This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of AT&T/Netgear. The opinions and text are all mine.
If there’s one thing that military families absolutely need, it’s the internet. (You know I’m telling the truth.)
For most of us, the internet has been an integral part of communication during deployments and separations. It helps us check up on our next duty station and do research for the PCS. It’s what a vast majority of us use to keep in touch with family and friends who we see too little of outside of a video chat sesh. (I’ll be the first to admit that Facebook is my water cooler!) For those of us who are internet working warriors, the internet is how we punch in and out– we can’t be days without it because that’s our office.
When it comes down to it, right now I don’t have the luxury of going internet-free for a few days. I have deadlines that need to be made, work that needs to be done. During our move, we had things that needed to be researched and taken care of. And all of that revolves around the internet.
And let’s be real– no matter what your needs are, it’s pretty impossible to spend time away from the internet. Not because you can’t or because you don’t want to, but because you need it for information. Between schools that require online work to childcare requirements that need to be submitted online to contacting your PCM via email, you can’t do it all on your phone.
Well, it’s painful, frustrating, and disconcerting. It can also be costly… after all, if you don’t have internet, you can’t work, and if you can’t work, you can’t get paid.
Enter the AT&T Unite Explore Hotspot device— how we bridged our “no internet” problem during our DITY move. The Unite Explore Hotspot has a shock- and water-resistant, dustproof design, a battery that will last for 22 hours of continual use in between charges. It also has secure guest Wi-Fi (up to 15 devices at a time) with an optional timer and content filtering.
In plain talk? The AT&T Unite Explore Hotspot saved me during our recent DITY when we had to turn off our internet. There’s nothing better than being able to check my email and get stuff done online…. without having to worry about running up my phone bill. (Overage charges… yikes.) It’s super easy to use too– I just click a button, wait for the screen to load, and my laptop is online. The internet is password protected and secured, so during our DITY we could order pizza and other things online without worrying about our credit card numbers getting swiped through sketchy internet. The internet is fast and steady. I can truly do anything with it that I would use “regular” home Wi-Fi for– downloading pictures, uploading videos, editing graphics on web-based programs.
We’ve even taken it in the car so that I can work while John drives… and yes, it works wonderfully. At times, it can be a little slower when it seems that we’re between cell towers or large population centers. In using it, however, I’ve never completely dropped a signal or not been able to use it, which is more than I can say for internet at a coffee shop.
Grabbing a hotspot to smooth over the bumpy parts and uncertainty of moving was definitely helpful and helped me keep my sanity. It’s the perfect solution if you need to stay wired when you can’t be.
Join #MilLifeConnected for a Twitter Party
Join @ArmyWife101 and @MommyPR on Tuesday September 27th, 2016 at 8:30 EST for the #MilLifeConnected Twitter Party and a chance to win great prizes. Military spouses and other Twitter attendees will share about cool ways to stay connected during military separations.
