uk

Connectivity for UK SMEs: FTTP vs Leased Line, SLAs, and 4G/5G Failover

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Choosing the right connectivity involves weighing performance, resilience, and cost. In the UK, gigabit-capable networks are increasingly accessible, with 87% of homes covered. Full-fibre availability is at 78%, impacting speed and pricing for SMEs. Ofcom’s guidelines emphasize service level agreements (SLAs) on speed and repair times, urging clarity for consumers. Businesses should evaluate FTTP for lower costs and variable speeds, whereas leased lines offer consistent performance for critical applications, albeit at higher costs. Understanding connectivity options is crucial for effective decision-making.

Wi‑Fi & VoIP That Don’t Break: Practical QoS for Small Offices

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Clear QoS rules help maintain predictable voice and video performance in environments with competing bandwidth demands. Employing techniques such as DSCP marking, WMM, and WAN queueing can prioritize real-time traffic effectively. The guidelines outline steps for marking at the source, preserving DSCP, shaping traffic, isolating guest Wi-Fi, and monitoring performance, ensuring optimized network conditions for communication applications.

SME Backup & DR Sanity Checks: 10 Quick Tests That Actually Matter

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This checklist assists UK SMEs in validating backup and disaster recovery setups to ensure effective data recovery. It outlines practical tests to confirm the restoration of critical data within acceptable timeframes. The guidance spans micro to medium-sized businesses, aligning with best practices for backups and ransomware resilience, emphasizing the importance of regular testing and proper separation from live systems.

Cable Management & Infrastructure Tidying: One-Day Turnaround

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A mid-sized printing company faced recurring network issues and slow interventions due to years of unmanaged cabling: inconsistent labelling, mixed patch standards, and cluttered server racks. Brought in as hands‑on technical reinforcement, I did not replace hardware. I restored order: reorganised racks, re‑labelled core links, standardised patching, removed unsafe/abandoned cables, and documented everything. In one day, engineers (telecoms and systems) could troubleshoot confidently, reduce accidental outage risk, and the management team regained control—without major capital spend, just method, structure, and attention to detail.