Working from home overseas

[DieScum]

I work from home and can be anywhere as long as I have an excellent broadband connection and phone line.

I've been thinking about using this freedom to stay somewhere else for a bit next year. Maybe take a month in one country, another month somewhere else.

Two main things

- I'd want to be able to give out one number which would follow me everywhere and would cost as much to call as a UK number and have a UK dial tone. So if I'm in Ibiza I want my clients in London to call the number, pay normal price and not have any idea that I am overseas. Any idea if this is possible?

- Where do you think would be good to go? I'm thinking fun, cheap-ish place to live, in either a hotel with great broadband or more likely a serviced apartment.

Bangkok would be fun but time difference would be a killer and internet and phone lines don't seem up to it.

Spain could be good, maybe Ibiza, Tenerife.

Maybe Berlin.

Anyone done anything like that? Any place you would recommend?

[tim123]

Skype

HTH

tim

[Cliphead]

Skype

HTH

tim

+1

[DieScum]

Is Skype really that reliable? I know people who have used it for work and they cut out of calls to reboot the computer. Would it really work for this.

I suppose I can start using it in the UK and see.

[chris79]

My Dad lives in Tenerife about 2 moths of the year and uses Skype to do everything, so yes.

You can also get bluetooth headset, or proper handset etc to go with it.

[DieScum]

So it looks like I could get SkypeIn but customers would be paying for an overseas call not a UK one (http://support.skype.com/index.php?_...details&_i=247). Which would scupper my plan a bit.

I'd want something like that but for me to pick up the extra charge and anyone calling me to only pay for the UK call.

[PRC1964]

We use Skype and have done for the last three years to do exactly this.

I have no doubt that BT can sell you something similar. Don't touch it with a bargepole.

Have fun overseas.

[xchaotic]

I work that way occassionally:
1. I mostly enforced email as a mode of communication - much better for a remote setup as everything gets written down.
2. when we actually need to get on the phone, I call them, guess what using Skype. But SkypeIn, if the number is bought from London area, will only cost local landline rates to client calling from UK. As for the other end use SkypeOut and forward calls from skype to your number. There's tons similar solutions all the way up to virtual offices where a real 'secretary' with a sexy voice will answer call to your company and take your messages, they will also keep or forward your mail etc, you'll also get a high street address, which might be a boost to your business or not.

So it's really up to you.

[bobhope]

Look up voip services - they are a couple of pounds a month and you get a local UK number.

[Purple Dalek]

Do be careful. A client spotted I wasn't in the UK because they could hear kettle drums and the sound of the surf in the background of a conference call.