subject: Working on the move [print this page] Remote working means more than just accessing company documents from your home computer. With a mobile broadband service, you can work on the move, whether in hotel rooms abroad or during your daily commute into work, writing emails and documents on the train, bus or tube and putting your travel time to use.
Mobile broadband has evolved significantly in the past few years. Long gone are the days when you had to connect your laptop to your mobile and enjoy a paltry speed of 9.6 kbps, about five times slower than the standard dial-up connection of most home computers in the late 1990s. Today's mobile broadband is a fast and reliable service that can keep you connected at vital times, even when you're out of range of wireless networks.
With city-wide Wi-Fi still being some distance from reality in many urban areas, and plans for national networks even further off, mobile broadband is the most effective solution for workers on the move, and can also work out much cheaper as you won't have to pay to access private Wi-Fi hotspots in public places. Instead, most phone operators offer a mobile broadband package that can be paid monthly or as part of a longer contract, offering even greater discounts.
Wherever you're planning to work, whether on public transport or in foreign countries, making sure you have a reliable broadband and phone service is vital to keep you connected. You don't want to miss an important conference call or find you can't access emails because your telecommunications services are not up to scratch. That's why it's important to check that the place you're staying offers reliable broadband connections, and you can find many hotels - particularly international chains - that will offer high-speed Wi-Fi to business customers, either in their rooms or in common areas.
Checking the network coverage of mobile broadband operators in the area you're visiting can also be an important step if there are not likely to be Wi-Fi networks around. You can find network coverage maps online from your phone operator, but it's always useful to scout around with your laptop once you arrive, making sure the signal is strong and reliable enough for your needs.
Most modern laptops will be ready-made to pick up local networks if they have a SIM slot or wireless receiver already built in, but even if you've got an older model it's still easy to get connected, simply by buying an adaptor that can be fitted into your USB port.
