Boomtime For VPN Services During the Coronavirus Outbreak?

Business has been put through the mill over the last five months, and, in a way, we have become almost desensitised to the sharp rises and falls in the stock market, not to mention the surreal job numbers. It seems some businesses are waiting for the other shoe to drop before acting, whereas others might be staring at a bleak future.

As you might expect, though, some businesses are thriving through the crisis. For instance, it’s not really the time to consider cancelling your Netflix, Disney+ or Hulu subscription if you are stuck at home for the foreseeable future. Moreover, we could also see gaming subscription services like Apple Arcade and Google Stadia getting a bit of a bounce. Indeed, many mainstream media outlets, some of whom largely ignore the gaming industry, have been extolling the virtues of video games for people in self-isolation.

Remote Working Software Gets Boost

We have also seen remarkable activity in the area of technology designed to support businesses with remote workers. Obviously, there has been a massive spike in people working from home. And, companies like Zoom, which offers video-conferencing software through its app, have become essential additions in recent months. Zoom wasn’t a household name just a few months ago; now it is in an almost literal sense. It has stormed to the top of Apple’s most downloaded apps as companies try to make the best of the situation, although people will use it socially to keep in touch during periods of social distancing.

VPN providers are also citing increased subscriptions in these times. As you might expect, one of the main reasons is the security of business systems when workers are accessing them remotely. Every business is different, of course, and the level of access will depend on the type of business and the employees accessing it. But companies have been forced to rethink their approach to remote working, so it will come as no surprise that they are using virtual private networks for data protection.

VPNs Help Secure Important Business Data

As ever with data protection, it comes down to which device is being used, who is using the device and where it is being used. Some companies will have their own laptops to give out to employees, which will be equipped with the same protocols as the office. But employees might be carrying out tasks on their personal devices, including smartphones. Checking out the best VPN for Android or iOS is, therefore, essential for device-specific protection.

Of course, we could also see VPN services get a boost through the previously mentioned gaming and television streaming services. Before the outbreak of Covid-19, we were already talking about ‘streaming wars’, i.e. the plethora of television streaming services, and what it would mean for users. Many people were using VPNs to get cheaper versions of these services through geo-pricing or to get the latest content before it became available in their countries. Put it this way, a lot of UK viewers were watching the Mandalorian in 2019 despite the fact Disney+ only launched there in March 2020.

VPNs are just one small example of a type of industry that is getting a second appraisal during the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s important, of course, to be sensitive about the issue by not treating it as a victory for one type of service when so many others are struggling. Still, it’s a reminder that not everything is bleak for business in these extraordinarily worrying times.