Making Technology Work Abroad

When you travel to some of the more remote parts of the world or parts of the world that lag in communications technology, you need to be flexible. You could need to work around slower internet service or service blackouts. But you may not be able to easily work around security and tech support issues that can crop up at the most inopportune time.

As experienced travelers and technology experts, we’re used to dealing with less-than-ideal conditions. But we still came across glitches we didn’t foresee. We need to plan for less-than-optimal service (sometimes no service) and problems with internet access, and we need to have some flexibility.

When we were in a game reserve in South Africa, we knew there would be limited Wi-Fi or cellular service, but we were too busy being awed by all the animals we saw. We were surprised on our cruise ship when we were in Madagascar. The ship had internet blackouts; there was no Wi-Fi service. Satellite connections were not available. We also had to work around 3G technology (which has basically been eliminated in the United States). In some cases, VPNs would not allow access to certain websites – and we had counted on that access for certain business needs.

This presents an interesting dichotomy. We take vacations to get away from our normal routines, but sometimes we need to stay in touch. We like being able to resolve issues remotely for our clients or get a detailed understanding of issues so that we instruct those who provide services on our behalf. We believe it’s a critical part of our pledge to serve you.

We also like to take a lot of photographs and shoot videos to share with family and friends during our vacations. With images and videos creating ever larger files, we rely on fast internet service, which may not be available.

Then, there’s the matter of security, especially with authenticator apps and VPNs (virtual private networks).

Authenticator apps are part of the two-factor authentication (2FA) process for accessing websites. The first thing you should do is log in to your authenticator app and make sure it works. You should especially make sure it works with any privacy measures you might take, such as a VPN. Microsoft Authenticator (our preferred app) and Google Authenticator are two of the most commonly used apps, and they work with mobile devices – even if you are logging in from a computer.

If you get a new phone or tablet, you’ll need to reinstall your authentication app; it doesn’t transfer. When we get a client call about an authenticator problem, the first question we ask is whether you have a new phone. We can always walk you through the setup process.

While we’re on the subject of VPNs, be prepared for yours not to work when logging in to a website you normally use. In some countries, an international company’s website might be hosted in a country outside the US. If you are running a VPN that identifies your device as being in the US, just hope it works well so that you can access the site. If you need to contact that company’s tech support, make sure you know what time it is in their location.

If you’re planning a trip to remote locations anywhere in the world – even here in the US – we can help you with contingency plans based on your needs. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us to see what you can do.

Satellite Internet Connectivity May Help Those on the Move

Starlink, the satellite-based internet service provider from Elon Musk is generating a lot of buzz. If you hate your current ISP, it’s a promising alternative. If you live in a rural area, it’s an even more promising alternative. And if the pandemic pushed you into a more mobile lifestyle, Starlink could up the ante.

Satellite internet and phone service has been around for a long time, but it’s expensive and not nearly as fast as what you can get from your current ISP in an urban area. Viasat, one current provider, offers the fastest satellite internet speeds – up to 100 Mbps – and the most generous data allowances – up to 300 GB/mo. That runs up to $150/month. If you exceed your cap, the speeds drop. They have an unlimited plan that is $200 per month after an introductory period. HughesNet, the other big player has plans from $60 to $150 per month for 10 to 50 GB/mo. but with speeds up to 25 Mbps.

This is where Starlink enters. They’re hoping to take advantage of your hatred for your ISP (they claim 51 percent of Americans would sign up for their beta program once it’s available), and at first glance, it has an attraction. According to their figures, the average internet connection speed is 57.2 Mbps for $65/mo., an average of $1.13/Mbps. They claim you’ll be able to connect to Starlink at 103.1 Mbps for $99/mo., an average of $0.96/Mbps.

For terrestrial use, Starlink’s target is cities from 45 degrees north latitude (Lake Champlain, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Salem, OR to name a few) to 53 degrees (Calgary and Winnipeg in Canada). That’s way north of where most of you are likely to be. At 40 degrees, you might get some coverage in Newark and New York City. Starlink has already launched 1,000 satellites, but with a plan to have 42,000 in orbit, they have a long way to go. The FCC has approved 12,000 satellites.

But Starlink is not alone. Amazon has plans for Project Kuiper. While it hasn’t gotten off the ground yet, it is pitting Musk against Jeff Bezos. As two of the world’s richest individuals, they’ll be playing us as they square off, but at some point, we might win. Don’t hold your breath waiting for that to happen. Amazon has approval for 3,200 satellites so far and hopes to have half of them launched by 2026.

In the meantime, Starlink is not cheap, either even though it may prove to be a bargain. You’ll need to pay $499 for a dish to use it. For most of us who are landlocked in urban America, we can generally do better with our current ISPs given all the demands we make on our bandwidth with working at home, schoolwork for our children and all those streaming devices we use.

But with the right equipment, Starlink will work in cars – and RVs. That jumps it to the head of the line for us. Before travel was restricted, we drove up and down the East Coast quite often. And anyone who’s run the length of I-95 knows that cell service decreases dramatically once you hit the South Carolina state line. It doesn’t get any better until you hit Florence.

If you have an RV and travel off the beaten path, getting internet service is always a concern. After all, we’re not willing to give up all the streaming capability we have at home, especially if we might still do work from the road. You’ll need to keep your Starlink dish in the car or RV with you.

You can go to Starlink’s website now to order your dish and download the iPhone or Android app for installation. Wherever you hope to use it, you will need a clear line of sight from the dish to the satellite(s).

We can help you decide if Starlink is for you and help you configure your system when it’s available. Just call us -973-433-6676 – or email us for an appointment.