Remote work and your Internet Service Provider (ISP) plan

Working from home increases the data you use on your ISP Plan. Web conferencing, connecting to McGill systems- particularly if using remote desktop (RDP), and being connected from your home throughout the day can all lead to a high consumption of data download and upload over time. When you add in the increase in internet use from other members of your household- you should make sure that your plan is sufficient and can meet your needs.

When reviewing your plan consider:

Any quotas or limits on your total data

If you are on a limited plan, ensure that the amount of data you have available per month is enough to handle the increased demand.

Internet speed or rate of transfer (bandwidth)

In addition to the amount of data, it is important to make sure that the speed you are buying from your ISP is adequate. In some cases the download speed may be fine, but the upload may not.  Example plan: Videotron Hybrid 30 is 30Mbps download but only 10Mbps upload.

Note: Under these extraordinary circumstances most of the major Internet service providers (Bell, Videotron, Telus, Rogers, TekSavvy, EBox, Cogeco) have announced that they are lifting their limits on data upload and download for a limited period of time. Check with your provider and be aware of the dates these limits will be re-established. In this case- the lifted limits generally apply only to the amount of data and do not apply to the speed (bandwidth) you may require during peak hours.