The best internet options for your remote workers

November 11, 2020

It’s taken a while, but finally, our economy has re-opened and is starting to move once again. But this doesn’t mean we should simply push the COVID-19 virus out of our minds. Many businesses understand this and have decided to keep their staff working predominantly from home for the foreseeable future, bar a day or two a week to keep the team culture and mental wellness strong, as well as keep general energy levels up thanks to refreshing face-to-face interactions.

What this means for business decision-makers like CEOs, IT managers, team leads, and managing directors is that they need to ensure their staff are still connected with fast, affordable and safe connectivity options so they can stay productive. 

According to an article released by the online publication Business News Daily, remote workers put in an additional 1.4 days per month than they do when working in the office, which results in an extra three weeks of work a year. So, with this said, it’s no secret that companies shouldn’t mind spending a little on stable connectivity options for their staff now to save in the future. 

Not only this, but their choices need to be strategically led by the different needs of their staff members – some might need high upload speeds to send large files, and others large download speeds to download big presentations, or a combination of both to enable HD video calls with prospective clients. Others might need smaller, more basic bundles to simply support communication functions and online Microsoft Suite capabilities. 

With this in mind, when it comes to connectivity options, there are two different types businesses should look into investing in for their remote staff – Fibre and Fixed-LTE. 

 

Fibre Connectivity  

Fibre is currently the fastest form of connectivity on the market, and will provide your remote staff with the three cornerstones of connectivity – speed, consistency and affordability. When it comes to need fulfillment, Fibre connectivity is great for workers needing fast upload and download speeds to send and receive large files as it can reach speeds of up to 1 Gbps. On the other end of the spectrum, entry-level bundles start from as little as R495 per month and provide your staff with uncapped speeds starting from 10 Mbps – which is perfect for fulfilling their basic online needs like using communication apps, Microsoft’s online suite, and VoIP. 

Fibre connectivity also allows remote workers to no longer rely on Telkom for connectivity, and enables their data to be transferred through lightning-fast Fibre cables instead of unpredictable and slow copper lines. 

Get your staff connected with ultra-fast and affordable Fibre connectivity

 

Fixed-LTE 

After Fibre, Fixed-LTE is the second-fastest form of connectivity on the market, and is an easy way to get your remote staff connected with fast and affordable connectivity. When we say easy, what we mean is that Fixed-LTE requires no landlines to be connected and is so easy to set up – all your staff need to do is plug their RSAWEB SIM cards into their routers and they will be online in seconds! 

Just like with Fibre, there are different bundles to suit the different needs your remote workers might have. There are also three different Fixed-LTE options: 

• A SIM only option that will supply your staff members with an RSAWEB SIM card and prepaid data only, 
• A SIM and Router Rental option that will supply them with an RSAWEB SIM card and Router, prepaid data and RICA certification upon delivery, 
• A SIM, Router Rental, and free setup option at a lower monthly cost.  

It’s comes down to which Fixed-LTE option you believe fits best into your budget and the needs of your staff members. 

For more basic online uses, our Fixed-LTE bundles are extremely affordable – with prices starting from as little as R95 per month. The service is also very reliable – your staff can expect a stable connection with no down time when cables are stolen or broken. With RSAWEB’s Fixed-LTE, what it largely comes down to is the size of the bundles. With this said, we have bundles ranging from 10Gb to 500Gb, so it really comes down to the individual needs of your different remote staff members, and what they need to achieve in their different roles.  

When it comes to speeds, while not as fast as Fibre – Fixed-LTE can reach speeds of up to 150Mbps. Generally speaking, speeds are affected by a few factors like how far your staff members’ devices are from their Fixed-LTE router, the distance their homes are from the tower, and the environment surrounding their homes.  

Get your staff connected with reliable and cost–effective Fixed-LTE connectivity 

 

Home Fibre & Fixed-LTE – A Comparison 

Home Fibre

Pros

Less clawbacks for high turnover  Fastest form of connectivity on the market.   Reliable connectivity that isn’t susceptible to bad weather conditions, Telkom-related issues and cable theft.   Symmetric speeds with certain Fibre Providers help for balanced upload and download speeds.   Improved reliability.    Improved file sharing.    Best audio quality for VoIP & PBX users.  Free RSAWEB SIM card with mobile data as a fail-safe solution.

Fixed-LTE

Pros

Month-to-month service – no lengthy contracts to lock you in.  Can be moved between locations within LTE coverage areas.  More affordable than Fibre.  High speed mobile access.  Ubiquitous MTN network.   Packaged data.  Night and daytime bundles.   Usage notifications.    Top up packages available.    Cut costs – no landlines or wires needed.   Fast speeds- up to 150 Mbps.    Quick and easy setup – get connected in just a few days.  Stable connection – no down time when cables are stolen or broken.

Mobile Data For Staff That Travel  

For your staff that are back on the roads again, needing internet access and a secure and stable connection back the office, RSAWEB’s Mobile Data is still the most reliable connectivity solution. With our Mobile Data Solution, your staff are supplied with RSAWEB SIM cards and are securely connected to the Internet and their offices. These RSAWEB SIMs will keep your entire workforces connected – no matter where they are in the country.  

Our Mobile Data solution is powered by our Mobile Management Platform. The platform gives you the power to manage your usage, save by only paying for what you use and gives you the ability to control how much data each staff member uses and instantly top up users when they run out of data.  RSAWEB gives you, the customer, the power to instantly create a user, assign an RSAWEB SIM,  assign the required data bundle and then move that account into the relevant group, we believe that we ensure that you have full control over your users, usage and your spend.  

 

Connect your mobile workforce with a mobile solution that you have 360-degree control over 

 

When it comes to connecting your remote workforce, what it largely comes down to is three integral factors that you’ll need to consider – price, speeds, and reliability. At RSAWEB, we have two different core connectivity options that each host an array of bundles for the different needs of your remote workforce – all of which comply with these three factors. 

Find out more about how we can connect your remote workforce.