Pixel Streaming Stuck "Starting Connection to Server, Please Wait"

The Pixel Streaming on the local network works great. problem is that streaming on a local network has almost no value for me (and I presume a large number of UE users interested in Pixel Streaming). When I try to connect a device that’s not on the local network via port forwarding, I get the following screen:

I’ve read several forum posts about this, but it doesn’t seem like anyone has come up with a real solution, other than to use an Amazon VM, which will cost you nearly $10k per year to use.

I even went so far as to set up a three-way conference call with a rep from the Amazon non-profit team (I’m with a non-profit and I am trying to create a virtual experience/tour of our campus that can be accessed across devices easily.) and solutions architecture/Gamelift team and I was told multiple times that Unity/Web GL is cheaper and better.

The solutions architect guy legit spent an 1 hour and 50 minutes on the phone w me trying to figure out why the connection from the local network wasn’t working.

Has anyone been able to figure this out? I feel like I’ve spent SO MUCH TIME on this and haven’t gotten past the initial problem. Has anyone? What is the point of this feature, if it can’t do the thing that people have an obvious need for?