South Africans recently experienced another round of national rotational power outage and it definitely won’t be the last time. The timing couldn’t have been worse as Matric students were writing their exams and the Rugby World Cup was on. Worst of all, the many people who work from home, and rely on a constant internet connection, could not do their jobs when needed. While some people made a plan by getting a generator or by going to a different area, many did not have that option.
For these reasons, it is important to be prepared and plan for the worst situation. The situation depends on the stage of load-shedding you are in:
Requires the least amount of load-shedding (up to 1,000 MW) and can be implemented three times over a four-day period for two hours at a time, or three times over an eight-day period for 4 hours at a time.
Will double the frequency of Stage 1, which means you will be scheduled for load-shedding six times over a four-day period for two hours at a time, or six times over an eight-day period for four hours at a time.
Will increase the frequency of Stage 2 by 50 percent, which means you will be scheduled for load-shedding nine times over a four-day period for two hours at a time, or nine times over an eight-day period for four hours at a time.
Will double the frequency of Stage 2, which means you will be scheduled for load-shedding 12 times over a four-day period for two hours at a time, or 12 times over an eight-day period for four hours at a time.
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) provides emergency power to your computer or router when your main power fails. The UPS will automatically switch over without interruption and can give you additional hours of power, depending on the size and output of the UPS. The smaller UPS, for routers, has been gaining popularity as the prices are very competitive, starting from R299. See the different options here: https://3gi.co.za/hardware/
Self-explanatory. Notebooks and laptops are portable computers that run on their own power supply, just remember to keep them charged!
Long Term Evolution (LTE) provides a fast, mobile internet connection via a 4G wireless communications standard. Its about 10 times faster than 3G and can be carried with you. Coupled with a laptop and UPS system, you can stay connected and keep working. LTE prices are getting cheaper by the month and can start anywhere from R99. To view LTE packages, visit our website here: https://3gi.co.za/telkom-fixed-lte/
The most reliable mobile application for load shedding schedules. Its completely free and gives you enough time to make alternative plans. Simply add your area and you will get notifications whenever you are affected.
Website link:
https://sepush.co.za
Playstore: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ashwhale.sepush.eskom
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/za/app/eskomsepush/id968648379
It could be a café, restaurant or a public place such as a library and community center. Do some research and visit these areas to see what works best for you, in terms of comfort and accessibility.
Invest in a solar panel kit, one that aligns with your budget, and use it to keep the lights and important devices on during a night time outage.
Don’t miss out on your coffee break because of load shedding. Simply keep a thermostat coffee mug or container filled with hot water, just before the power cuts, and enjoy your tea or coffee break from work. The same goes for gas stovetops so that you don’t go hungry while working.
Regardless of load shedding, it's always advisable to keep your work backed on an online server. Cloud and file hosting services are a must-have in the modern age as you don’t have to worry about server downtime and losing your work.
Our recommendations:
Egynte: https://3gi.co.za/cloud-document-hosting/
OneDrive: https://3gi.co.za/microsoft-365/
Read our blog on file sharing and internet security here: https://3gi.co.za/egnyte-file-sharing-for-business/
Always try keep your electronic devices fully charged. A charged laptop or tablet, that you use for work, will typically cover the entire duration of load-shedding, especially with a handy UPS system as mentioned above.
Load shedding can easily damage your equipment with electric surges. It is always a good idea to install surge protection on your device, distribution board or specific power outlets that you use for work.
We can’t always control what happens in situations like this, such as load shedding, but we can definitely prepare for it and make it easier for us. I hope this blog helps you during these dark times. If you would like to read more of our blogs, kindly visit our website here: https://3gi.co.za/blog/
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