Just how much do we rely on WiFi and do we frequent establishments without it?

You know the drill, pop out for coffee, find table, turn WiFi on, connect to coffee shops free WiFi, save on your data and get your daily Facebook or news fix while sipping your double shot latte. But, would you stay as long as you do, order that extra coffee or pastry or even go there at all without the free WiFi?

Just this week, the tourist town of Taos in New Mexico had its major fibre optic cable severed and all connection to the town was lost. Just one hotel kept its connection, the rest of the stores, coffee shops, hotels and homes lost their connection. Mobile phone coverage went down, WiFi went off and the town grew quiet from the buzz of communication save for the old age of conversation.

Just how much do we rely on the internet, our tablets and our phones to communicate? Even birthday and Christmas cards are sent using online card companies with local high street stores facing administration. The art of looking for the perfect card is now just a click away.

We use our phones and their wireless coverage for everything from shopping to sending a simple email. Our weekly shop is stored in an app and delivered to our door, if we were to actually drive to the store, would we even know where the items we wanted were?

This may all sound negative but communication using Wi-Fi is also fundamental. We have to travel on business, using apps like Facetime or Skype allow other halves and children to maintain contact with their partner or parents. Skype bridges the gap across oceans to allow us to see our loved ones or conduct a business meeting without costly air miles. Also saving valuable green miles using the airwaves over the train, car or air travel.

Offering free Wi-Fi drives sales to your business, offering a free hot spot ensures customers stay for longer and have an added bonus of using your office, store or restaurant. We are a time poor society, gone are the long business lunch days, now it is a quick hour-long lunch as can be seen by Wolfgang Pucks hour lunch menu at Cut. Within the hour we need to socialise, secure the deal and check in to the office to ensure that last minute email arrived and the deal is done before the overseas office is closed.

Walk into an office when the internet has gone down and see the panic..... We rely so heavily on our internet connection these days, that the demand for greater bandwidth and more reliable solutions is becoming the need and driver for so many business and organisations.  

If only Taos had thought about a resilient or more reliable solution.  Could wireless backhaul be the answer?  We certainly think so!

BYOD security debate rumbles on

A report issued recently by analyst firm Garter confirms worldwide security software revenues reached $19.2bn in 2012 compared to $17.7bn in 2011. As the BYOD debate rumbles on, are firms prepared to increase their security outlay to ensure employees own devices are safe?

The rise of employees using their own tablets, phones and laptops has meant companies need to consider their company security. Should a device be left on the train home or local coffee house, without the necessary security encryption, a company’s security could be breached and once it is breached, the BYOD debate really kicks off.

So can a company really afford to allow its employees to bring their devices to work? Of course, but only if strict security guidelines are followed and of course, regularly updated. There is no point rolling out a security programme, ensuing your employee has the relevant software on all their devices to find that the contract lapsed a month ago? Companies need to ensure their IT departments are constantly on top of their security and of course, ensure employees are willing to work with them to ensure the safety of company files and information.

Is it easier to not allow employees to bring their own devices into the work place? Of course, but is it practical? No. With the latest versions being released yearly if not more frequently, companies cannot keep abreast of the latest versions and why would an employee use an old version when their own device is quicker, more reliable and easier to use?

So, it looks like the security firms revenue is set to increase further over the next few years. But, could the technology firms cash in on the BYOD revolution? By working with companies to offer their own range of security protection if the device is used at work, could companies bridge the gap between employees own and company owned devices. As the customer purchased their device, if their company was registered with the retailer could the security be added to the device in store to the company’s desired spec? For instance, if the company approaches a retailer, ensures its employees purchase their own devices from said supplier at a discount and have it work ready? Could this ensure that employees can still have the freedom of their own device and allow them to upgrade in their own time but at a discount and protected by the employer? It would certainly make it easier to manage.

However, until that happens, it is left with employees to be honest of their own device usage and for companies to be vigilant of their security software updates. Of course, as long as employees cannot access the company network without specific log in details this will allow the company to keep on top of this. But security is and always will be paramount to BYOD being integrated into best working practice.