We all know that technology is going to play a pivotal role in reducing the impact of COVID-19 on people and organisations, including helping them stay productive at work when they’re not able to be there in person. However, lots of businesses, as well as education and public sector organisations, are not geared to sudden mass home working.
For our customers at XMA I wanted to update you as to how you can work remotely without sacrificing collaboration, productivity or security.
Microsoft launched an interactive map that allows visitors to click on the country to see the specific number of cases of COVID-19 based on data from the World Health Organization (WHO); the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
Whilst it is scary to see this data outlined on a heatmap, I’m pleased to report that this website is not the only way that Microsoft are supporting in the COVID-19 crisis.
JP Courtois [Microsoft’s executive vice president and president of Microsoft global sales, marketing and operations] announced that Microsoft are making their paid for collaboration tool, Microsoft Teams, free for six months to help organisations deal with the demand of end users needing to work from home.
The Teams trial is part of a new Office 365 trial for enterprises (Office 365 E1) which includes full meeting, collaboration and workflow capabilities.
Microsoft rolled out a new update on March 10 which lifted restrictions on how many users can be part of a team in the free version of Teams. The newly released features include being able to set up Office on personal devices such as phones and tablets; 1TB of cloud storage; enterprise video-sharing service; and being able host online video conferences.
For me the key obvious benefits of this are the online meetings, increased file storage and Office Suite on a personal device.
You will be able to host online meetings with audio, HD video, and web conferencing. Even being able to present ‘Broadcast meetings’ which will allow up to 10,000 people join with just a web browser. This can be done on almost any device – perfect for large, companywide, conferences or events.
With OneDrive for Business each user has 1 TB of personal cloud storage that can be accessed from anywhere, on any device. This means that you can securely save the documents that you work on at home and share with others inside and outside your organization, whilst being in control of who can see and edit each file. You could then sync these documents when you get back into your place of work with your local drives.
Installing the native Office suite of products such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint will enable most workers to continue being productive especially if their own organisation can not afford to provide them with company owned hardware or the licences.
At XMA we were already regularly seeing the benefits of Teams but now with imposed travel reductions it is becoming a go to solution. Being well verse in the Microsoft Eco-structure internally as well as via our consultants, if you require any assistance on getting your trial setup, please let us know and we are of course happy to help.
In addition to this extended 6 month trial there are also specific ways that Azure AD can help enable remote access to work resources.
At XMA we want to help our customers in this time of need. So any support you require from your Account Manager, please let them know. For the more specific items I have covered here today, please feel free to reach out and contact me directly.
In summary stay safe, travel less, collaborate more.
At XMA we strive to help support sustainability efforts that have been developed to help protect the planet. That’s why we’re happy to support HP supplies and their many sustainability programs.
HP has a closed-loop recycling program whereby manufacturing new HP cartridges are done so by using returned cartridges and other plastics to contribute to a circular economy.
The closed-loop process:
Customer purchases Original HP cartridges to use in their printer.
Customer then recycles this cartridge using HP Planet Partner Programme.
HP then work hard to sort, shed and disassemble cartridges collected.
HP collects this usable plastic from the old cartridges and adds plastic from water bottles and hangers.
HP manufactures Original HP cartridges using new and recycled plastics previously collected.
Customer purchases Original HP cartridges…and so the process starts again.
More than 80% of Original HP ink cartridges and 100% of Original HP toner cartridges contain post-consumer or postindustrial recycled content. Since the start of this programme HP have helped divert on average more than 1 million bottles per day and produced 4.2 billion cartridges using 4.4 billion plastic bottles and 101 million hangers.
The HP Planet Partner Programme provides customers a free, convenient and responsible way of returning empty Original HP cartridges for recycling. No Original HP cartridges returned through this programme are sent to landfill. For more information visit here.
2020 Tech Predictions
1919, 2020, 2121
Unless we technologically advance rather ferociously in the coming years, this is the last time we will see a double figure year in our lifetime, so it’s pretty special! An iconic year for us all to really make an impact.
Let’s jump straight into our technology predictions for 2020: sustainable innovation, experiencing technology, time limits, specialised talent, and transhumanism.
Sustainable Innovation
Change is upon us, effective change is imminent.
Being sustainable is at the core of every business. As businesses, we want to be seen making positive changes, but how far are we all actually going to make an impact? Is there any evidence to analyse? Any substance behind the claims?
We can expect to see greater investments in reuse and recycling for closed-loop innovation and expect to say goodbye to the days of bulky hardware, as just like the nano SIM, hardware are becoming smaller and more efficient and we will be more reliant on the Cloud. We can expect more organisations to source new sustainable materials for example being built with recycled and reclaimed goods.
In 2018, HP used 21,250 tonnes of recycled plastic in HP products – including 8,360 tonnes in their personal systems (a 3.5% increase from 2017); 4,790 tonnes in their printers (a 280% increase from 2017); and more than 8,000 tonnes in their ink and toner cartridges.
“As of September 2019, HP sourced about 450 tonnes of ocean-bound plastic bottles (equal to roughly 35 million bottles) that are recycled and used to make Original HP ink cartridges and hardware, including the HP EliteDisplay E273d Docking Monitor (announced in June 2019) – the world’s first display manufactured using ocean plastic. Display manufactured with 5% ocean bound plastic materials by weight, the equivalent of more than three 16 oz. recycled plastic water bottles.” (HP, 2019).
So an absolute #GameChanger is the HP Elite Dragonfly, after launching in September 2019, this beautiful, slimline device has been the talk of Tech Town. Not only is the HP Dragonfly the world’s most lightweight 13” laptop, it is also the world’s first notebook with ocean-bound plastics, including 5% in its speaker, and has started a standing-ovation-worthy cybersecurity revolution…
The motherboard is where the magic happens, but with the Dragonfly, it’s more than magic, it’s where their intelligence driven superpowers are challenged. Sure Sense, required with Windows 10, is trained to seek and analyse trends in Malware. Unlike Norton for example, which detects known malware, Sure Sense looks for codes and changes in malware that Norton would not be able to spot. This is next level. This is now. This is the answer to your cybersecurity concerns.
We predict that the HP Dragonfly will have a snowball effect on other organisations and we will see more plans and launches of devices which use sustainable materials in their products. It’s all part of the sustainability grape vine. Find out why this is so important to us here.
Technology Experience – learning how to use technology more creatively to go the extra mile.
We predict that 2020 will create a new wave of fun for technology users. Consumers will use their devices and software to a fuller extent, producing a richer experience. Technology Education will make a breakthrough from younger ages through to adults and a better understanding of technology and it’s possibilities will be explored. Technology consumers will move forward and develop more creatively – beginning to safely experiment and enjoy the dormant or ‘unknown’ features to a fuller extent.
Time limits Apps/Personal
After studies suggest social media is addictive to younger consumers, we predict apps like Instagram and Facebook will set up ‘recommended screen time’ to present themselves as transparent and responsible media owners. At first, this could be promoted via a push notification, followed by a hideable banner on the homepage if not actioned by the user.
As well as apps encouraging this, we predict that tech users will start taking more of an active role to their technology intake and allocate certain time slots for apps.
As a side note, media giant Instagram appears to have the user at the forefront of their minds. Recently after a trial period in the UK, Instagram removed the amount of likes on photos to other users, only the photo owner can see the total number of likes; however this does not stop savvy users counting the profiles that liked it. The move was designed to promote positive well-being and to downplay the importance of users receiving ‘social validation’ on their posts after concerns of growing online anxiety, and instead to shift focus to the content they freely want to share.
Training for Specialised Talent
As I’m sure you’re aware, ICT is a rapidly growing industry, and after every layer is peeled, another 500 appear. Because of this, there is talent in special areas, we have seen the Facebook Content Manager and Social Media Community Manager, but we can expect to see wild job titles entering the mix. Perhaps Linkedin Automated Message Developer, Instagram Beauty Hashtag Expert, or Website Header Transition Engineer.
Technology has a major role to play in learning and in preparing students for the world and careers they’ll be responsible for in the future – a future where 65% of jobs they will apply for do not exist today. (World Economic Forum, “The Future of Jobs: Employment, Skills and Workforce Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” January 2016).
In May 2017, BBC Sounds podcast covered this and even though this circulated figure is debatable, it creates a thought whirlwind… will technology in education create more doors to open with more space to explore? How is technology training in schools being implemented effectively to prepare for these changes? If you’re interested in finding out some more, sign up to one of our Google Interactive Learning Experiences at BETT 2020 here.
Transhumanism
How would you feel about opening your front door by the swish of your index finger? What about picking up loose change from behind the sofa with a magnetic middle finger? Would you find it helpful having a chip in your wrist which is full of your medical information?
Introducing… Transhumanism. The belief or theory that the human race can evolve beyond its current physical and mental limitations, especially by means of science and technology.
When we think of transhumanism and technological developments into our bodies, we could think of a certain alien invader – cyberhumans. And hello 2020, we can liken this concept to BBC’s hit drama ‘Years and Years’, where student Bethany is obsessed with transhumanism and the culture of integrating humans with technology. If you haven’t seen it yet, it is definitely worth a watch to examine life in possibility.
‘I’m going to escape and become digital’. Granted, talk of removing the brain with all your life’s information and storing it into the Cloud is a tad extreme, however that is transhumanism in its ultimate form. Saying this, Winter Mraz, 31, labelled as a ‘Tech Geek’, with a degree in Games Modelling, Animation, and Effects, began augmenting herself after a car crash in the United States.
With ‘bionic’ implants inserted around her body, she argues over popular contraceptive implants, presenting conflicting ideas of ‘what’s the difference between a contraceptive implant and a microchip?’
Working as an engineer, she said her magnetic and data-fuelled implants allow her to sense electromagnetic fields and help avoid touching live wires at work.
Some argue that either through genetics or artificial intelligence, humans will be able to create a human being that is far superior to what we are now. From robotic hearts which don’t stop ticking, to saying ‘see ya’ to Rapid Wrinkle Repair cream and welcoming in genetic enhancements to make us not age or stay young forever, and let’s not forget about the development of bionic eyes that immediately download TV shows.
Overall, the concept of transhumanism is to collaborate humans and technology to make us more functional beings which live longer and more efficiently.
Will humans be free thinking, decision making entities in the Cloud?
Will we upload different versions of ourselves?
What if our Cloud personas are hacked? Rewind to this iconic episode of Doctor Who and The Rise of The Cybermen.
Is this a work of art? Or work for reversal?
Windows 10 & Beyond: Driving adoption and change
Driving adoption and change
What happens once you have migrated your business over to Windows 10 and how does the business start utilising all of the tools that are now available to them?
At XMA, we excel at helping organisations rise above the important, routine tasks involved with running a business. We offer a wide range of services that include helping your business drive Cloud adoption. Through our experience as a Gold Certified Microsoft partner, we can help you to enable the right solutions, tailor it to fit your unique needs, and drive adoption among employees, all while staying within your budget.
Watch our Windows 10 & Beyond Animation
Your first steps towards cloud adoption
Azure Active Directory
Has your business moved your Active Directory into Azure? Active Directory in Azure is the first step in order to enable additional solutions. You can connect your users with apps for a frictionless experience across cloud, mobile and on-premises apps. Single sign-on for multiple applications makes it easier and faster to onboard new employees, terminate access for leavers, and implement access to new cloud services, so users are up and running more quickly.
Microsoft Office 365
Have you moved your emails into Office 365? With Office 365, your employees can work anywhere, anytime and on any device. You will need to consider how you are backing up and securing your data within Office 365, and make sure you are fully utilising what is available within the suite of tools. Office 365 allows your IT resource to access the easy-to-use admin center from anywhere to manage all services. Office 365 takes care of IT for you, so your services are always up and running and up to date.
Microsoft teams
Microsoft have also announced that Skype for Business will come to end of life on July 31st 2021. This means your organisation will need to make the journey to Microsoft Teams. If you are operating on Windows 10 – then you are already half way there! We can help you realise the full benefits of Microsoft Teams, and how it can increase collaboration, lead conversations and integrate with Office 365.
Intune & Enterprise Mobility Suite
The deployment and ongoing management of your estate is essential for effective outcomes. Employees always want consistent access to their company’s resources from any given device. This is a challenge for IT professionals, who want to provide maximum mobility, all the while, protecting the corporate resources. Microsoft Intune is responsible for dealing with the mobile devices of the employees and provides functionalities such as remote wiping of data and mobile application management. Additionally, EMS reduces the burden on IT teams, enhance your data protection, and simplified identity management.
Sharepoint Online
SharePoint online is a collaboration software that enables mobility, and is a centralised document repository that compliments Microsoft Teams and One Drive – all tools that are now available to your business now that you are operating on a Windows 10 environment. You can drive automation through SharePoint online, and give employees places where they can organise and collaborate on content, data, and news to stay on the same page.
Analytics & Automation
PowerApps and Flow are part of the Microsoft Power Platform along with Power BI, and are being promoted by Microsoft as the new tools for the citizen developer. Microsoft Flow is based on workflows and triggers, and there are many different types of triggers that can be used. A Flow can be kicked off when a new entity is created or an existing entity is changed. PowerApps uses the connectors, provided data can easily be pulled from one or several data sources and combined to display what you really need to see with full create, read, write and update functionality, or restricted as you see fit.
We are leading the way in ‘The Modern Workplace’
XMA have started rolling out Microsoft devices across our own business; the hardware and software are built in unity, making them easy to deploy and simpler to manage. Our employees have agreed that their Microsoft device has allowed them to ‘increase productivity even on the most common tasks’… ‘more flexible working which has allowed us to embrace an “always online” approach’… and last but not least, they are proud to be seen with it!
How we can help you embrace the modern workplace
Whether you are at the beginning or the end of your Windows 10 journey, XMA are best placed to help you develop and drive your future road map and strategy.
We can provide end-user training to improve worker productivity, empower your organisation to automate your “starter, leaver, mover” process, and implement your Microsoft Enterprise Mobility Suite.
Our services for training and consultancy
XMA has an in-house team who deliver end user training to improve worker productivity. We understand the importance of enabling your workforce to get the very most out of the tools that are now available to them.
This training can span across multiple departments, including working closely with your own IT resource on how to deploy all of the new software programs across the business. We act as an extension of your IT department, and offer continuous support throughout your journey to a modern workplace.
Evolving the digital workspace with Windows 10
Windows 7 end of support is fast approaching and its not too late to begin your migration.
14th January marks the end of Windows 7 support, and what does this mean for your business?
If you continue to use Windows 7 after support has ended, your PC will still work, but it may become more vulnerable to security risks and viruses. Your PC will continue to start and run, but Microsoft will no longer provide support for your business.
Here are some of the questions you may be asking
Why should i upgrade to a new device?
Modern devices save time and money with improved security (33% reduction in security incidents),3 faster performance (80% better performance),1,6,7 a speedy experience (2.1x faster multitasking),1,5,6 and battery life for a full workday.1,7
What happens if i continue to use Windows 7?
You can continue to use Windows 7, but once support ends, your PC will become more vulnerable to security risks. Windows will operate but you will stop receiving security and feature updates.
Can i upgrade my existing PC to Windows 10?
Yes, you can upgrade compatible Windows 7 PCs based on specific requirements with a full license. To take advantage of the latest hardware capabilities, we recommend moving to a new PC with Windows 10.
Will internet Explorer still be supported on Windows 7?
Support for Internet Explorer on Windows 7 devices will be discontinued on 14th January, 2020. As a component of Windows operation system Internet Explorer follows the same support life cycle.
Manufactured in the UK, Viglen desktops are built entirely around the way you work. Powered by Intel Core processors and a choice of motherboards, form factors and storage options, desktop computing opens to endless possibilities.
Our desktop solutions offer a wide range of quality components, customisable and versatile configurations, and innovative security options.
Equipped with the latest Windows 10 and Intel technologies, the Viglen range reflect innovative products that meet the requirements of the modern user in the evolving digital workspace.
Migrate today with Viglen and don’t risk being unprotected!
View our short animated explainer to learn the risks and associated costs of not migrating
Halfway to success… A Windows 10 Journey
With the impending deadline of January 14th 2020, the shift to Windows 10 is one of the most important topics on every IT professionals mind. Migrating is only one part of the puzzle and there are many other important things you should be considering if you are one of the many organisations who are already halfway through migrating!
Here are the top 4 challenges that you could face on your Migration to Windows 10
1.Legacy Application Issues
Organisations who are reliant on legacy applications within their environment may be delaying upgrading to Windows 10 or having issues mid-migration due to interoperability issues.
2.Struggling to obtain meaningful and actionable data to migrate
Although Microsoft have made available a number of free tools to help identify what devices and applications will be compatible with Windows 10, it’s actually very hard for organisations to get meaningful data that they can make actionable decisions on around that.
3.Internal capabilities and resource capacity
Upgrading to Windows 10 will most likely be one of many projects your organisations IT team will be involved in at any one time therefore having the time and resource required to properly commit to ensuring a smooth transition may prove challenging.
4.Functionality
Adoption and utilisation of any new technology is dependent on your organisation and it’s employees understanding how to make best use of the full suite of features and benefits Windows 10 offers. Training your workforce can significantly improve their productivity and reduce the burden on your IT support resources ongoing but is often an afterthought for many organisations.
Another point to consider is an understanding of how your organisation can benefit from Modern Management and the efficiencies to be gained from streamlined device provisioning to your users.
If any of these challenges sound familiar, get in touch with us to discuss further.
Our experienced in-house team of Microsoft accredited consultants and engineers are experts in migrating data and systems across a wide range of business systems including Windows 10. We have the expertise and knowledge to guide you through your migration journey, from assessing the readiness of your current applications to migrating data and ensuring you’re making the most of your investment, we can manage the whole lifecycle of your migration project and beyond.
You can also find our more about what to consider for Windows 7 End of Support by listening to our podcast
Making things easier for virtualised businesses: It’s HPE Nimble Storage dHCI, delivering the simplicity of HCI with the flexibility of converged
HPE Nimble Storage dHCI an intelligent platform with the flexibility of converged and the simplicity of HCI. It disaggregates compute and storage and integrates hyperconverged control to give enterprises simple infrastructure management on a flexible architecture. Built with HPE ProLiant and HPE Nimble Storage, this platform provides the flexibility to scale compute and storage independently for unpredictable growth and the data resiliency and performance needed for business-critical apps.
Powered with HPE InfoSight, the industry’s most advanced artificial intelligence for infrastructure, HPE Nimble Storage dHCI gives enterprises ultimate simplicity for their virtualised environments with fast app performance, always-on data resilience, and resource efficiency.
What’s new
Disaggregated HCI extends hyperconvergence to workloads with unpredictable growth, scaling compute and storage independently.
Hyperconverged control collapses storage and compute silos and all data services can be managed exclusively in VMware vCenter.
Resilient design center for 99.9999% availability with no single point of failure and advanced data integrity to tolerate three simultaneous dive failures.1
Low-latency performance as low as 200 microseconds data response with automatic QoS to ensure fast performance for every app.4
Industry-leading data efficiency with advanced data reduction and a modern OS providing up to 21X data reduction.3
Watch our short animation explainer
Features
Intelligently Simple
Free yourself to focus on apps, not infrastructure. Hyperconverged control and HPE InfoSight make it simple for any VM admin to deploy, manage, scale, and support this platform. Deploy in less than 15 minutes, manage exclusively in VMware vCenter, and upgrade transparently to your apps.1
Absolutely Resilient
Keep apps running nonstop and fast with a resilient design center and predictive analytics. Sub-millisecond latency and high IOPS for performance-intensive apps and consolidation. 99.9999% availability with automated QOS, advanced data integrity, and data protection that extends to the cloud.
Efficiently Scalable
Eliminate over provisioning and add only the resources needed with the flexibility to independently grow compute and storage, non-disruptively. Store more data per raw terabyte over competitive platforms with industry-leading data efficiency backed by the HPE Store More Guarantee.2
How XMA can help
XMA are an HPE Platinum Partner in the UK. In order to hold the HPE Platinum Partner accreditation, we must be able to demonstrate our commercial and technical ability to understand, design and implement the HPE Hybrid IT portfolio. XMA are an HPEFS Platinum Partner and the largest UK HPEFS partner for Asset Lifecycle Services / Circular Economy.
XMA have a clear strategic alignment and one with HPE, both at commercial and technical levels.
We are capable of delivering a full catalogue of professional and managed services, ranging from standard logistical services through to bespoke transformation projects that deliver our customers’ business outcomes. Over 650,000 orders were shipped last year, with over third being HPE into some large organisations.
Contact us today to find out more
Imitation toner cartridges: A spotlight on the facts!
There is no doubt about it, we all love saving money; especially in the current economic climate. Purchasing imitation cartridges for your printer can at first seem like the perfect idea to lower annual costs on your supplies, however there are some hidden risks in doing so…
What harm can be caused from buying cheap imitation toner?
The short answer is: a lot of harm. On the surface the idea of purchasing these products may seem like you’re saving time and money for your business but in reality it can impact your business in a variety of ways:
Cost your business more money- 25% higher costs due to reprints, failures and services.¹
Lower quality of print- 19% fewer usable print outs due to poor quality printing.²
Reduces the indoor air quality in the office.³
Can cause permanent damage to your printer.⁴
Can result in 4 x more service calls.⁵
Unfortunately, it’s not just your business that can directly suffer from using these products, as they have also been found to have a negative impact on the environment ⁶. Not only can they make you use more paper due to poor quality prints but will also use more energy and increase your fossil fuel consumption.
The vast majority of these products will end up in landfill as the imitation toner producers don’t have organised recycling systems, which could result in them being found washed up on the shores. Not a lovely thought.
Are imitation cartridges worth the gamble?
When it comes to ordering replacement toner cartridges, you have many to choose from, but cheap imitations may not be the best option. And they certainly cannot compare to Original HP.
Imitation- A newly built cartridge with non-HP parts and toner. Ultimately, almost all imitation cartridges end up in a landfill.⁷
Remanufactured- A spent HP cartridge that is disassembled, some parts replaced, and refilled with toner. Nearly 94% of remanufactured toner cartridges end up in a landfill.⁷
Refilled- A spent HP cartridge that is refilled with toner through a hole made in the cartridge shell.
Counterfeit- Any non-HP cartridge that is intentionally labelled and packaged to deceive or mislead a customer into thinking that it’s an Original HP product.
HP Original toner- Features patent protected technology and is designed to work most effectively with your HP printer. Buyers choice for reliable print delivery and has passed numerous safety and environment standards.
So make sure you use Original toner for your HP printer. It can save you money, time and help protect the environment.
Purchase your certified products at XMA Store, a triple platinum re seller of HP print and supplies.
Sources:
¹ HP calculations based on results from a 2019 Spencer Lab Europe, Middle East and Africa Monochrome Reliability study comparing cartridges for the HP Pro M402 and Pro 521 printers, HP 26A and 55A cartridges
² 2019 SpencerLab Monochrome Reliability study, commissioned by HP, compared Original HP mono cartridges with five brands of new-build cartridges sold in Europe, Middle East, and Africa for the HP Pro 400 M402 and M521dn MFP printers, HP 26A and 55A cartridges
³ Dec 2017 WKI Blue Angel Indoor Air Quality compliance study commissioned by HP. The study tested 4 New Build Compatible toner cartridge brands sold as substitutes for HP LaserJet Pro MFP M425dn with cartridge 280A. The tests were carried out in compliance with Blue Angel labelling of office equipment in accordance with RAL-UZ-205P. For details, http://h20195.www2.hp.com/v2/GetDocument.aspx?docname=4AA7-1981ENW
⁴ A 2018 Market Strategies International study commissioned by HP. Results based on 223 surveys from HP ServiceOne Partners who have at least 6 months of experience servicing HP monochrome and/or Color LaserJet printers with HP Original cartridges and non-HP toner cartridges installed in the past 12 months. Study was conducted in 27 countries: UK, IE, FR, DE, IT, , AT, BE, PT, ES, NL, SE, RU, UA, PL, HU, CZ, HR, RO, ZA, SA, AE, EG, MA, QA, and TR. For details, see www.marketstrategies.com/hp/EMEA-Technician2018.pdf
⁵ A 2018 Market Strategies International study commissioned by HP. Results based on 223 surveys from HP ServiceOne Partners who have at least 6 months of experience servicing HP monochrome and/or Colour LaserJet printers with HP Original cartridges and non-HP toner cartridges installed in the past 12 months
⁶ 2019 EMEA Four Elements Consulting LCA study, commissioned by HP, compared Original HP 55A and 26A monochrome toner cartridges with a sample of imitation alternatives across eight environmental impact categories. See http://www.hp.com/go/EMEA-LJLCA-NBC-2019. The LCA leverages a 2019 SpencerLab study, commissioned by HP, comparing Original HP LaserJet toner cartridges with two brands of imitation toner cartridges sold in EMEA. See www.spencerlab.com/reports/HPReliability-EMEA-NBC2019.pdf
⁷ InfoTrends, 2018 Western Europe Supplies Recycling study, commissioned by HP. Findings are based on average results of interviews with 7 remanufacturers and 6 brokers. See hp.com/go/EMEA-2018InfoTrends.
What does ISDN switch off 2025 mean for your business?
In 2020 BT have announced they will stop taking new ISDN orders and will complete switching off the ISDN network in 2025. This article will enable you to understand what the impact of this is upon your business and what options are available to you to ensure your business is well prepared.
What is ISDN?
‘Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) is a set of communication standards for simultaneous digital transmission of voice, video, data and other network services over the traditional circuits of the public switched telephone network’.
Why are ISDN services being terminated?
ISDN was introduced in the 1980’s allowing both voice and data services to be delivered simultaneously. For the technology and services at the time, it served its purpose very well and continued to do so for many years. Now we’re well into the 21st century, technology has moved on and old telephone solutions are lagging behind the alternatives in an increasingly fast paced digital world.
What does this mean for businesses who currently use ISDN?
Quite simply it means that now is the time to review your organisations approach to data services provision in order to avoid the negative consequences in lost revenue that will be experienced if you do not have an alternative network service in place come 2025.
It can take time to review your strategy and understand what the right option is for your business going forwards therefore it is never too early to start planning. Read on to learn all you need to know to ensure you do not end up scrambling to get a solution in place at the last minute, a solution that ultimately might not be right for your business.
So, what options do you have?
If you are currently on an ISDN phone contract now is the right time to start exploring the option of switching to VoIP and SIP technologies.
What is VoIP?
Voice over Internet Protocol, also called IP telephony, is a method and group of technologies for the delivery of voice communications and multimedia sessions over Internet Protocol networks such as the Internet.
What are SIP technologies?
The Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is a signalling protocol that is used by technology products for creating session-oriented connections between two or more endpoints in an IP network. These endpoints could be IP telephones, instant messaging clients or a collaborative multimedia conference application.
Whilst the transition may seem complicated and a big disruption to your business, it doesn’t need to be. With upfront planning and budget allocation we can help make the transition as smooth as possible. As always, it’s important to take into consideration some of the below points:
Can your phone system support VoIP?
The latest desk phones already support this technology, however, if yours doesn’t now is the time to upgrade. Luckily a lot of telephony and IT solution providers offer options to roll handsets into a new contract. You can also look to trade in old hardware for new handsets in order to recoup residual value.
With the switch to cloud becoming ever more popular and feature rich it might be the time to ditch physical handsets for soft phones, replace on premise exchanges with cloud hosted systems or embrace collaboration applications which allow telecommunication integration. There are many options and we can help you identify which is best for your business.
Is my network strong enough to meet the demands of a VoIP phone system?
Having a strong and reliable bandwidth connection is important when switching to voice rather than the traditional circuit-switched telephone system. You don’t want to invest the time and money into switching to a new solution but being let down by poor audio quality due to a poor connection.
We can help you determine how much we predict you will need and work with you to achieve the high Quality of Service your business needs.
So, what’s next?
Now you better understand the impact the ISDN switch off can have on your business and what options are available to you, the next step is to review how your business consumes voice, video and data services now versus what how you anticipate that changing in the future.
At XMA, we are specialists in this field and guide organisations of all sizes and in all sectors to make the right choices. Our wealth of knowledge and team of technical experts can guide you through your decision-making journey, from designing and implementing your solution all the way through to helping you to manage your new network.
Contact us today to begin your journey and to ensure your business isn’t cut off when ISDN services are switched off.
Is employee wellbeing a victim of hot-desking success?
The rise in flexible working has been steady over a number of years now, with each new technological development allowing more freedom to managers and employees – but only if that technology is utilised correctly.
Improvements in technology have enabled businesses to embrace flexibility – but who benefits?
Companies are certainly seeing gains.
More people needing less desks brings big savings on overheads, as well as easier and quicker onboarding.
Recruiting by skill-set rather than geography is now possible with businesses no longer confined to the local population to find their perfect match.
New technologies and cloud storage mean systems and digital objects aren’t tied to a specific location, so their distribution can be easier to manage, as well as providing flexibility for employees.
And there are benefits to employees as well of course.
Widening your social network has been cited as a benefit of hot-desking, as it naturally encourages the growth of relationships outside an original team. Employees will gain a better understanding of the skills and knowledge of their co-workers, while also growing their understanding of the organisations’ bigger picture.
As fixed desks are replaced with a more flexible working environment, these spaces might allow for relaxed break-out areas for brainstorming, quiet areas for concentration and meeting areas locally. This brings the opportunity to design a space around the needs of workers and their working practice.
And of course, the flexibility of choosing your own workspace will benefit many employees.
It’s a win-win then?
Maybe not, the news isn’t all positive.
While workspace flexibility and increased social interaction are improvements for some workers, others are suffering with the loss of security and sense of belonging having their own space gave them.
The health and safety considerations of setting up a workstation to meet individual requirements.
Stresses caused by not knowing what seating will be available in the office.
Concerns about isolation and losing a sense of belonging in the work environment.
The Open Sourced Workplace also identifies a number of negative impacts of hot-desking reporting that many employees, particularly older workers, women and introverts, struggle with it.
The potential for disturbance means many employees find focus and concentration difficult.
The lack of privacy can impact employee productivity.
So, what is the answer?
Organisations need to understand their workforce and what makes them tick.
While financial concerns and productivity are key, so too are the needs of employees which will impact on every aspect of business running.
Technology can certainly be utilised to ease some of the concerns identified in these reports.
Booking solutions can remove the worry that a desk won’t be available by allowing advanced reservation.
These solutions should also be smart enough to ensure a proximity to team members.
Meeting room booking systems should highlight the rooms features as well as showing the rooms availability, location and utilise location services to provide directions.
We’re used to smart technology in our homes meaning that we have information and access to systems when we’re not there, the systems we use at work should be at least as smart.
Innovation across workspaces will need solutions which integrate and solve real pain points for real people – any strategy must stem from a wider business focus on employee engagement and productivity.
Find out more
While hot-desking offers opportunities for improvement for companies and employees, there are concerns for employee wellbeing which shouldn’t be ignored.
Smarter, more innovative, solutions will give organisations the opportunity to enhance workspaces by ensuring they work for individuals and the way they work.
If you’d like to find out more about building employee-centred workspaces, get in touch.
Written by Terry Chana – Workspace Lead Consultant @ XMA
Monitoring by Hotjar