When you work as a freelance writer, you quickly come to understand the value of intense research. The internet is perfect for those constricted by time. However, in order to use it one has to have it first. Even the cheapest cyber café going at 50cents per minute is too expensive when you spend the better part of your day online. Fortunately, Kenya hosts different internet providers.

A mobile modem is perfect for a PC or laptop. It enables you to enjoy internet wherever you are. This enables you to undertake your writing at whatever time you please. You can wake up at 2.00a.m and work on your article thus fueling your creative process. However, I quickly learnt that not just any modem will do. You need to carefully consider whether a modem is suitable for you. The three factors to consider before making your purchase are data bundles, money and speed.

Data bundles

It is good to remember that you need a modem provider that is able to provide the data bundles you need to accomplish your writing. In my line of work, I usually use between 10GB – 20GB each month to do research and send articles, this includes looking at my mail and making random searches on areas that jump out to me. YU modem offers do not exceed 10GB per month, while a little stifling, it is still workable for those who do not do much research. Both Safaricom and Orange are capable of providing the 20GB I need each month.

Money

So how much money would the modem plus credit cost each month? YU modem retailed at sh2599, while monthly credit was sh500. It sounded pretty good. Orange modem retailed at sh1999 and its monthly offer was at shs2990. Safaricom modem retailed at shs999 and its 20GB offer was at shs9999. I had a tough choice to make. But as I quickly discovered another factor came into play.

Speed

Speed is especially important for writers who work within certain deadlines. It would not matter whether you have written the greatest paper if you do not hand it in, in time for publication. News items and press releases are especially sensitive to time and need to be done quickly and efficiently. Both Safaricom and Orange boast of a 3G Network and go up to speeds of 21Mbps. YU on the other hand does not have such a network so it is disadvantaged. The choice would seem easy, right? That is before you factor in the external forces.

Enter external forces

Here I was working as a volunteer teacher at a private school being given only money for bus fare and I was living with my relatives (who had decided that they would move to upcountry in six months time). I had six months to achieve independence. I certainly could not survive on volunteer work and the chances of getting a job were slim. I had only 4000 shillings to my name and a laptop I had borrowed (I was given three months following which I had to return it). So, what was I to do?

I decided to purchase a YU modem and subscribe to the monthly data bundle at shs500. I found work in the first week and started working as a freelance writer. In the second week, the speed of the YU modem decreased but I still needed to do research. What could I do? I had a phone, right? And fortunately YU is great when it comes to mobile phone internet. I was able to finish my work. However, as you can imagine, doing research from a phone is no easy task when you have to recall facts. I heard to rely on a notebook and pen to take down notes. This while it worked, slowed down my writing speed and I could only manage a maximum of 3-4 articles in a day.

Obviously I needed an upgrade. I asked around and was told that Orange modem was the best bet. I needed 20GB and it had a monthly offer for shs2990 whereas Safaricom’s bundles were at a higher price and did not come in a monthly package. I did not want to be in a situation where the bundle is finished in the middle of a research, so I went ahead to purchase a modem from Orange. This was in the second month.

Now I had better internet speeds and my friend was even able to use the modem when I was finished for the day. Everything went on smoothly until I began to notice a decline in speeds in the third week. It turned out there is this thing called fair usage policy and that my friend was using the modem to watch movies via Youtube. It was time for decisions again. I had a chat with my friend and explained to her that she can longer use the modem until the weekends and only for a few hours. It was a tough conversation but hey, I was fighting for my independence. The following month it worked very well and my friend was always on time when her time to use the modem came. We were both happy and I was not complaining.

So now I had three months to make the move into my own place. By my calculations, I discovered that I could come up with enough money to buy households goods and furniture. However, this would mean I would not have the required money for rent deposit. What now? I thought to myself. I needed a roommate. Fortunately, my cousin who has a steady job decided he is not moving to the countryside. We became allies. The plan was simple, I came up with the money to but everything we would need and he came up with rent to cover us for the first for months. And in one years time we will both go our separate ways.

A few years from now, I may be able to look back and remember fondly on how my search for the ideal modem led to my independence. Yes, data bundles, money and speed are very vital factors to keep in mind when you are searching for your ideal model. The purpose of your modem is equally important. If you want to use it only for research, you do not need too much data. However, if you plan if for downloading videos, then you may need to adjust your data bundles. As of now, my Orange modem works excellently for me. After all, a modem that cannot pay for its upkeep is a modem best left on the shop’s counter. Work towards finding your own ideal modem and you will find joy in your work.

Article source: https://www.zakenya.com/Self-Improvement/76-In-Search-of-the-Ideal-Modem-A-Journey-to-Independence.html