Tag Archives: Home Working

4 Benefits You Gain From Having Fast Broadband

If you’ve been on your broadband deal for a long time, you might be wondering what it is exactly that you’re missing out on by not having a new and fast broadband package. There’s plenty to be gained from fast broadband, and it’s becoming the new standard for households that rely on technology often. If you’re not using your TV or the internet in your home, then you’ve little to gain from upgrading your broadband, but for those who are often online – a fast broadband package has every benefit for you to gain.

4 Benefits You Gain From Having Fast Broadband
4 Benefits You Gain From Having Fast Broadband
Easier working from home

In the past few years, we’ve seen more and more people working from home, and it’s becoming quite common practice for many previously office jobs. Of course, there are still those that would prefer to attend the workplace, but working from home has proven more than comfortable for many people. Without fast broadband, working from home can take even more time than it needs to. Being hindered by slow internet speeds is not something you want, and if you spend a lot of time browsing, downloading, and uploading while you’re working – you’re going to feel the effects of a slow internet speed.

Great for the family

Households with more than one person can be quite straining on your internet allowance, and without a fast internet package, you’re not going to be getting the full potential of your broadband. Having too many people on a slow internet speed and bandwidth is going to cause everyone else’s in the house to be slow too. Homes with a lot of phones, computers, consoles, or TVs can be very intensive, and even apps like Netflix can disrupt the internet causing everything to lag and slow down. If you often experience buffering or pauses mid-way through what you’re watching on TV, this is why.

More technology

Homes with slow broadband packages can’t support many pieces of tech that are connected to the internet. Because of this, you might be put off buying newer pieces of technology. The slowness and waiting around that you get from older packages can be tedious, and no one would want more of that for even more money. If you want to see some of the best deals available, you should check out this full fibre 500 broadband package – a broadband deal that won’t ever let you down.

Never miss out

When you’re trying to catch things live, it can be difficult to get a steady stream as a result of slow broadband. For those of you who enjoy watching live sports games, then this is something that you should be concerned about. Having your TV slow down for even a few moments can cause you to miss something crucial, which isn’t necessary to deal with.

Even if your package is old, most providers often update their packages with the prices. That means that you’re not always going to have to pay more for an updated deal. Old deals tend to remain at their price until you change it to a newer one.

Is it Actually Easy to Become a Digital Nomad?

Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the globe, a lot of people were looking into becoming digital nomads. These are people who work remotely (whether it be freelancing or working for a company) and just travel around the world while they do it. There was a sort of beauty to it. People were incorporating slow travel, continuing the career, all while getting to change up their setting and way of life whenever they chose to. Since the world is slowly going back to normal, countries are opening back up, and travel is becoming easily accessible, the idea is becoming popular once more. But is it truly easy to jump in and become a digital nomad? What are the risks? You can find out all of that here!

Is it Actually Easy to Become a Digital Nomad?
Is it Actually Easy to Become a Digital Nomad?

How does a digital nomad get work?

So, digital nomads will find work in a variety of ways. Some may be content creators and continuously create content while they travel. They can work for a company remotely, and their company allows them to travel freely. When this is the case, it does allow for a lot of security and there is a safety net to it. Looking into it infrastructure jobs could be a way to get started when looking for a reliable company that offers remote work.

Another way that digital nomads find work can be through passive income ( selling courses, eBooks, printables, or anything else), crypto, and day traders, but they can also own their own business. This can be something such as a freelancer, or someone who owns their company. Honestly, there are so many ways that digital nomads can sustainably make their income.

How do digital nomads travel?

Just like with obtaining income, travelling can also be various. There’s this idea that digital nomads are constantly travelling and they do their work at the side of a pool in a resort. There could be some truth to it, but for the most part, it’s just hyper glamorization. Digital nomads can live in different ways, and they’re usually not travelling all the time unless they’re making passive income or they’re content creators.

Most digital nomads will stick with something specific and will rely on that. Here is an example: the whole idea of “van life” is becoming very popular. While there are questions of how much does it cost to hire a van, usually digital nomads who work in vans will drive somewhere and stay for several days while they get their work done. Sometimes it stays far longer than several days in one location. Other nomads will stay in an Airbnb for close to a month, they’ll work and in their free time just enjoy the area. They’ll do this before they move on to somewhere else in the world.

How do digital nomads travel?
How do digital nomads travel?

Are there any risks when trying to become a digital nomad?

The short answer is, it all depends. You need to have enough money in your bank account in case anything happens such as an unexpected medical bill, hidden fees, or an emergency that happens back at home so you need to take a flight there. In short, anything can happen so you always have to keep your finances in check. It’s important to use budgeting tools to help you out with this.

The lack of good Wi-Fi and the constant difference in time zones can make it difficult to operate a business, make clients happy, or even do your job all around. If the work you do requires little to no deadlines or communication with clients or coworkers then it could be something to consider. In short, these risks can be avoided especially if you know where to find good wifi and where your body can adjust to the difference in time zones.

Can being a digital nomad affect the search for a job?

This answer will also depend. If you’re planning on travelling constantly, some companies will not like that as they want stability for their employees. However, it can also just depend on the company culture. Some companies are entirely remote and all of their employees work remotely too. There are company cultures out there that completely encourage travel while working, but you may need to do some deep searching to find those.

What are the downsides to being a digital nomad?

When it comes to being a digital nomad, it’s unfortunately not all sunshine and rainbows. There are some downsides. One of the biggest downsides is that it can’t last forever. The COVID-19 pandemic proved that as many countries have to go into lockdown, this included forcing visitors to leave, and having hospitality-oriented businesses close their doors until told otherwise.  

Cat S62 Pro Smartphone Reveals Potential Fire Risks from Working from Home

The possible electrical dangers faced by Britain’s army of home workers are today revealed with the help of mobile thermal imaging technology.

For millions of us, our homes are now our offices, but very few of us are aware of potential electrical safety hazards in our home-office setups or how to ensure we safely accommodate the equipment we use every day.

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These images, captured with the new Cat S62 Pro thermal imaging smartphone, show the fire risks that poorly thought-through domestic office setups can cause.

Bullitt Group, the makers of the Cat S62 Pro, have partnered with Electrical Safety First to highlight the issue and offer tips and advice on how to make your home office set up safer.

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The gallery of images, captured in a home working environment, shows the varying levels of heat invisible to the naked eye that is produced by different electrical setups and devices. The images show common habits including:

  •      Charging laptops and phones on flammable surfaces
  •      Stacking equipment due to lack of space
  •      Daisy-chaining extension leads because you’ve got more to plug in than usual
  •      Overloaded sockets
  •      Routers covered with office materials / or boxed in
  •      Extension cables covered with household items

Working from home is now commonplace but little thought is given to the set-up of our temporary work desks, many just working wherever there is space.

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New research commissioned by Bullitt Group, shows electrical safety checks by employers have dropped by nearly half (a decrease of 46%) since lockdown.

The research, compiled by Censuswide using a 2k sample of people working at home due to COVID, also shows:

  •      Many home workers surveyed (41%) operate in cramped workspaces and things often get piled on top of extension units
  •      Over a third don’t have enough plug sockets (36%)
  •      Over a third say that have to daisy chain extension cables to get the length they need (35%)
  •      There is a high level of complacency around electrical safety with more than half (56%) of respondents saying they are not worried about electrical dangers
  •      When asked about where they currently work, more than a third (36%) say they often move their laptop and charger around as they work in different spots
  •      Almost a third (30%) have never considered the dangers of working in some domestic spaces
  •      23% are sharing electrical sockets for work with other domestic items
  •      21% do not have a dedicated workspace at home and 19% feel the quality of work is affected by not having a dedicated workspace

Working closely with Electrical Safety First, Bullitt Group has come up with some simple guidelines to make the home office environment safer.

Key tips include:

  •      Avoid overloading sockets
  •      Do not leave phones or laptops plugged in to charge overnight and don’t charge on a bed – always charge on a hard, flat, non-flammable  surface
  •      Don’t “daisy chain” extension leads. If your cable doesn’t reach, don’t plug it into another adaptor. Move your workspace closer to the socket or use a longer lead
  •      Regularly check electrical cords and extension cords for damage
  •      Only use extension cords on a temporary basis
  •      Do not plug a space heater or fan into an extension cord or power strip
  •      Do not run cords under rugs/carpets, doors, or windows
  •      Make sure cords do not become tripping hazards
  •      Keep papers and other potential combustibles at least 1m away from space heaters and other heat sources
  •      Make sure you use the right wattage for lamps/lighting
  •      Only use chargers provided with the product and buy any replacements from reputable retailers you know and trust
  •      Keep your work area tidy and keep drinks away from electrical items
  •      Make sure your home has smoke alarms. Test them monthly and replace the unit every 10 years or as directed by the manufacturer

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“When the country first locked down, homeworking was seen as a temporary situation. Now it’s looking more long term, it’s important that both employers and employees are fully aware of the risks and how to mitigate them,” said Nathan Vautier, CEO at Bullitt Group.

“The thermal imaging technology built into the S62 Pro is a quick and simple way to see a world that’s invisible to the naked eye and can improve safety in any working environment.  Tradesmen have used our thermal phones to spot electrical faults and issues for some years, but this is also a genuinely useful tool for anyone who wants to improve safety and monitor what’s going on with electrical equipment in their homes,” continued Vautier.

A spokesman for Electrical Safety First said: “There is simply not enough awareness out there about the possible dangers of poorly set up home office environments. Thermal technology is certainly one way to monitor electrical equipment for overheating issues and the images that Cat phones have created here show very clearly just what is going on and highlight some of the common dangers we regularly warn people against.”

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Other survey results:

  • Before lockdown, 40% of respondents’ companies had a procedure in place to regularly check electrical items. This has now dropped to just 22% since working from home began
  • Almost a third (31%) feel their employer should be doing more to provide safety and other guidance about home working
  • Only 19% have received safety advice/guidance from their employer concerning their home working set up
  • Almost half (45%) don’t know when work specific electrical items were last safety checked

The Cat S62 Pro smartphone has an MSRP of £599 and is available to buy from  Rugged Mobiles