Technology in the DR and your business.

DRdiving

New member
Nov 2, 2003
57
0
0
Hi Everyone,

I understand that many expats that are living in the DR are involved in businesses that can be run from anywhere there is a web connection or telephone service. This bodes well for an internet company as well as many other.

How reliable is a high speed connection in the DR? What is the monthly cost for high speed? What are the long distance telephone rates like in the DR when calling Canada or the US? When calling, is the connection clear and without an echo. Are there any long distance plans that anyone uses to limit the expense? Is anyone using using web based long distance calling?

For those of you that are working in businesses that can be run from anywhere, what kind of business do you have? I can work remotely at least for a few weeks at a time if the technology is up to snuff. I'm in investment management.

Any stories any of you have of making the move to the DR and running your business would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Chris.
 

Adrian Bye

Bronze
Jul 7, 2002
2,077
138
0
I'm probably the most advanced in this area, although if others are doing it, I'm very interested to hear from them.

The internet & phone works close to perfectly.

The electricity is the problem.

For a properly functioning office you need:
- an airconditioning unit
- a UPS for your computers, and most likely your network equipment
- an inverter
- a generator

This gives you the ability to run with the generator (and power the AC) when there is no power. And the inverter will keep everything running the rest of the time.

The generator requires quite a bit of maintenance, you have to learn how to run it. The inverter is pretty much maintenance free.

It works well once you get it set up. But there is a steep learning curve to this stuff.
 

DRdiving

New member
Nov 2, 2003
57
0
0
I was thinking that if I could swing it I would try to rent an apartment for a few weeks every couple months in a complex that has a generator. I have seen a number of places that advertise places for rent with generators. Would that work? What is an invertor?
 

Adrian Bye

Bronze
Jul 7, 2002
2,077
138
0
It would be a good idea to get an apartment in a building that has a generator backup.

I would suggest you talk with other residents of the building first, and ask them how reliable the backup generators are that are run by the building. For example, they may have them, but they may be broken often. The residents living there will be able to tell you how reliable the generator power is.

Also consider that we are due for a major earthquake "sometime" (kind of like the bay area). You may want to take that into consideration before signing up in a big building.

You should probably have an inverter installed. Its a battery backup for your apartment that runs "light" electrical stuff (basically everything except for the fridge & a/c). It means you don't have to depend always on the generator running. Which it won't, I guarantee it.

If you buy an inverter, don't mess around with dominican brands, buy a Trace/Xantrex brand:

http://www.xantrex.com/products/product.asp?did=552&p=4

http://www.solar-electric.com/dr1524.html

Electricity is like the blood of your computer equipment, its not worth installing second rate stuff. A system like this installed will cost approx $1000 USD. It is worth every penny.
 
Last edited:

DRdiving

New member
Nov 2, 2003
57
0
0
Thanks Adrian. Ideally I would like to rent an apartment for only a few weeks at a time every couple months so I don't think I would want to make an investment in the inverter to start off. Is it common that the owner of the apartment might leave their inverter if they had one for the renter?

I guess another question would be, is anyone renting an apartment that fits the description? I am looking from Sosua to Cabarete.