Internet Connection Location Backup?

[CreatureOfNight]

I've been traveling to Thailand for 10 years and I've been trying to get my company to let me work from Bangkok for a while now. I already work 2 to 3 days a week from home in the USA. As long as I have a high speed internet connection and a dependable phone they are willing to give it a try for 3 months starting in February of 2009 and then discuss future options.

I will have to work US Day time/ Thailand nights. They wanted me to give them a backup plan if the internet service went down where I'm living at. Are there any places (Internet Cafes) in Bangkok that are open all night that I would be able to take my laptop to in this case?

For phone I was thinking of using Skype but thought I may look into other VOIP options in Bangkok. I'm usually on conference calls a couple hours a day so would like to know if Skype is the best option for dependability.

Any advice appreciated,

[yeti]

2 internet connections on 2 different phone lines from 2 different providers with a load balancing/fail safe router would be reliable enough I think.

As for Skype it can be very good and sometimes not good enough. Usually I use Skype and use my landline as a backup. Expensive but reliable.

[dave_boo]

Any particular reason you need to work in Bangkok?

Reason being that up north (in beautiful Chiang Mai) they have EV-DO just like Sprint and Verizon. In fact, they have Rev.A which gives you much better upload speeds. You still have quite a few Western luxuries, along with the lower cost of living, better weather (unless you're used to the bayou which is what Bangkok feels like), and generally nicer people.

Get yourself a DSL line, just make sure it's a 'business' level (not as much of a premium as you'd pay in the States) and also an EV-DO modem for back up. There's a load of options for load balancing/fall over, in fact there's a chap on the forum who could probably get you something whipped up to handle it for you.

[OriginalPoster]

I've been traveling to Thailand for 10 years and I've been trying to get my company to let me work from Bangkok for a while now. I already work 2 to 3 days a week from home in the USA. As long as I have a high speed internet connection and a dependable phone they are willing to give it a try for 3 months starting in February of 2009 and then discuss future options.

I will have to work US Day time/ Thailand nights. They wanted me to give them a backup plan if the internet service went down where I'm living at. Are there any places (Internet Cafes) in Bangkok that are open all night that I would be able to take my laptop to in this case?

For phone I was thinking of using Skype but thought I may look into other VOIP options in Bangkok. I'm usually on conference calls a couple hours a day so would like to know if Skype is the best option for dependability.

Any advice appreciated,

For phone service, you might want to check out Vonage. It costs more that most other VOIP services (I think about $25 per month for a package that includes unlimited calling to the US and parts of Europe) but for business use it might be worthwhile. What I like about it is that if you have an active internet connection it behaves just like you are calling from a land line in the States, plus it has a mode where instead of ringing the phone that's plugged into the Vonage adaptor, it will forward the calls to another number. For instance, you give it the number of your Thai cell phone and Vonage will route all calls to that number (albeit at a cost of US$0.12 per minute). I guess the 12 cents per minute could add up if you're a heavy user, but the call quality of the forwwarded calls is excellent and it's completely transparent to the person who is calling you (in most cases they will never suspect that they are talking to someone on the other side of the world). And when used without the forwarding option turned on, if you it works just like a normal landline except and that there is an uncanny lack of "delay" when making intercontinental calls.

Edited November 15, 2008 by OriginalPoster

[CreatureOfNight]

Thanks for all the advice.

How long does it take to it take to have internet service setup in an apartment building?

The Vonage suggestion sounds really good. I did look at their website though and it says you must have a US or Puerto Rico address. Is Vonage something that you can sign up for in Thailand or do you have to get the equipment in your home country and bring it with you?

I’ve only been to Chang Mai once about 7 years ago and just for a few days. It seemed nice but I’m hooked on Bangkok. Sounds like something to keep in mind though if I ever wanted to take a break from Bangkok (although I can’t imagine it )

[kiakaha]

I've been traveling to Thailand for 10 years and I've been trying to get my company to let me work from Bangkok for a while now. I already work 2 to 3 days a week from home in the USA. As long as I have a high speed internet connection and a dependable phone they are willing to give it a try for 3 months starting in February of 2009 and then discuss future options.

I will have to work US Day time/ Thailand nights. They wanted me to give them a backup plan if the internet service went down where I'm living at. Are there any places (Internet Cafes) in Bangkok that are open all night that I would be able to take my laptop to in this case?

For phone I was thinking of using Skype but thought I may look into other VOIP options in Bangkok. I'm usually on conference calls a couple hours a day so would like to know if Skype is the best option for dependability.

Any advice appreciated,

get a good post pay data plan with your mobile provider, you'll probably need your work permit to go on a post pay plan as well.

should suffice as due diligence for a contingency internet connection.

[OriginalPoster]

The Vonage suggestion sounds really good. I did look at their website though and it says you must have a US or Puerto Rico address. Is Vonage something that you can sign up for in Thailand or do you have to get the equipment in your home country and bring it with you?

Not sure, I was using it in the States before moving to Asia.

BTW, if you don't have a US address that you can use, you might want to consider maintaining a pseudo US address with a service like usabox.com (which is an intenational mail forwarding serve that gives you a residential-loooking Florida address to receive mail at). You'll find Vonage isn't unique in wanting a US address, if you have one it can make a lot of transactions with companies & people inside the US easier. Between having a Vonage number and a Florida address at which you can receive mail, most people will never know that you are outside the States unless you tell them.

Edited November 17, 2008 by OriginalPoster

[Jingthing]

Is Vonage something that you can sign up for in Thailand or do you have to get the equipment in your home country and bring it with you?

Yes, it is so.