php - file_get_contents causes site to go down when remote site is down -

i have site uses file_get_contents access geolocation api on every request. time time remote api starts giving 504/502 errors, presumably due problems @ end. problem causes site go down - there way create fallback if remote site starts timing out ignore , load page anyway?

this code:

$geodata = unserialize(file_get_contents('http://www.geoplugin.net/php.gp?ip=' . $_server['remote_addr'])); 

@$geodata = unserialize(file_get_contents('http://www.geoplugin.net/php.gp?ip=' . $_server['remote_addr']));

this ignore errors line throws, , continue.

keep in mind have check if $geodata exists:

if($geodata){ // code }