Remote communications
view printable versionIf you’re fortunate to live near a telephone exchange and have a reasonable monthly budget, you’l
l almost certainly have access to high quality fast internet access in the office or at home.
If you live (or work) in the middle of nowhere, internet access gets more expensive, less
reliable and more complicated. And what if you don’t even have a computer on you and need to
connect? Simon Davey examines Remote Communications
Internet access in remote communities
If you live further than 5.5km from a BT exchange, you have very little hope of getting standard
broadband (ADSL) and are unlikely to have access to cable. The typical options are:
• 3G mobile phones
• Satellite connections
• Wireless communities
Mobile internet access (wi-fi vs. mobile networks)
More and more mobile phones are internet enabled and many people now use a Blackberry for remote
email.
This is great if you truly want to be ‘always on’ and can be essential if you’re away a lot,
but it does have a cost.
Wi-fi (wireless) is often dramatically cheaper than using mobile phones with even monthly
wi-fi subscriptions (typically £12 per month for unlimited connectivity) being cheaper than half an
hours email and surfing using a mobile data card. However, you are limited to finding the right ‘
wireless cloud’ in the right place.
It’s rare for us all to consider how much data we download. We’re used to buying internet
access by the minute (in the days of dial up connections) and these days usually have unlimited
time and volume per month.
You might be shocked to find that a few web pages and half a dozen emails over a mobile phone
have cost you over a fiver. Typical network charges (T-Mobile etc.) range from £7 to £10 per month
for very limited bandwidth. Much better to go with a sizeable 3GB monthly tariff for £30 or so (if
you really need to get that much data on the move).
Satellite connections
Attaching a satellite dish to your office could be a practical, if expensive way, of getting
broadband connection.
Install costs can be high, it’s not cheap to run and not as responsive as typical ADSL
connections (only really an issue if your response is time critical in seconds rather than
minutes).
Suppliers are available from
http://www.broadband-uk.coop Note that one
major satellite provider bit the dust in 2006, leaving subscribers with no access or support.
Satellite broadband can be one-way (download only – send/upload via a phone or ISDN – which
makes it fairly cheap) or two way, typically much more expensive but necessary if you send large
files or use collaboration tools over the internet.
Wireless communities
Wireless connectivity can help share broadband connections if you have a nearby neighbour with a
good connection.
The range depends on the environment (including the weather) and the equipment used but a few
hundred yards is often feasible.
There are increasing numbers of wireless communities across urban and rural areas – see our
other feature Without Wires for more details.
Remote access to the office
Do you need to access the odd email out of the office? A whole set of files? Or the entire
network?
Is it just you or all your colleagues? Remote working is increasingly common, whether its
work from home (sometimes achieved by taking a laptop or a USB key) or true mobile working (a
campaigner blogging on a park bench in Westminster or a participant publishing info live from a
conference).
Remote access to organisational data is a serious issue (you need to get in easily but others
shouldn’t).
Wrapping up
Communicating from remote locations or communities needn’t be difficult or costly. Connection
costs are coming down, reliability is increasing and technology is improving.
Wireless technology and connection sharing means large communities are now able to share
internet connections cost effectively and 3G (on a reasonable tariff) means you can access key data
at limited expense.
As with all things ICT, the key is to factor connectivity into your plan and ICT strategy, to
research your options (including the financial and business sustainability of your supplier) and
make a sound medium term decision. How important is communication in your organisation?
Articles on the ICT Hub Knowledgebase
Remote Control - Accessing a Computer or Office Network from Another Location
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