So what we have ended up with is 2 bonded ADSL lines (this is a service from the Andrews and Arnold ISP).  With the two lines together, we get about 6MB downstream 1MB upstream.  This is actually quite adequate for most normal activities – in fact a lot of the time I don’t really notice the difference from what we had before.  Where we do see a difference is on big downloads – these take ages (comparatively speaking) and we also have to be a bit careful because our basic package is only 100G a month and if we go over this we are charged more.  Over the years I have got into the habit of just pressing ‘Run’ instead of ‘Save’ when I am installing something from the Internet – so I am now trying to stop that so that if I (for example) download a service pack for something, we have a copy to install on other computers. 

Due to using both lines for the internet we can’t have a landline phone so we are having to use Skype for a ‘landline style’ number (really so we have a number to give out to people).  The drawback to this is that it needs the system to be clear of congestion otherwise it breaks up during calls all the time.  I have had to turn synchronization between my devices and my Skydrive off – otherwise the upload of the millions of photos I have been taking stops the line being clear enough for calls.

We also have a satellite package from Avonline.  We were aware of the limitations of this before we got it – the latency on it means that we can’t really use it for some of the tests we use (Web Application testing is not really possible on it – although we have managed infrastructure stuff ok).  In the general run of things it is pretty good – it has been reliable and it is fine for ordinary browsing and downloads.  The speed is very variable – I have had nearly 9MB downstream out of it – but it grinds to a half through over utilization between about 7pm and 9pm most days.  I see various negative comments on satellite broadband on various forums – but this has not been borne out by our experiences.

So all in all we do pretty well.  We have had to make some sacrifices (R says they are all first world problems) but at the end of the day our fixed data (I’ll come to mobile another time) is adequate for our needs – both professionally and personally.  One point I will make right at the end is that the services we have cost us £200 per month for what you could get for a tenth of the amount in a city – so you have to be prepared (and able) to pay through the nose for fairly basic speeds.  In our case of course we have the business which requires good access and therefore no choice.

I thought it would be interesting to document how we get on in our new environment, partially for the benefit of anyone else thinking of the same kind of set up.  Specifically, we are not trying to either downsize or to distance ourselves from technology; we are more trying to see how far today’s technology (and the progress of the Internet) will go to allowing a tech based business to thrive in the middle of a beautiful part of Scotland where houses are traditionally cheap because there is little employment outside agriculture/forestry and the tourist industry.

So at the moment:-

a) Internet connectivity – 100MB Cable and 20MB ADSL.  Reasonable 3G coverage from all UK providers.

b) Supermarket/M&S/Starbucks/PC World etc – 5 minutes drive away.

c) Nearest big city – 18 minutes by train

Going to

a) Internet connectivity – 5 MB ASDL and 23MB Satellite.  2G coverage for mobiles if we are lucky – so effectively no data connection for mobiles

b) Post office and local shop in village

c) Nearest supermarket and ‘proper’ shops about an hour’s drive away in Dumbarton

The many advantages will be 3.5 acres of garden, our own river, five minutes walk to loch, more mountains to climb than you could shake a stick at, fantastic views and the chance to have red squirrels on our bird table and deer in our garden.

We are also planning to grow at least some of our own food (we have a large greenhouse so in theory we should be able to have fresh veg year round) and potentially some chickens and goats.  R says if we have goats I have to sign an undertaking that he does not ever have to look after them.