Internet Connections for Remote Depositions

June 16, 2020 7:01 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

Now that we’re in the COVID-19 age, the importance of remote work cannot be understated. Many of us are finding that we can conduct our depositions and other legal proceedings from the comforts of our own home, but that presupposes we have the technology and a fast-enough internet connection to do so.

At Bartelt | Nix Reporting, LLC, we use LiveLitigation, LiveNote and Zoom for our remote depositions and other proceedings—they’re excellent tools, but they can take up a lot of bandwidth, and you don’t want to miss a thing during a deposition. Here are some of our best tips for optimizing your internet connection during remote depositions in Phoenix, AZ.

Optimizing your internet connection

Each platform you use has different recommended bandwidth requirements, so check with each particular application to see what you’ll need. Then, go to a website like speedtest.net to determine your upload and download speeds. Do they meet or exceed the recommended bandwidth for your remote deposition platform?

For example, LiveLitigation suggests you need at least a one mbps upload and download speed to use their video, whereas Zoom needs about six mbps download speed for gallery video view and a two mbps upload speed. Generally, a five mbps upload and download speed will enable you to successfully use more remote video software.

If your speed is slower than you expected, you can disable other devices to ensure they’re not using bandwidth in the background. You may also want to use a wired connection rather than wi-fi, if you can help it—wired connections are typically faster.

Be sure to clear your browser cache and reset your router about once per month, and make sure you only have essential tabs and programs open on your computer or device. This will cut down on the background data being downloaded and uploaded while you’re trying to communicate. If all else fails, you should call your ISP and ask them about higher-speed plans and whether there’s anything that can fit in your budget.

Other options

If the sound quality during remote depositions is difficult for you to understand, you might choose to call in and connect through your internet connection. This can ensure that you don’t miss anything verbally, while still utilizing the video stream and other features to read body language and communicate with other parties present.

If you choose to call in, make sure you disable all calls and notifications for your device. In Android, go to Settings, Calls and then Call Barring. Hit “all incoming calls.” For iOS, open the control center and tap the moon-shaped “do not disturb” icon. This will prevent all calls and notifications from beeping through your deposition.

We might be lucky that technology allows us to continue remote depositions in Phoenix, AZ, but that doesn’t mean it’s always smooth sailing. Trying these tips can make “the new normal” a lot easier to deal with.

For help with remote depositions and court reporting in Phoenix, AZ, call Bartelt | Nix Reporting, LLC today.

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