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The lockdown restrictions have now eased somewhat, and a number of businesses are up and running again.

Many have decided to continue to do things remotely because it’s safer, you save on office space rental, and everyone can work in their pyjamas.

Nothing improves employee morale more than being able to conduct business in a hoodie and fluffy slippers.

I know because I am, as I write this, in a hoodie and fluffy slippers.

Despite the obvious need for high-speed internet, not only for work but to stay connected to the people we love, the lockdown has been challenging for internet service providers.

MyBroadband spoke to Rudy Van Staden, the new CEO of RSAWEB who took over the reins in October last year, about how the company overcame these challenges and kept South Africans connected over the past few months.

“One of our standout achievements was how seamlessly RSAWEB transitioned from an office-based organisation to a fully remote-working business overnight, by implementing our very own product stack such as cloud, mobile data, fixed LTE, and other services – ensuring zero impact to our customers.”

RSAWEB actually increased productivity to account for the surge in internet traffic and it hasn’t stopped innovating especially in the business sector.

Industry experts predicted that at some point most businesses would operate remotely in the future, but the pandemic accelerated that process, and internet providers are working to adapt to how companies are operating now.

“Businesses will need their staff to securely access systems from anywhere at any time, so you will see an increased demand in cloud and mobile data services. As more people work from home, this will in–turn drive Ecommerce services to grow, increasing connectivity, and web hosting demand.”

“Ecommerce will drive logistics companies to flourish, and these logistics companies will require mobile connectivity and IoT services. Given RSAWEB’s product stack, we are very well positioned to satisfy these needs in the market.”

Van Staden says that COVID-19 has accelerated South Africa’s approach to working remotely by up to three years, and there are other knock-on effects, too.

He says we can expect smaller office spaces, more flexible hours, and even a shift in how people choose their homes. After all, if you only need to commute to the office on the odd occasion, battling the traffic becomes less of a worry.

For that to work, you will need excellent connectivity, and one of the most important updates to the range of packages available through RSAWEB is Fixed LTE.

“We are also very excited to launch our new Fixed LTE product, where we expect to see strong uptake in non-fibre areas, but even more excited with what we will be launching in this space in the coming months.”

If your area isn’t fibre-enabled, and you’re tired of fighting with ADSL, the first 100 customers who connect with RSAWEB will save R460 on Fixed LTE sim and router rental packages.

With Fixed LTE, all you need to connect is a router and SIM card – simply put it in and turn it on.  No installation, no landline necessary, no problem.

If you’re keen to get hooked up with fibre, RSAWEB also has a tool that allows you to see which providers operate in your area.

Head here, and then type your area in the box to check for availability:

RSAWEB works with a number of providers, including Octotel, Openserve, LinkAfrica and Vumatel, with great savings, specials and freebies depending on which package you sign up for:

Both I and my partner work from home and we’ve found that a 10Mbps uncapped line is ideal for both work and the absolutely necessary Netflix binge once the workday is done. My partner is also obsessed with playing Animal Crossing at the moment – if you’re unfamiliar with the game, read his review.

If you play, you’ll know that you need speedy internet to visit a friend’s island, and he hasn’t had any problems.

Even after the pandemic, experts predict that we’ll be doing more and more online than ever before, so you need to get ahead of the game by ensuring that you’re equipped with an internet package that meets your needs, for both work and play.

You might also want to stock up on a few more hoodies.

Ask anyone and they’ll tell you – the hoodie is the new suit.

[source:mybroadband]