| A large percentage of Full Time RV'ers today are | | | | mounted on the roof of the RV. When you arrive |
| business people. These are people that have had | | | | at your destination, you either just click a mouse |
| enough of corporate America or Canada, and | | | | or push a button, and the system aligns itself. If |
| have started their own business. Not only have | | | | you are not technically inclined, and you expect to |
| they started their own business, they have also | | | | be moving a lot, the automatic system would be |
| moved into RV's and taken their business on the | | | | the way to go. |
| road. The American dream of living in the suburbs, | | | | $5000 may seem like a lot of money to spend on |
| and commuting to an office in the city is starting | | | | a piece of equipment, but when you really start |
| to die as people realize that there is really more | | | | to look at it starting any type of business takes a |
| to the dream than what their parents taught | | | | fair amount of money. You will need computers, |
| them. | | | | printers, and any other equipment that your |
| One of the things that has made this move | | | | particular business requires. This particular piece of |
| possible has been the availability of Satellite and | | | | equipment gives your business freedom to move. |
| Cellular internet connections. These connections | | | | There is almost no place in North America where |
| allow you to have an internet connection | | | | you could not park your RV and run your |
| wherever you may be. In this article I will only | | | | business. About the only time you would have |
| concentrate on Satellite internet connections. | | | | difficulty would be if you were on the north side |
| There are a number of companies that provide | | | | of a large mountain, or under heavy tree cover. |
| internet through satellite, among them are | | | | Any where else you should be able to get always |
| Hughesnet Satellite, Wildblue Satellite, Dish | | | | on internet service through satellite. |
| Network Satellite, Direct TV Satellite, Starband | | | | Many people run businesses out of their |
| Satellite and Skyway USA Satellite to name a | | | | basement, a spare bedroom or den, a garage, or |
| few. Through most of these companies you can | | | | a small office. Satellite internet allows you to |
| get always on satellite internet packages starting | | | | move this business into an RV and allows you to |
| at about $55 a month for about one megabit | | | | live the dream of traveling all over North America |
| download speeds, and 128 kilobit upload speeds. | | | | as a Full Time RV'er. With an internet based |
| There are packages available that will give you up | | | | business, your customer does not know if you |
| to 5 megabit download speeds and 300 kilobit | | | | are working out of that office with a view, a |
| upload speeds but the prices start to climb into | | | | corner of your basement, from beside that fly |
| the $300 dollar a month range. The one megabit | | | | fishing lake in Canada, or that beach in Mexico. So |
| rate is not much slower than ADSL lite that many | | | | why not make the switch, and live the life of |
| phone companies sell, and is enough for most | | | | your dreams while you are still working. |
| web based business. Even the 128 kilobit upload | | | | On the internet you will find many support forums |
| speed is double what you would ideally get on a | | | | for Full Time RV'ers. Many of these forums have |
| dialup connection. | | | | areas for people that are working or running a |
| The equipment required for satellite internet can | | | | business full time on the road. An RV is nothing |
| be leased from the provider, or it can be | | | | more than a house on wheels. So that business |
| purchased outright. The price seems to be all over | | | | that you have been running out of your house |
| the map, but on average the price for a manual | | | | can now also be run out of an RV. The availability |
| system seems to be in the $1500 neighborhood, | | | | of satellite internet has made this possible. |
| and a fully automatic system runs about $5000. | | | | Moving out of a house will relieve you of many |
| The manual system you have to set up and align | | | | bills. Property taxes, water, sewer, power, |
| each time you move your RV. They are usually | | | | telephone, cablevision and many more will be a |
| set up on a tripod arrangement and with a bit of | | | | thing of the past. So having to pay a bit more for |
| practice can usually be set up in about 10 or 15 | | | | internet should not really be a problem. After all |
| minutes. | | | | this is one bill that can really give you the |
| The Automatic system on the other hand is a | | | | freedom that you desire. |
| push button system. These systems are usually | | | | |