The current global crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic, shifted the lens dramatically on how businesses worldwide looked at technology, and how adept their respective digital capabilities are. A sizeable work-from-home job force emerged as an increasing number of people began “sheltering in place”. Giant companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Twitter and Google, among others, have extended their WFH policy until yearend, while here in the Philippines, companies big and small have followed suit. And with a proposed new bill requiring employers to set working from home as mandatory already in the works, remote working is set to represent the “new normal” in the country.
Suddenly, working in the office full-time doesn’t equate to being productive anymore, but being digitally adept is. Employers are now looking at ever-evolving tech like Zoom, Google Hangouts, Microsoft Teams, Viber, cloud storage and more, to maintain their operations and work remotely.
One thing is clear - internet connection has become crucial for riding out the pandemic, whether it be in the use of advanced applications that require both upload and download capacity, 24/7 communications via videoconferencing for work or staying in touch with family, news monitoring, tele-consultations, online classes and more. Millions of Filipinos are using broadband now more than ever, while a million others still lack reliable access to high-speed internet.
People with lower-performing internet connections were reported to have lost important time waiting for a faster connection, experienced unstable connection during crucial work calls, and other issues that could have been best avoided.
To be able to work effectively if you are part of the online workforce, you’ll need to make sure that you have the technology that your work – and the world – demands. Whether you’re working remotely a few days a week or full time, or your team is social distancing in the office but are dealing with others who are working from home, it is important that you set up yourself to be digitally productive and you have the internet speed that you need.
High-speed access that can be found in fiber optic internet connection is a must in the Covid era, and if you are in a community which made investments in future-proof and reliable fiber broadband, count yourself lucky. Fiber cables provide more bandwidth for carrying more data compared to other types, and it can carry signals at unparalleled speed.
What’s more, if you live in a smart home with embedded fiber optic connection equipped with smart devices, your work-from-home digital connectivity just landed on a whole different level. Connected appliances, security systems, climate and lighting control are just some of the benefits of a smart home that will allow your remote work mode to be a breeze. The smart home market also proves to be resilient in the face of the pandemic with the number of products and services it offers, and it will come out as a worthwhile investment now more than ever.
During these trying times, a need to accelerate the deployment of fiber optic broadband networks across the country must be pushed to meet the urgent need of businesses. Fast internet connection is essential for mitigating the impact of this crisis, one that can be provided by fiber connection. If this fundamental technology of the future is already in your arsenal, you are ready for the 21st century.
