How important is connection to you this holiday season?

As we come into the festive season and the temperature starts to rise, there’s no better time to start planning your summer entertainment. There’s nothing quite like kicking back and relaxing in the comfort and coolness of your own home, or jumping online to do some seasonal shopping and holiday preparation. With the World Wide Web at our fingertips, the possibilities are endless – so long as you have reliable internet!

Whether you’ve got the grandkids over, trying to find the perfect recipe for a BBQ with friends and family, or trying to connect with someone who can’t be with you in person, a little preparation can go a long way in helping to ensure your summertime plans remain as stress-free as possible.

From how to stay safe and shop smart online, to enjoying video calls with loved ones, we’ve pulled together some handy tips and suggestions to help you get the most out of the summer season online.

Connecting with loved ones

Catching up in person with family and friends is an important part of life and sharing your summer plans with loved ones makes everything better.

For those of us who are unable to get together in person, today’s modern world has provided us with the ability to connect and stay in touch online. Whether it’s bonding with friends across town or spending quality time online with loved ones interstate or overseas, there are a few things you can do beforehand to ensure the focus of your catchup is all about the people, not the technology.

Tips for happy video calling

• Make sure you choose the right videoconferencing platform for you. There are often differences in functionality between free and subscription versions, such as time limits for calls.
• Your router is your friend – keep your friends close but your router closer for optimal connection.

If video calling on a mobile device:

• Ensure your device is charged – video calls chew through batteries quickly
• Close other apps so they won’t slow it down

And most important of all, choose the right internet speed plan to support your video-calling needs.

Staying online this summer

With the boom in online shopping, brought about from the pandemic, Australians have seen a rise in the number of scams targeting them.

Scammers are increasingly tricking people into parting with their hard-earned cash or personal information, even posing as representatives from trusted organisations, including nbn.

• Remember nbn will never call and ask to access your computer or advise that you’re going to be disconnected and, as a wholesaler, we do not sell phone or internet services directly to the public.
• Make sure you and your loved ones are ScamFit by following a few simple rules to protect you from the dangers of scams.

Cooking up a storm

While it’s wonderful to have large gatherings back on the agenda, it also means the potential stress of cooking for a room full of people once again looms large.

The good news is that help is only a click away, with a mountain of recipes, YouTube videos and free cooking classes available to help take the stress out of creating that festive feast.

Not only can you find new recipes, a trend born during lockdown which saw celebrity chefs offer classes via social media, could be here to stay. Step into your preferred professional chef’s kitchen and take your cooking game to a whole new level and learn techniques or regional cooking styles.

Optimising your home Wi-Fi

With all this online activity, make sure you’re set up in a way that allows you to enjoy as seamless a connectivity experience as possible.

A few practical things households and families can do to optimise their online experience includes:

• Testing your tech before an important online event,
• Checking your upload speeds on your broadband plan to ensure you have the right plan to support your needs, like online gaming, and
• Checking your Wi-Fi signals on your modem.

If the signals are weak, try moving your modem to a raised and central area of your home to help reduce interference and get better coverage.

From optimising your Wi-Fi coverage, to managing the growing number of digital devices competing for bandwidth, to ensuring you’re on the right speed plan to meet your household’s needs, check out nbn’s tips to help enhance your home internet setup for a fun festive season.