Nov 5, 2019 | Blog, Data, News
Alright, brass tacks: business internet is boring. We know it. You know it. Let’s not pretend it’s any more invigorating than watching paint dry.
But here’s another fact: failing to upgrade your network is going to seriously set your business back… if it isn’t doing so already.
If you sit there and do nothing about your internet, you’re courting disaster. Don’t wait for these problems to fall on top of you like a tonne of bricks. Read our bull-free blog to find a resolution.
Your current solution is probably insufficient
Do sluggish internet speeds ever bring your business to a crawl? You’re not alone. While 95% of the UK now has ‘superfast broadband’, the reality of what ‘fast’ looks like isn’t keeping pace.
Most ‘superfast’ connections still depend on copper telephone wires, which are limited to speeds of only 80Mbs – at best. It’s easy to see why companies settle for less-than adequate speeds. Shopping for a new provider is a pain, while upgrading to fibre-optic broadband might seem like an overhaul you can’t face or afford.
However, when you consider that fibre-optic based broadband lines can go from 100Mbs up to 1,000Mbs, it’s hardly surprising that your business is trailing behind by sitting tight with copper telephone wires.
The future of business internet lies in fibre
Fibre-optic lines offer added convenience, better call quality, and increased cost-efficiency in the long-term. The logic to switch is there, but if you’re reluctant to make the move you should know the government is going to ban copper lines altogether.
In three years’ time, new copper lines will no longer be sold, and by 2025 the aim is to phase them out for all customers.
In summary: finding a provider is impossible and your internet connection is soon to become obsolete. If you don’t act – your business is going to slow to a crawl.
The solution? Switch to fibre ASAP – the lines that carry the fastest internet speeds. The government are actually pushing to move everyone over to digital services by 2025. While that may sound like a pain, it’s actually a good thing.
You’ll need to install fibre very soon because the big guys say so – but you’ll enjoy a better connection as a result.
Keeping this in mind will make picking a provider much simpler, too. Narrow your search down to people who’re going to help you set up and get going – with added funding from the government…
The secret to grabbing better value gigabit
To encourage businesses to abandon their commitment to copper wire, the government are offering grants (temporarily) to small businesses to help them fund the switch to fibre optic.
The Gigabit Voucher Scheme doesn’t ask for anything from you in return; the government are just desperate to integrate gigabit connections across the UK as fast as they possibly can.
There’s only a bit of money left in the pot though, so you’ll need to take action quick. Or, Nxcoms can do all the work and apply for you. If you’re eligible – and you probably are – then you’ll bank a whopping £2,500 spending money for your gigabit connection.
Our guys will even throw a free router into the deal so you can get going ASAP for less.
Connect with Nxcoms
There’s no denying your SME should be looking at the higher end of the speed scale. The good news is that upgrading doesn’t need to be difficult – and it definitely doesn’t need to be out of your price range.
Grab the government grants through Nxcoms today. If you’re unclear about what the switch involves, just get in touch and we’ll explain the process without those convoluted telecoms buzzwords. We focus on fast, simple, clear communication – both in customer services and solutions.
Oct 11, 2019 | Blog, Connectivity, News
You may have heard a lot in the news recently about Full Fibre Broadband…
There have been quite a few stories in the news recently about the Government’s push for Full Fibre Broadband, and the aim to get most of the country on a fibre optic internet connection by 2025, but what exactly is it, and how does it benefit your business?
The UK now has more than 95% coverage for “superfast broadband” with speeds of 24Mbs (megabits per second) or higher. However, most “superfast” connections still depend on copper telephone wires, which are limited in the speeds they can support. The maximum speed you can get on a copper-based broadband connection is 80Mbs, however with a fibre optic based broadband line you can go up to 1000Mbs. So, if your business requires faster and more reliable broadband, capable of delivering gigabit speeds, then a full fibre connection is required.
One gigabit is the same as 1000Mbs (1,000 megabits) – so it’s a big leap forward in connection speeds that could benefit you and your business into the future. Full fibre also supports symmetrical connections – meaning your upload and download speeds are exactly the same. There are huge benefits to business, as this means your external internet connection is as fast as your internal network. You can run more computers in remote locations, take advantage of more cloud services, and even download or upload files much more quickly.
What you may not realise is that the full fibre broadband rollout has been going on for quite some time now, and the main telecoms providers have been supplying this kind of technology for a number of years. Its only recently that prices have come down to make it more viable for more businesses to use as their main connection to the internet.
In order to help businesses utilise this technology, the Government Gigabit Voucher scheme is a grant to cover the installation costs associated with installing a fibre optic cable into the premises. UK Small and Medium sized businesses can apply for the grant of up to £2500 through one of their approved suppliers. Nxcoms is an approved supplier of the scheme and can help businesses to apply and obtain the grant as well as installing the line and equipment needed.
Jun 3, 2019 | Blog, Connectivity, News
Did you know you can claim a grant of up to £2,500 towards an ultrafast, Gigabit internet connection?
We live in a world where fast, resilient internet is a must. We often think we’re ahead of the game, but have you heard that Britain’s average internet speed ranks 31st in the world, falling behind most of Europe, Thailand and New Zealand? The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport have launched a £67m Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme to help small businesses keep up with the larger players.
You may have heard about the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme. It’s a grant the Government’s offering to small and medium sized businesses with less than 250 employees. For a limited time only, these companies can claim up to £2,500 towards the installation of a gigabit-capable internet connection. We want to make sure you understand the facts and don’t miss out.
The technical bit
Standard broadband delivers speeds up to 20Mbs (mega-bits per second). Fibre-optic broadband, also known as BT infinity or superfast broadband can deliver speeds up to 80Mbs. Fibre-optic broadband isn’t available in all areas, and there are many “not-spots” where it can’t be supplied at all. Gigabit or ultra-fast broadband provides a dedicated full-fibre optic connection to the premises with speeds available from 100Mbs to 1000Mbs.
What this really means for your business
A Gigabit connection simply enables you to complete tasks quickly and efficiently. Usually downloading large numbers of photographs, videos or streaming media can take time, slowing down business productivity. Gigabit connections allow 100 photos or songs to be downloaded in just 3 seconds and a HD movie can be downloaded in 7 seconds.
Tasks like transferring large files, presenting a webinar or watching large training videos suddenly become pain free and seamless with no delays or glitches.
Gigabit internet is often used by organisations that have a large number of users or that engage with a lot of multimedia content. It’s brilliant for supporting HD streaming, it has improved support for multiple users and devices, video conferencing and fast data transfers and multimedia uploads and downloads.
The benefits of claiming a voucher
Businesses should be thinking seriously about taking advantage of this offer and here’s why…
Keep up to speed
Over 95% of the UK now has coverage for superfast broadband with speeds of 24 megabits per second or higher. This isn’t being used to its potential when most connections still depend on copper telephone wires, which are limited in the speeds they can support. BT Openreach has already stated that they intend to phase out all copper-based traditional telephone lines by 2025 and they plan to start this process in 2020. By taking advantage of the voucher scheme now, you can future-proof your business against these changes.
If your business depends on reliable broadband, capable of delivering faster speeds, with a guaranteed uptime and a full-service level agreement, then taking the leap towards a full fibre connection is a must.
Increase productivity
The last broadband voucher scheme saw 50,000 businesses upgrade their internet connections and of these 50,000, 86% reported the internet upgrade had significantly increased the productivity of their employees. That’s a statistic you can rely on.
Slow, unpredictable internet can cause delays and frustrations in the workplace which can impact on the productivity of your staff, staff morale and the culture of your business. When broadband goes offline, your business can grind to a halt quite quickly, impacting your business and resulting in lost revenue. With a Gigabit, ultrafast connection which comes with an ultra-reliable 99.9% uptime, you can turbo-charge your business and your productivity, knowing that down-time is virtually non-existent.
Customer satisfaction
As we’ve discussed, slow internet and delays can cause frustration and friction for your staff, but this can also directly affect your customers.
Your customers will have a better experience if your staff are happy at work. They’ll be greeted by a positive and helpful team and their experience overall will be more efficient and enjoyable.
Seamless connectivity also means you get the best out of the other services and platforms you’ve invested in. Marketing, sales and finance experiences can only be as good as the connectivity they’re provided with and Gigabit internet means your customers always see the very best of your business.
Save thousands of pounds
Gigabit internet can seem like an expensive investment which is usually something only larger businesses can afford to install.
Small and medium-sized businesses with less than 250 employees, and an annual turnover of less than £45M could qualify for the Gigabit Voucher grant to save thousands of pounds on the initial infrastructure costs.
As well as the obvious initial saving, once installed businesses will continue to see money saving through their increased productivity and customer and staff satisfaction and retention. The monthly rental of a new connection is often less than the cost of your current internet and phone lines combined, so by utilising a Gigabit internet connection for both voice and data, you can not only have a faster internet, you can have a more reliable phone connection too!
Why nxcoms?
We care about each and every one of our customers and excel in providing a bespoke, personal service.
Our experience and expertise in telecoms means we understand how critical the internet is to your business. We can assist you along every step of the way, from arranging for your connection voucher, to installing, configuring and maintaining your gigabit ultrafast internet connection. So that once you decide to proceed, the whole process is simple and straightforward as possible.
To find out if you qualify and to take advantage of the scheme, click here or email info@nxcoms.co.uk
