When you are traveling for pleasure, internet cafes and the odd wifi hotspot are enough to get you your internet fix, but if, like me, you are settling for a while and get a house…you’ll need another option. I have settled in a little flat and have been looking at what the options are for getting me online at home.
The obvious option for me was a a fixed line modem, where I can get wifi live for all my devices, but unfortunately my flat does not have a land line to connect to and so that option is a little out of the window. But for those that do, it will set you back around £70 for the modem, £15-20 for connexion and £10 per month.
The next option I investigated was getting a 3G USB connexion, which although would not work for multi-devices as wifi does, it would at least get my main device, my laptop, online. This service works out as a pay-as-you-go system, which I am always weary of, and you pay upfront for the 3G USB modem, around 220 Brazilian Reais – about £77. Plus you have the more expensive way of surfing the web, so it is not exactly cheap.
Feeling a little lost, I went into a local tech shop – TecMaster – you can see how the name lured me in. I told them about my situation and asked what options are open to me. The lady was really helpful and in my broken Portuguese/Spanish managed to, just about, work out another way of getting me online; Satellite internet. As the name suggests, this uses satellites to gain internet connexion and offers password protected wifi. I would need to have a satellite installed outside my flat – a bit like a Sky Dish – and also pay a monthly fee for the service. The satellite and installation would set me back around £90 and the monthly fee is around £17.50.
When out shopping I also came across a leaflet on Internet via digital radio, which is just another name for wireless internet here – perhaps the different name is to elude that it is a different option.
I am still looking at which option will be best for me and on the surface may opt for the 3G USB as I will be travelling around and I can take this with me. If I was staying for longer then the three or so months I have set out, I would definitely go for the Satellite / Radio option. Connection speed here is great and I have been pleasantly surprised with the many choices open to me for getting online.
