Get your comms back under control
February, 2008
Every time you pick up the newspaper does it seem like there’s been an overnight technological development in communications and you think you’ve already missed the boat? Bombarded with options and offers, does researching the different products feels like a full time job in itself?
Unless you’re an IT and comms expert, it’s sometimes hard to 'see the wood for the trees', so here’s a checklist to help you build a comprehensive communications strategy that will allow your business to grow:
- Balance your communications requirements - Easynet Connect SDSL internet connectivity offers the same speed and quality whether you are downloading or uploading information over the Internet. It’s a market leader, offering unbeatable service level guarantees and has the best coverage of SDSL in the country with around 1200 unbundled exchanges (70% of UK homes and businesses), streets ahead of, and cheaper than, its nearest rival BT, which has around 800 enabled exchanges. It also has a better contention ratio; at 5:1 an Easynet Connect user is less constrained by other people’s network usage than they would be on a BT network. It is also very easy to then upgrade bandwidth to faster services such as SureStream or EtherStream, which offer leased line equivalent services of up to 20Mb in both directions. If your business requires high speed and symmetric access to the Internet for a fixed monthly fee then this is the one for you.
Future proof your communications network - As your business grows, so your Internet traffic is likely to increase in volume. You may also have more information crossing your network that is critical to the daily running of your business. Plan for the unexpected by having a threshold that will cope with the peaks and troughs of your business. EtherStream is the perfect way to provide scalable bandwidth as it provides up to 20 Mb across the UK. It’s a cost effective Ethernet service delivered in copper using Easynet Connect’s Local Loop infrastructure, providing more than the traditional fibre connectivity. As City based financial services company Blue Index explains, "Using EtherStream from Easynet Connect means we now have the ability to expand to five times our broadband capacity within a few days, which is key in our sector where things can change very quickly. This could be a change in the market or expansion in the number of our traders as a result of a recruitment campaign. Also, it is important that while we have the flexibility to up our capacity by five times, we don’t have to up the price of the broadband service by the same multiple."
Optimise your Internet connection – High speed Internet services should also offer low or uncontended contention ratios. In other words, fewer other businesses are using the same core network at the same time as you, allowing for faster, better service. Scottish based construction group, the McKean Group, chose Easynet Connect because the contention ratio is 5:1 compared to the 20:1 other suppliers were offering. Obviously labour is one of the largest continuing investments you will make, so boosting the productivity of individual workers by providing an ‘always-on’ connection that's performing at optimum levels is key.
Always have back up - Whatever path you choose for your communications strategy, never forget that customer service from your provider is key to the successful running of your business. The main contact you are going to have with any provider is with the customer care team, and it is essential that they are always available and quick to respond at any time, day or night. Easynet Connect’s UK based technical support is available 24 hours a day, and, just as importantly, al the systems are fully monitored and backed up to maintain a backbone Internet connection on 99.9% basis, 24 hours a day.