Pandemic changed the ways we approach jobs.2 years ago we wouldn’t even think not to accept a job because there is not remote work option. Ever since the pandemic came we had to learn how to live with the new normal. Working from home, Zoom calling, dealing with kids in between calls. And walking a dog we just got to feel less isolated from people during lockdowns. The problem is, all these require good broadband.
Fibre broadband delays
Considering that during lockdowns many people decided to move to the countryside to enjoy more space and better quality of life, broadband connection is often a problem. It’s not a secret that rural residents are left behind when it comes to fibre rollouts. The infrastructure of fibre optic cables need to be build through often difficult terrains to deliver broadband connection to often very sparsely populated locations with very low ratio of revenue to investment. No wonder broadband providers are not too willing to do it. They are after money, not charity.
4G Internet
Still, we want to work and enjoy better quality of life so access to internet is a big deal. There are options. 4G LTE connection comes first to mind but anyone who ever had to rely on mobile network in rural area knows it tends to go bad in the most unfortunate moment. When we need it the most, chances are others need it too. And the network gets congested. 4G networks were not designed for bandwidth but for connectivity so it’s not the best solution.
5G broadband
Some areas have 5G already and that’s a much better option. If it’s available. 5G rollouts are slow and focus initially on densely populated areas. No surprise here. 5G networks are probably the future destined to replace fibre optics but not quite yet.
Satellite internet
Satellite broadband is yet another option available in rural areas. In some areas it’s the only viable option. Satellite dish doesn’t need expensive infrastructure to deliver connectivity, all what’s needed is a dish, cable and satellite router. And a clear view of the southern sky. Satellite connections have a bad press though. People perceive satellite as expensive and unusable. It’s used to be the case. Nowadays satellite price plans are more affordable and with unlimited data plans.
Satellite broadband limitations
Despite it’s availability satellite comes with certain limitation. First of all, the connection goes through the Earth’s orbit so users need to expect latency what in turn can affect connectivity when company requires VPNs. Some VPNs are not configured to handle high latency. Not all of them. This is probably something that a potential customer should check before signing up. There are other factors to consider such as incompatibility with game consoles but it shouldn’t be a problem when it comes to work. Still, it’s an option that doesn’t require lengthy development so it’s worth to consider.
Last words
Living and working in rural areas can be challenging but at least we have options. We no longer need to rely on office-based jobs and long commute times. Considering developments such as 5G we should think one day we will be able to pick where we live without worrying if there is access to internet.
