❄️ Svalbard (Longyearbyen): Zoom among the ice

Longyearbyen is a rare place where you can make a couple of phone calls during the day and ‘hunt’ for the northern lights in the evening. The village has stable internet connection and the real Arctic is literally on your doorstep. This guide provides honest answers to three practical questions: is the local internet fast enough for Zoom, what to do after 6 p.m. in the polar winter, and what to bring back as a gift for your partners if you want something authentic with a link to the coal mining past. Let's find out how to make your working week at 78° N productive and warm in its own way.

📶 Is the internet fast enough for video calls?

In short: yes, Longyearbyen itself has enough bandwidth for HD video calls.

The village is connected to the mainland by two fibre-optic submarine cables, which provide a ‘mainland’ backhaul for communications. The city has a Telenor network with LTE/4G (also in neighbouring villages), and the airport offers free Wi-Fi with easy access — convenient before and after flights. As a guide, Zoom recommends ~2.6/1.8 Mbps for 720p and ~3.8/3.0 Mbps for 1080p — these are modest requirements for local conditions. Important: there is no mobile coverage outside the settlements, so for any trips outside the settlements, you must be accompanied by a guide and carry emergency equipment.

A couple of life hacks: get an eSIM/roaming from a provider that is friends with Telenor, and keep a backup option (Wi-Fi from a hotel/café). In the polar cold, take care of your batteries — keep your phone close to your body or use a heated case.

🌌 What to see after 6 p.m. in winter?

In winter, darkness is a plus: the best time to see the Northern Lights is from 6 p.m. to midnight. The city offers a variety of evening tours: snowmobile rides under the stars, silent dog sledding in the polar night, and mini bus safaris in search of the aurora borealis — all easily booked with local operators. On Fridays, stop by Svalbard Bryggeri — the bar is open until 10 p.m., and tastings and brewery tours are often held in the evening. If you want to spend a couple of hours in peace, the library is a good option: it has a ‘meråpent’ (self-service) mode with extended access throughout the day.And remember the safety rule: do not leave the ‘red’ zone of the village without a guide.

🎁 What to bring as a business gift?

The most ‘meaningful’ option is a gift with a reference to the coal mining history.

Look for tours and a museum in the former Gruve 3 mine: this is a neat way to ‘peek’ into Longyearbyen's past, and the souvenir shops on the tours offer themed trinkets ranging from patches and badges to packaged pieces of coal. For the ‘office’ format, books, maps and local products from the Svalbard Museum shop are suitable. Another popular gift is a set from Svalbard Bryggeri (history and taste ‘made at 78°N’). Important: do not take anything from nature — flora and cultural objects are protected by law; only buy legal souvenirs in the city. Longyearbyen is ideal for ‘working’ trips with an Arctic flavour: the internet in the village is fast enough for Zoom, evenings can be filled with the northern lights, snowmobiles or cosy tastings, and you can take home a thoughtful ‘coal’ souvenir for your partners.

Plan your meetings on your home Wi-Fi, book evening tours in advance, and keep simple safety rules in mind — and then your working week in the Arctic Circle will go smoothly.

Share your life hacks, photos of the Northern Lights, and questions in the comments — together we'll create the best ‘Zoom among the ice.’