance and prevent all network intrusions. With the server grade and the PIA network,   you will completely keep off strangers from accessing or intruding your privacy.

Server Locations

Private Internet Access has high speed servers located in the USA, Canada, UK, Romania, Switzerland, Sweden, France, Germany, and Netherlands. 

The Positives

1. Identity protection: PIA allows you to browse and post anonymously on internet forums.  This is very important for users whose identities put them at risk.  It is a service that will help you avoid being over exposed. Anonymous browsing is also vital because it prevents data mining and keeps your identity and data secrecy.2. Uncensored access:  PIA allows users to gain unrestricted access to Swiss, Sweden, France, Germany, Romania, Canada, United Kingdom, Netherlands and United States internet services.  The PIA VPN service provides uncensored and unrestricted access to the internet.  For those who are blocked by strict censorship by their Firewall or ISP, the PIA VPON service will by pass the firewall and all those censorship thus providing unrestricted access through IP address based in the U.S.The PIA Swiss gateways have been found to offer the highest levels of privacy.  These gateways allow complete anonymity and hide the users IP addresses such that their exact geographical location cannot be identified.The PIA VPN service will unblock and unrestricted any software that could have been blocked by your ISP such as P2P, Voice over IP, and other software applications.PIA provides complete and full access to the user’s most favorite video and website streams such as Facebook, YouTube, Demand5, BBC iPlayer, and Hulu among others.PIA offers highly advanced security options that guarantee your privacy and confidentiality when browsing. As stated earlier, it provides 256-bit encryption via OpenVPN connection.It allows instant activation without any requirement of installation. It allows the users to hide their IPs and block unwanted data leaks or exposure online.The PIA VPN service is very highly affordable particularly if you go for the one-year plan which will cost only $39.95. This translates to $3.33 per month – the cheapest deal in the market that provides high degrees of safety, privacy and confidentiality.

The Negatives

• The process of configuration is slightly confusing and some users have reported encountering some difficulties and challenges when they want help and support from Private Internet Access officials.
• Private Internet Access has also refused to share information about the IP addresses that it has.

Conclusion

With its very easy-to-use software, PIA lets the users connect to the internet immediately. With it you can very easily secure your identity online on Linux, Macintosh, Windows and other Operating Systems. The Mac and Windows users can freely download software for their respective Operating Systems.  To make matters even better, the software client has easy-to-use, simple design which allows the users to pick their desired geographic location and immediately connect to the internet via Virtual Private Network (VPN).   In addition, the users can take control of the advanced settings such as port forwarding, DNS leak protection, and VPN kill switch (an option which shuts down the internet connection automatically immediately your VPN connection is disconnected). Visit Private Internet Access VpnThe Private Internet Access VP is the best choice for the tablet and Smartphone users.  The users of Android devices can encrypt their devices by downloading free Android App. PIA is also very highly compatible with iPad and iPhone (iOS devices). Manual configurations through the Settings of the device will take one minute or less.  All that is required of you is the PIA account login and your chosen VPN server’s IP or address.  PIA is also among the safety and cheapest VON service providers in the market.  Its one year plan, which goes for only $39.95 is very cost effective since it will cost about $3.33 per month.  It’s highly unlikely that you will find any other safer and cheaper VON service provider than Private Internet Access.Based on the features of PIA, users can remain confident and assured that this VPN service will hide their identity and secure their database. You can even put this VPN service in your mobile devices such as iPad and Smartphones and browse privately all the time via any device.