Planning a summer road trip with the family? With these tips, the back-seat passengers will get the most out of the internet and smart devices

“When using your phone's own network connection, the battery is consumed by the wide variation in the signal strength during the journey. Depending on the number of devices used, it is advisable to take a power bank with sufficiently high capacity or a powerful car charger with you for the car journey,” says Mikko Valtonen, Vice President, Mobile Business at DNA.

“Although most modern cars already have USB charger sockets, they usually provide power significantly slower than separate car chargers connected to a 12V outlet, which can, at best, be used to charge a laptop. Power banks can also be helpful at the destination if, for example, the cottage has no electricity or the placement of sockets is not optimal,” Valtonen says.

Valtonen points out that with continuous streaming, the battery life of the latest smartphones and tablets can last for up to 10 hours, depending on the device, with the battery of devices that are 2–5 years old lasting for even 7 hours, if they are well kept, with a lot of model-specific variation, of course. Breaks should be used to charge your batteries, both figuratively and literally. For the latest phones, for example, stopping for a meal for 45 minutes is already enough to recharge your battery so that it lasts for many more hours.

Place the internet sharing device on the front edge of the windscreen

The signal strength of the mobile network has the biggest impact on battery life, which is why a separate battery-operated modem is a good idea for longer car journeys. Such modems also have the additional advantage that the phones or pads in the car only use Wi-Fi, which also lengthens the battery life. Instead of a battery-operated modem, the network can also be shared from another phone, but this consumes a lot of battery power.

“You should place the internet-sharing device in an optimal place, such as on the front edge of the windscreen, as this improves the signal. In our own measurements, we’ve noticed that especially in a moving car, the placement of the device really does matter. However, it’s important to position the device in a way that it won’t become a projectile in the event of a collision. If the network connection is weaker at some points of your journey, and the connection is not sufficient, for example, for all three back-seat passengers, joint viewing using one device is one possible solution,” Valtonen says.

In general, network coverage should not be a problem, as DNA's 5G network reaches more than 99% of Finns based on their place of residence and the network is constantly being strengthened also in those areas that already have a base station. 5G network usage requires suitable device and subscription.

Take heat into account – and don’t make this cooling mistake!

In the summer, you also have to take heat into account. There is no need to worry that an undamaged device would be damaged due to overheating, as devices monitor the temperature independently and generate an alert or switch themselves off if the operating temperature becomes too high. Of course, in terms of the viewing experience, it is important that the device does not have to switch itself off.

“The critical temperature limit for smart devices is about 50 degrees Celsius, after which the functions will begin to suffer and the risk of failure increases. For this reason, I recommend that you always keep the smart device you use for streaming away from direct sunlight, so that high temperature does not cause, for example, thermal expansion of the battery. In addition, keeping devices in the shade is a good idea because direct sunlight is brighter than even the best displays. Looking at the screen is no longer enjoyable if you can barely see the image,” Valtonen says.

However, Valtonen advises to not try out a tip that is spreading through the grapevine. Freezer packs that you may find in the cool bag must not be used as a cooling base for smart devices – not even when placing a towel in between to prevent moisture.

“Rapid temperature changes can also be harmful to the device and, despite the towel, humidity can cause problems with devices that are not water-resistant. The best way to cool down a device is to stop using it for a while and place the phone in the shade. 10–15 minutes often already helps a lot.”

Further information for the media:

Mikko Valtonen, Vice President, Mobile Business, DNA Plc, tel. +358 (0)44 044 5290, mikko.valtonen@dna.fi

DNA Corporate Communications, tel. +358 (0)44 044 8000, communications@dna.fi