Internet for remote work: check the address, not the town

Start with coverage, then get confirmation

SUTEL’s broadband map is a useful starting point for investigating service. Follow that with an address-level check from the provider. Ask whether installation is already complete, what equipment is present and whether the line is shared with other units.

Send the landlord a short list of your needs: reliable video meetings, large uploads, a private workspace and the hours you normally work. An advertised download speed does not describe all of those needs.

Test a real work session

Ask for a recent test from the actual connection, then test it yourself if possible. Measure upload as well as download performance and run the video platform you use. A wired connection can help distinguish a Wi-Fi coverage problem from an internet-service problem.

• Test from the desk you would use.
• Repeat during the hours you normally have meetings.
• Check performance when others in the home are online.
• Ask whether you can access the router and report a fault.
• Confirm who is responsible for the bill and support account.

Make the backup independent

Test a mobile connection inside the building before calling it a backup. Where possible, choose a backup that does not depend on exactly the same equipment or local connection as the main line. Ask about a UPS for the router and how long it can power the required devices.

Identify a nearby alternative workspace and check its hours. If your work has confidentiality requirements, a busy café may not be a suitable fallback even if its internet is fast.

Check your employer’s requirements

Confirm overseas work permission, approved devices and any data-handling restrictions before the move. Test the employer’s required secure connection through approved methods. Do not assume a consumer VPN solves employment, privacy or location restrictions.

Keep the provider’s support details and account number available offline. The goal is a realistic recovery plan when something fails, not a claim that any location is outage-proof.