How to get all the data you need to work-from-home in rural Australia
Just in the nick of time for Australia’s work from home frenzy, nbn co kicked rural satellite Internet up a notch.
The reimagined Sky Muster™ Plus makes certain that rural Australians have all the data they need for work, education and play.
All online activities are now unmetered by default with VPN traffic and video streaming being the only exceptions.
There is more to working than just the act of ‘getting stuff done’.
As we manoeuvre through our professional lives, we also participate in professional development activities and social interactions with our colleagues.
These things are all incredibly important to the continued growth and success of a business. They also normally happen organically in a shared workspace.
Now you’re not hanging out in the same building as your work mates, you’re going to need a little more effort and tech assistance to stay connected.
Whether you’re an employee or a small business owner, here is some help to navigate your new work from home environment.
Getting stuff done
VPN usage
Even on the tremendous new Sky Muster™ Plus service, VPN traffic is metered.
What this means for you in practice, is that if you have the Sky Muster™ Plus service, you should only use your VPN when you absolutely have to.
For example, use it for transferring sensitive information and accessing important files on your organisation’s network, but disconnect for video conferences.
We’ve got a whole article here that explains working with a VPN on satellite Internet.
Cloud-based programs
The kinds of cloud-based software that you might use in your business are all unmetered with Sky Muster™ Plus.
This includes software for everything from administrative tasks to accounting, marketing activities, hosting meetings, and more. We’re talking about programs like Skype, WhatsApp, Dropbox, and whatever other whizbang things you use where you work.
As long as you DO NOT run it through your VPN and it’s not a video streaming platform, it will be unmetered.
Downloads, uploads and updates
As mentioned, downloads, uploads and updates are generally unmetered as long as they’re not run through a VPN.
Planning ahead is key when it comes to big and important files you need to download or upload for meetings or deadlines. There are a number of variables that can impact Internet speeds in rural Australia, so you’ll want to be prepared.
Everything may be just fine, but when you’re working from home, you need to keep an eye on your deadlines and plan ahead to be safe.
On a related note, nbn co has indicated that at some point in the future, they may start shaping some activities between 4 – 11pm every day on Sky Muster™ Plus. Those activities may include peer-to-peer traffic, uploads and downloads to cloud storage platforms, operating system updates and software updates.
Professional development
It’s pretty common for Australian workers to regularly get involved with some sort of professional development.
For example, many Australian professionals balance university studies with their full or part-time employment obligations.
So, do rural Australians have to give up their professional development while in COVID-19 isolation? Absolutely not!
The Sky Muster™ Plus service comes with unmetered data for educational platforms such as Blackboard.
You may only hit a snag if your lectures/classes/resources are on a more broadly used video streaming platform like YouTube. Video streaming platforms like YouTube which have more than an educational component to them are metered by nbn co.
Socialising
Keeping up with colleagues is so easy in the office. But, when we’re not there, face-to-face with our colleagues every day, those high-value relationships can start to wither.
They really don’t need to though.
Video conferencing and WiFi calls are unmetered with Sky Muster™ Plus, as is email and the social media platforms we’re all well accustomed to using such as Facebook, Instagram and SnapChat.
Had enough of work and need a genuine escape at lunchtime?
The groovers in our office have a Nintendo Switch set-up in the kitchen which causes no end of frivolity and laughter (and a little healthy competition).
The new Sky Muster™ Plus service now includes unmetered online gaming data for downloads, uploads and play time.
Why not find a low-graphics, indie or turn-based game that you can play online with your work mates?
Check out the Definitive Guide to Online Gaming with Sky Muster™ for more on how to make this work for you.
Getting you connected
Getting connected to the reimagined Sky Muster™ Plus service all starts with the click of a button below, or by phoning us on 1300 759 637.
There you can compare the various plans and make sure you’re choosing what’s right for you.
If you’re already on a Sky Muster™ plan or have previously been connected to the Sky Muster™ network, migrating over to Sky Muster™ Plus is really easy. The two services use the same hardware.
They are managed differently by nbn co, however, and are supplied on different terms, so we just need to lodge a new service application for you.
If you’ve never been connected to the Sky Muster™ network, we just need to check your address and make sure nbn co supply it where you live. Once we know you’re eligible for connection to the Sky Muster™ network, we can organise an installation for you.
Check out all the detail on Sky Muster™ Plus and get all the data you need.
Shaping Explained