More than half of public Wi-Fi open to abuse

A recent survey by Purple Wi-Fi has found that more than half of public Wi-Fi networks are open to abuse from criminals. By law, premises providing public Wi-Fi should be able to track back to the user. However, the survey suggests that more than six in ten venues across the globe are not meeting this basic requirement.

With Wi-Fi now available in nearly every high street store, café and public venue, without the correct security in place the free access can be a hive for criminal activity. Some locations were even found not to have URL filters on their Internet meaning users could access any form of content without restriction.

So how do you monitor and rectify this situation? Education is one way, when people opt into offering their customers free Wi-Fi, how much do they really know about the accompanying laws and regulations that should accompany it?

The choice of installer and products that they use should also be considered. At APC Solutions we work with top manufactures such as Ruckus and BlueSocket to name but a few, installing Wi-Fi for our clients, globally. When liaising with the client we always ensure their IT department is up to speed with the current regulations. Particularly when we work within the public sector, security at universities, schools and public buildings is paramount and therefore the network we install or public Wi-Fi must be secure and must allow user traceability.

However, for smaller businesses which are looking to install Wi-Fi independently there must be stricter enforcement of common practice in place.  And this, we believe, is down to the manufactures. Products should not be brought to market without the capabilities to track back to the user and protect against unfavourable content. Small businesses simply can’t afford an IT team to manage this for them but they do need to be able to offer their customers Wi-Fi and this Wi-Fi should be protected and ‘ready to go’.

The survey suggests that of 3,359 venues worldwide 2,048 were running completely open networks and handed out passwords which meant the Wi-Fi could be used for criminal activity and would be untraceable back to the individual user. At APC when installing Wi-Fi for public use the user has to connect to the Wi-Fi and then fill out an online form to connect, therefore enabling the client to track back to each individual user through their login credentials. Not only does this provide the client with traceable data, but also data which it can use for its marketing purposes if the consumer doesn’t chose to opt out.  

So, if you’re planning on joining the Wi-Fi revolution or indeed already have, ensure your network is protected with the relevant filters and ensure you can track back to an individual user.

How well is your town connected?

With cities across the country now offering free Wi-Fi within their town centres, has the Wi-Fi revolution reached your local town? With Birmingham Council announcing last week that it is the latest city to jump on board the Wi-Fi wave, following on from London and York, are local towns ensuring they are as up to speed as the big cities?

Pilot schemes like the Portas bid have breathed new life into smaller struggling towns with multiple unoccupied stores. Using display banners within empty stores to encourage new ownership and ensuring the current stores have inviting store displays and the marketing support they need to survive.

But is Wi-Fi really that big a pull? Absolutely, not only does offering free Wi-Fi allow customers to use their mobile devices, tablet or laptop around the town but, it also encourages publicity of the town itself. With people mentioning the town across social networks, tweeting about the deals that they have got whilst in town that day or a local event or even a new store. The free publicity alone can easily pay for the initial outlay of installing a Wi-Fi hot spot.

And local businesses can also use the network to advertise their latest deals, sales and promotions. Offering a code only available if you’re connected to the local town network not only ensures that stores can track where the promotion has come from but will also, again, encourage local footfall in order to gain from the offer.

The free Wi-Fi can also help smaller coffee shops that may not be able to offer the service independently but need to compete with chains such as Starbucks and Costa. The same goes for smaller boutique stores who don’t get the marketing boost that larger chains do.

But it’s not just stores, which can benefit. By introducing free Wi-Fi at local children’s skate parks, youths are encouraged to utilise the towns facilities whilst parents can rest assured their children can always be contacted via their mobile device. Homework can be completed in the local café as a treat while the parent enjoys a cup of coffee and can save on expensive home broadband tariffs.

If your local town is not connected, ask them why not and encourage them to connect to drive traffic back to our local towns and businesses.

St Jude's Storm, did your internet survive

The usual routine for most mornings I am sure, the alarm goes, normally the alarm on your phone, snooze is tapped for the extra 5 minutes in bed, phone beeps again. Okay, definitely time to get up, roll over to turn the lamp on, why has it not turned on? Power cut, thanks to the St Jude’s Storm. But, here’s the kicker, not only is there no power leaving your mobile dangerously low in battery but there is also… no internet connection as you have no Wi-Fi at home due to the power outage and not even a mobile signal due to the local mobile mast being off-line. 

Panic stations; there is no electricity to make coffee, some toast, to connect your laptop or mobile devices, no Internet and no phone service. So what do you do?

The usual daily routine of checking your emails, connecting to your bank or just even checking your social media updates before you have left for the office or in some cases, whilst you are still in bed, is rudely interrupted by the simple fact you are unable to connect to the Internet.  

We have only had the use of the commercial Internet services since 1995, but it is sensational, how big a part it now plays in our every day lives. We have, in the past, suffered with power cuts and have learnt to keep candles and torches near by for these kind of emergencies. However, the minute our mobiles die this instils a different kind of fear of not being able to communicate.

Popcorn Web Design offices 

Due to the power outage there was a distinct lack of storm related statuses on Facebook, this left the newsfeed free for several hours while the signals remain down across most of the county. In times of crisis when there is a need to be kept abreast of the minute-by-minute changing news and weather, we don’t wait patiently for the next edition of the newspaper; we connect and check Twitter and Facebook for the very latest updates, pictures and news. The moment our Internet goes down, so does our link to the outside world. Heaven forbid we actually need to call people to find out what’s going on rather than relying on email or social media networks.

3G, 4G, and Wi-Fi, however fast the technology is developing and changing there is one thing it cannot change and that is the good old British weather. Trees will still fall, cables will go down, we will lose power and our links to the outside world will stop functioning as will our laptops, desktop PCs, tablets and mobile phones.

High winds and the falling of trees damaged many overhead power lines and telephone cables; this meant that individuals and businesses were without Internet access for a prolonged periods of time, causing many business to grind to a halt.  The ability of not being able to communicate with other offices, suppliers or clients or even the simplest of tasks of updating ordering portals or receiving information alerts, caused lots of business to reduce their trading on Monday.  Many staff were stranded at home, unable to travel.  Those that did brave the storms arrived at the office, to find out there was no Internet or even power.  Therefore many businesses closed their doors and the staff set off to find a Wi-Fi service at a coffee shop or restaurant, just to check their emails and keep in touch with work colleagues, customers or family and friends. 

However APC has deployed many wireless high-speed data networks over the last few decades for its customers and during this time of Internet silence, APCs clients were able to continue working as normal, as they weren't reliant on the overhead telephone cables that the wind damaged during the storm.  Many businesses have backup solutions for power, such as diesel generators, but many hadn't factored in the issues that no Internet can bring. 

Would you stay in a hotel without Wi-Fi?

Would you stay in a hotel without Wi-Fi? Could you survive without connecting your phone, tablet or laptop? For some, a weekend break, a two-week holiday or even just a single night away, is time away from a busy office environment.  But for others, the office has to go with them and become a mobile operations centre. More commonly, small business owners cannot disappear for prolonged periods of time without being able to communicate with their office or clients, and therefore the need for Wi-Fi Internet access is a must.

So what would happen when you arrive at the hotel, only to find your Wi-Fi connection picks up nothing? We rely so heavily on being able to connect to the cloud wherever we are, be it at the office, a shopping centre, a train, a taxi or even a plane these days. But to find a business such as a hotel without Wi-Fi is extraordinary, and for many, Wi-Fi is an essential part of our basic need to be able to communicate.

Not only does it affect the consumer but also the hotel, many guests choose their hotel by the amenities the hotel has to offer. For example; swimming pool, gym, fitness centre and room service to name a few. But the percentage of people now choosing their hotel due to Wi-Fi and Internet access has become colossal.  Many guests will choose an alternative hotel even if the hotel has Wi-Fi, even if they charge for it. However, if you are paying for a hotel and the amenities are available to you, should the Wi-Fi not also be free? And not only free but high-speed and offer coverage in all the main areas of the hotel; rooms, restaurants, and even by the pool and bar areas? 

And how can you leave that great review without free Internet access? Yes, you can wait until you get home but aren't you more likely to do it when you actually have time whilst on holiday? How can you tweet or post about your stay and make all your friends and work colleagues jealous? Upload pictures to Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram of the great view? Who doesn't check Trip Advisor or social networks before they book their hotel for the real reviews of the place? Hotels can live and die by a review and rating, having Wi-Fi to enable customers to do this, should be essential.

Yes, we can connect using our mobile data plan but for anyone who has tried to check his or her Facebook account whilst abroad, only to come home to an extortionate mobile bill knows, Wi-Fi is the only way to go. By not offering a connection, you’re forcing your clientèle to leave your hotel in search of an alternative venue that supplies Wi-Fi connectivity. Why stay in the hotel bar or restaurant and order that coffee when you are unable to connect to the internet, when across the street the local coffee house will let you connect for free.

So the questions are, could you stay in a hotel without Wi-Fi or more importantly, why should you? Furthermore, how can a hotel survive without offering its clientèle this simple service, of free Wi-Fi access?

The invention of Li-Fi

You thought you’d heard it all when it came to Wi-Fi but now, they've invented The Li-Fi. A light bulb, which emits its own Wi-Fi signal. Researchers from the Fudan University in Shanghai have developed a prototype which they are naming the Li-Fi.

The micro-chipped LED bulb can be used to connect up to four wireless devices using light frequencies rather than radio waves. The microchip produces a signal at 150Mbs per second, which is believed to be considerably faster than the average Wi-Fi connection in China.

Obviously, you need to keep the light on to keep the connection in place but surely this is a small price to pay for faster Wi-Fi? While the product is still in the research stages, it is set to be unveiled at the International Industry Fair in Shanghai next month.

For all the latest news from APC Solutions follow us @apcsolutionsuk

Jetson style driving thanks to wireless

OFCOM has outlined plans or future use of the radio spectrum, which could include the use of wireless technology to manage the UK’s roads.

Currently, the use of cameras across the nation’s motorways manages the complex map of traffic and incidents. Live traffic updates can be found online, on your phone or through the radio. But, after this week’s latest OFCOM report that could all be set to change.

By installing monitors on vehicles wheels it would be possible to monitor and track a cars location, their speed and if they are stuck in traffic. This, in turn, could be transmitted back to the data centre to change the current speed on the roads therefore aiding in eliminating traffic jams.

It is predicted the installation of such devices could save upwards of £1 billion a year, which, we would hope, could go back into maintain the nation’s roads and fixing the never-ending pothole problem?

So, aside from the obvious big brother profiling of the system knowing where your vehicle is… this smarter way of driving could knock hours of your daily commute. Being forewarned of the traffic via a linked app on your phone along with a new route plan pinged to your sat nav, perfect.  Forget about traffic alerts and navigate me round this delay just as I’ve gone past the last junction, this is driving, Jetson style.

But OFCOM’s plans don’t end there. The use of smart pill pots which can monitor if a patient has taken their pills and automatically re-order their prescription? Patient heart rate monitors which deliver test results directly to your doctor? Routine check-up appointments purely for these checks could be eliminated therefore finally freeing up precious doctors appointments and giving you the chance of actually getting an appointment.

Even the energy companies are looking to get on board by managing user’s electricity use and the times of day the usage drops therefore enabling the power companies to perform on a supply and demand basis rather than one constant amount. This, not only saves the energy companies money which can, hopefully, be passed onto the consumer but also, the planet.

And while we’re talking about the planet, there’s also the possibility for farmers to utilise the technology by monitoring water levels within the soil, therefore knowing how much or how little to water and fertilise the crops; a blessing when dealing with organic crops when levels can’t be controlled by pesticides.

So, wireless isn’t just to connect you to the internet, its possibilities and capabilities within nearly every sector are endless. And more often than not, they are also far more economical than traditional monitoring methods saving man power, and associated energy costs.

So save the planet, save money – and go wireless!

APC Solutions finalists in three categories of the East of England Business Awards

APC Solutions is delighted to announce it is a finalist in three categories of the East of England Business Awards. Group Sales Director, David Bell, is short-listed for the second year running as Business Person of the Year. Wireless Communications Engineer, Harry Woolmore is short-listed for Employee of the Year and APC Solutions itself for Service Excellence. An outstanding achievement for the company and the team.

Harry is the youngest member of the APC team and has been with the company a little over a year; at just 20 years old to be nominated for Employee of the Year is a huge achievement.

David Bell is one of the founding partners and a Director of the company. David has previously won Business Man of the Year at the Essex Business Awards and was a finalists for last year’s East of England Awards. Will this be his year?

APC Solutions was established in 1996. Now, just 17 years later is has its head office in Kelvedon, Essex but also satellite offices in Cape Town, South Africa and Ohio, North America providing wireless solutions for companies across the world.

The awards take place on the 17^th October at Tewin Bury Farm in Hertford.

For all the latest news leading up to the awards follow us @apcsolutionsuk 

Wi-Fi now in Taxis?

Taxi operators have hit out at plans for a £50 administration fee for every cab fitted with Wi-Fi.

According to the Edinburgh News, Internet access in taxis across Edinburgh via Wi-Fi hotspots would be free to all passengers, with installation and service charges to be paid by sponsors under the move backed by city council licensing chiefs.

However, the local authority still intends to ask drivers to fill out an application to have the equipment fitted – and charge a £50 levy for each vehicle in the process.

The fee could net the council as much as almost £66,000 if all 1316 of the city’s licensed cabs and private hire vehicles commit to the plan.

That’s a nice earner for the council but for the smaller taxi firms, it could be the difference between offering the Wi-Fi or not. And who would miss out, the consumer.

If you’re in a taxi you’re a captive audience, you can’t go anywhere, the traffic dictates your journey time and until you reach your destination, you’re a sitting duck. But, if you can tap into the free Wi-Fi, you’re free to work, connect and even shop. Therefore utilising your journey time, effectively.

Yes, the user could use their own data but with nearly every store, train, bus and plane offering free Wi-Fi, why should or would you?

We are a connected nation, we work harder and longer than our European counterparts and we survive on the Internet. Yes, sitting in a taxi with no Wi-Fi for some is hugely appealing, that precious downtime, those few stolen moments of peace, maybe even banter or a chat with the driver. But, who really has the time? In the half hour journey that presentation could be completed and sent, the kids presents ordered and the weekly shop, done. But without the use of free Wi-Fi, your data quickly gets eaten up, can often dip in and out and as for the speed, you might as well wait until you’re back in the office for the page to eventually load.

And who will end up paying the fee for the box? Customers, the added bonus of the free Wi-Fi will ultimately up the fares making taxi travel even more expensive than it already is.

It might seem a minor thing, but when we are so used to being able to connect almost anywhere, too find a location where we can’t is surprising, frustrating and can even deter us from the coffee shop, store or vehicle.

Don’t stop the wireless revolution! 

Are you a 'flashpacker'?

An article in this week’s Telegraph states, “in 2013, according to a new survey, the average backpacker – or “flashpacker” – now carries more than £3,000 worth of kit, including hair straighteners and electric toothbrushes. They are more likely to “rough it” in a five-star hotel than a rickety tent, and tend to hop between destinations on a plane, rather than trek the full distance.”

Do you remember the time before we all left the house mobile pinned to our ear? Or sat on a train reading a book or newspaper rather than our kindle or tablet? You’ll have to think back the best part of twenty years!

According to the recent survey in the Telegraph, the average backpacker now carries £3,000 worth of ‘essentials’ including hair straighteners electric toothbrushes and technology. Their kit bag could be double the price of a round the world ticket!

But, not only do they take the kit with them on their travels around the globe, but they also log in to every Wi-Fi hot spot Tweeting their antics along the way. But whose Wi-Fi are they using?

Take your pick, find me a business that isn't offering free Wi-Fi and note the distinct lack of devices within the vicinity. Now nearly every coffee house, restaurant, store, hotel or high street allows you to log on and surf at will. Not only does this reduce astronomical overseas roaming charges, but it also makes communicating with loved ones at home instantaneous. There’s no waiting to ring once a week from a payphone you find, simply hook up to the local Wi-Fi and bang, ping an email with attached video or photo of where you are.  Or even make a Skype, FaceTime or Viber telephone/video call!

And it’s not just the big cities offering free Wi-Fi, smaller towns and far off locations even in the deepest parts of the African desert, still offer connectivity for travellers and locals alike. Festivals, sporting events, even flower shows also offer free access.

But what good does it do for the business providing the service? There’s the obvious social network promotion, tweeting ‘just popped into Starbucks to grab a coffee and use their Wi-Fi’ to ‘I'm in the middle of the desert, connected using my phone, here’s where I am (cue video link)’. There’s also the travellers and indeed locals view of why can’t I connect here? It’s now expected, no matter the country, that we will be able to use Wi-Fi, and more often than not, it will be free.

So when your son or daughter drops the bombshell that they’re off travelling for their gap year. Forget about buying them the Rough Guide or worrying they’ll keep in touch. Simply buy them a smartphone or tablet, if they don’t have one already that is, and a solar charger to keep the battery topped up and watch the updates come flooding in. 

Connectivity on the golf course? Fore for Wi-Fi!

According to V3 the PGA European Tour has confirmed plans to roll out high performance WiFi to all participating golf courses.  With the PGA tour visiting 52 countries and with many offering unreliable 3 or 4G networks, it was vital the PGA used wireless technology to allow for live streaming and a consistent network. 

At APC, we deploy networks across the globe from golf estates in South Africa to oil rigs in the middle of the Black Sea. In the UK, we've supplied temporary connectivity to construction sites including the Shard and connected multiple car dealerships across the country.

For most of our clients, speed of installation is key. If the client is working on a short term project the installation of a leased line connection can take several months, for APC’s wireless networks, we take the time frame down to days.

We live in information overload. Gone are the days of turning up at a tournament purely to watch the game? Now, we want to watch the game and re-stream the bits we missed while we went to get a drink. We want to upload our photos instantly whilst connecting to the local Wi-Fi and we don’t want to have to pay for the privilege.

Customers demand connectivity be that at the local store, coffee house, hotel or gig venue. The phase free Wi-Fi used to be a selling point, now, it’s expected. With celebrities taking to social networks to launch albums, show their latest photos and update their fans on their whereabouts, it’s expected that they Tweet a picture of them about to go down to the golf course or at the latest hot spot.

Installing a Wi-Fi network also allows the promoter extra revenue opening up the network to advertisers and companies within the local area. Need a hotel nearby? Here’s one with a discounted rate for those attending the golf. Something to eat, here’s the pre golf menu.  Gone are the days where we meander down the road in the hope to find a pub on the way, now we connect and find the nearest pub, download the offer voucher and book a table all from our phone or tablet, and then we tweet or Facebook to say we’re going there and how it was.

So can your business, event, golf course or coffee shop survive without Wi-Fi? Sure, but with it, it will succeed.

Are you part of the Wi-Fi workforce

For many freelancers or those owning their own consultancy or small business, utilising a coffee shops free Wi-Fi is far cheaper than renting an office space. And why not? If you work independently or with others but again, they work at their own premises or home, why do you need an office with expensive utility bills when you can camp out at the local coffee house and use the Wi-Fi for free and let’s face it, the coffee is better too!

For the larger chains like Starbucks and Costa, Wi-Fi is free and for most cases, unlimited, leaving the Wi-Fi workforce free to make camp for a few hours to deliver their latest project. Simply grab your coffee, find your table, open the laptop and deliver the clients proposal in the comfort of the air con and endless pastries and refills.

But, where does this leave the smaller independent coffee houses which are often more limited on space. They already need to foot the bill for the free Wi-Fi access but can also lose out on custom if all the tables are filled with the Wi-Fi workforce. Non Wi-Fi users can also feel uncomfortable coming in to sit and enjoy a coffee which their neighbours tap tap tap away on their keyboards.

But what’s the answer? Many coffee shops in San Francisco are now limiting their free Wi-Fi access to a few hours a day or only making it available through a different passcode each day which is only available if you make a purchase. Therefore ensuring that customers wishing to use the Wi-Fi can, but not to the disadvantage of other customers. Others are keeping some of their tables laptop or tablet free zones allowing those that want to grab a quick lunch more chance of getting a table.

There is also a Wi-Fi etiquette, the ratio to which you purchase coffee or snacks to the time you spend at the establishment. For many, this varies on the coffee shop. If it’s a larger branded establishment then the ratio is less compared to a smaller independent which needs and values its customer.

Some coffee houses have even become Wi-Fi free zones ensuring that customers can reside in a technology free area with nothing more than the grind of the coffee beans or background music to break their conscious. Which for some, is appealing, but those which are meeting in the middle, accommodating both the Wi-Fi users and those that just want their cup of coffee or lunch are really on to the winning combination. One coffee house owner even saw a jump in profits between 15-20% purely by ensuring they accommodated both types of consumers.

So, consider your solution carefully. Monitor its use. Recognise your cliental and ensure your product offering is as enticing as your Wi-Fi strength.

Wi-Fi in the air

Commuting is part and parcel of working life be this a short stroll to work for a very lucky few to the endless train or car journey to the office. For some, it may even involve hoping on a plane. One thing is for sure though, the time to and from work can be utilised to reduce the hours you have to spend in the office thanks to the addition of Wi-Fi hot spots.

For those that have to drive sadly there’s not much chance of finishing that last minute presentation but for those on public transport, the addition of Wi-Fi hot spots and connectivity has opened the gates for extra working hours.

Got to travel for business, still need to catch up on emails or send the presentation over before you land? No problem. Simply check if your flight has a Wi-Fi symbol next to it.... and you thought ordering your food choice was as complicated as it got?

You can even buy a wireless card courtesy of Go Go in-flight internet allowing you to surf till your heart’s content for a mere few dollars when pre purchased for US flights. 

Over 38% off domestic flights in the US now have Wi-Fi access which has grown from 5% to 7% per year. There is also set to be an even larger rate of increase as more company’s roll out the satellite based technology.

Now even 120 London underground tube stations also have access to the internet provided either through monthly contract with selected ISPs or a pre paid daily, weekly or monthly subscription.

But, is it worth it? Surely, when we have free internet access at work already or can pop to Starbucks or McDonalds at lunch and log on for free, are the commuter services just cashing in on our need for constant data? In one sense, yes, it does bring in extra revenue to the flight and rail services but the benefit to the customer can out way the cost.

With house prices still high in city locations despite the economic downturn, we have had to up sticks and join the waft of commuters filing onto the trains in the morning. With train journeys taking upwards of an hour, that extra time to finish documents, arrange meetings and clear down your inbox can be hugely beneficial.

Time travelling internationally used to eat into the working day, flights would be booked early to ensure the working day would not be affected but now, with on-board Wi-Fi your office can be tens of thousands of feet high in the sky and no one need be any wiser to your location.

Obviously, the time spent travelling does not have to be used for work. Catching up on the latest Apprentice episode, the news or instagram video can all be done while waiting for the train. And with many companies banning the use of social networking sites during working hours, the need to find out whose done what can be intense.

With smart phone and tablets already offering us connection via our data plans we can of course  just use our phones but there’s something alluring about turning the Wi-Fi on, the extra speed, potential cost saving when using free Wi-Fi and the capacity to send and receive higher bandwidths can be just too tempting.

So embrace the Wi-Fi revolution, log on where you can, buy the monthly cards to save you cash and of course, ensure your business has free Wi-Fi to bring in the punters. 

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!

Essex Countywide Business Awards - David Bell is the Judges Chair

As Group Sales Director, David Bell, was about to board a plane to visit the US office, Ann Quinn, from the Essex Business Awards, rung to invite David to be the 2013 Countywide Business Awards Chair of Judges. Having won Business Man of the Year at the 2011 Mid Essex Awards, David knew this opportunity was too good to miss. Allowing David the chance to review all the entries and work with the business awards team to help agree the finalists for each category, David would be an instrumental part of the judging process.

David and his fellow judges reviewed this year’s record number of entries selecting the shortlist for each category. It is then down to the judge of each category to choose the final winner.

The awards evening will be hosted by Ann Quinn and David Bell who will lead the evening and assist in presenting the awards. David will also deliver an inspirational speech at the event.

David and APC’s relationship with Essex Business Awards started when it entered and won Business Man of the Year in the 2011 Mid Essex Awards. In the same year, APC’s Technical Director Chris Lynch, was shortlisted for Business Man of the Year at the Colchester awards.  APC then went on to receive further awards success in 2012 when it was shortlisted for Business Man and Growing Business of the Year at the Colchester awards, its Technical Project Manager Lee Collis, Won Employee of the Year at the East of England Business Champions Awards and it was head sponsor of the Countywide Business Awards. APC also sponsored Business Woman of the Year at the Mid Essex Awards which saw David deliver a speech and present the award.

So are awards important to local businesses? Of course. The networking opportunities alone offer companies that may even operate within the same town the chance to meet and secure future relationships. With email, social media and video hangouts taking over the way we network and communicate, there is still no substitute for meeting someone face to face. Yes, a recommendation on a website can give you an idea of the work the company has conducted, but meeting the MD, hearing from them on a first hand basis, and meeting the people they employee will instantly give you an impression of the company.

Sponsoring awards also gives you a valuable platform to talk to a captive and relevant audience about your business. Choosing a category, you are passionate about, or which relates to your business is fundamental in achieving awards success. This will single handily allow you instant access to your peers, you can learn from their entries, their achievements and their business structure and in turn, depart your own advice from your business experiences.

David being chosen as Chair of the Judges is a huge honour for APC Solutions. Allowing David to be involved from the start, meeting and working with all of the individual category judges has given him valuable insight into Essex businesses. Working with estate agents, HR consultants and fellow MD’s, David has been given the opportunity to review all the individual entrants.

2013 has seen a record number of award entries across all categories. The strength, diversity and entrepreneurship across the county is outstanding. Essex is THE hub for business and APC is very proud to be part of it. 

Cambium Networks wins award

APC Solutions first formed its relationship with Cambium Networks, which was previously known as Motorola and prior to this Orthogon Systems in 2002. APC is now a Platinum partner in the UK carrying Cambium’s entire point to point and point to multi point wireless range.

Cambium Networks has just been named the 2012 Manufacturer of the Year by the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association. This prestigious accolade is awarded for product innovation and outstanding contributions to WISPA and the fixed wireless broadband industry.

Cambium was awarded its award at the annual WISPAPALOOZA conference at the South Point Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas.

APC Solutions works closely with Cambium to install wireless networks around the globe. With its satellite offices in South Africa and North America and with further expansion to the Middle East in 2013, APC is ensuring its clients can not only see results in the UK but also, globally.

In the current challenging economic times, investing in your company’s connectivity can seem the last thing on an ever growing to do list. But, with Cambiums technology installed, planned and deployed by APC Solutions, ROI can be achieved in a matter of years compared with an alternative lease line agreement.

Speaking about Cambium’s award, David Bell, APC Solutions Group Sales Director comments: “Having worked with Cambium, previously known as Motorola, for many years we have seen firsthand how the company has grown and expanded across the wireless market. Its products offer the best connectivity and reliability allowing APC to install networks even in the most challenging of circumstances. Where other products can fall short, we can always rely on Cambium products to complete the job. The award is greatly deserved and we look forward to continuing our relationship with the company as we further expand ours.”

Leased Line Replacement

With the current economic climate, investing in your infrastructure and data network maybe the last thing on your mind? But, with on-going maintenance support and expensive subscription costs for your existing IT network often in excess of £10K a year per circuit, how much difference would a saving of over 25% per annum make to your bottom line?

Installing a wireless network doesn't mean a considerable investment, the ROI can be returned in a matter of years leaving you with ownership of your network and a simple to manage service level agreement in place. 

There is also the small matter of bandwidth. With technology constantly evolving, applications like live streaming, video conferencing and Cloud based applications are all becoming commonplace in today’s work place, traditional technologies simply can’t deliver the required speeds, and the battle for fast, reliable and flexible internet connectivity has begun.   

These fixed line cable alternatives also often come with data limits, extensive fees, and additional costs for larger bandwidth speeds, many are locked and limited for certain applications only, the user has limited access and control to their own systems.   As a result, many businesses are finding their forecasted costs can double, come the end of the financial year, purely to accommodate for changes or alterations to their network.   

And what happens when there’s a problem? The circuit goes down, the company halts and has to wait for an outside party to diagnose and fix the problem, costing both valuable time and money. There is also the worry of fixed lines being cut during construction projects or road works, lines not working at critical times and extreme weather damaging reliability.

Finally, there is the wait time for a circuit to be installed and activated. Often a connection can be required within the same week, but with fixed lines having to be installed and connected and there not always being an existing circuit in place to the building, a week turnaround is nigh on impossible. Most fixed lines providers give a 60day “go live” date from the initial enquiry, in this time they will conduct their survey, and in many cases advise customers of extensive extra construction costs.  We have seen these costs spiral to in excess of £100k for one single circuit from some providers.

However, this is not so with wireless. A connection can be requested, planned, implemented and installed in under a week, and in some cases in less than 24hrs for disaster recovery projects.  Wireless can also be installed as a short term fix, no need to sign lengthy contracts for 12, 24, 36 months terms, we can supply a solution for as little as 24hrs, providing complete flexibility.

Cambium Point-to-Point (PTP) and Point-to-Multipoint (PMP) Wireless Broadband solutions, installed by APC Solutions, advantages can be substantial. First, you can eliminate or significantly reduce monthly lease fees. Overall network performance can be upgraded, which is especially important to support today’s in-demand, real-time applications such as Voice-over-IP, video surveillance, and video conferencing.

In many networks, local access is the most problematic point of network congestion. Wireless broadband can provide a stable, high-performance platform to ease local-access bottlenecks. Wireless also enables agile and flexible bandwidth provisioning that can be easily and quickly scaled up or down to match dynamic traffic patterns. Its unique, problem-solving technology is also able to increase reliability and connect remote, hard-to-reach locations while offering exceptional quality of service. Plus, its non-line-of-sight (NLOS) systems communicate steadfastly in some of the most challenging environments on earth.

VERSATILITY

APC Solutions Cambium Networks PTP and PMP wireless solutions can support a wide range of network applications, including:

• Replacing leased-line service with wireless broadband

• Extending fiber networks with wireless

• Deploying a wireless backup network to ensure business continuity

• Furthering network migration by integrating wireless into hybrid networks

Optimising network performance and extending network services to additional users while containing costs is an ongoing process. With systems that deliver up to 700 Mbps aggregate throughput, APC solutions can transmit high-definition video very efficiently. High quality-of-service and low latency – as low as 1.7 milliseconds – can protect the quality of voice communications.

Fixed wireless networks are significantly more cost-effective and faster-to-deploy solutions. Systems can be planned and deployed in a matter of days or weeks rather than months or years. Equally important, cost of expansion is significantly reduced. Plus our PTP and PMP systems can perform reliably over long distances, in obstructed environments and high interference, as well as severe weather conditions.

BETTER RESULTS WITH LESS COST

There are two major reasons to replace leased-line service with APC Solutions Cambium Wireless Broadband – eliminate or reduce leased-line charges and improve network performance. As requirements for bandwidth continue to increase and budgets continue to shrink, its wireless broadband solutions can offer significant bottom-line benefits.

With more than 3.5 million PMP units and more than 60,000 PTP systems deployed worldwide. APC and Cambium Networks have the experience to help you design a wireless solution that best meets your specific needs. Working with its global network, it has successfully deployed wireless solutions in a wide variety of business and government organisations. APC Solutions has the solutions, partners, and expertise to help realise greater value and performance from your communications networks.

APC Solutions relationship with the well renowned Essex Business Awards started when David Bell, Group Sales Director and Chris Lynch, Group Technical Director went on to become finalists at both the Countywide and Colchester Awards in 2011. David became a finalist at the Countywide, whilst Chris was a finalist at the Colchester Awards.  

Their success increased further, when David won Business Man of the Year in October 2011, at the Mid Essex Awards.  

APC instantly formed lasting business relationships and went on to become the head sponsor of the 2012 Countywide Business Awards that took place in May 2012. As head sponsor, APC chose the charity to be supported on the night. It chose The Starlight Foundation and raised over £2500. A tremendous achievement for both APC and the Essex Business Awards.

So do awards help businesses? We think so. They boost profile; engage consumers and like-minded businesses in social situations that in turn, generate lasting business relationships. APC Solutions has found that the environment on the awards nights is perfect for networking. The mood is casual, everyone there is in business locally and they all want to support each other.

APC Solutions has certainly found that working with the Essex Business Awards has given it a new perspective on networking. It already engages in social media, regally updating Facebook and Twitter with news updates, case studies and relevant news. The awards help to strengthen brand recognition; something the team is keen to ensure is prominent within both the local and global markets.

And, there’s nothing better than networking and meeting perspective new clients face to face. People do not just see the potential of the communications; they also see the person behind the business. Something APC finds repeatedly generates new business and repeat custom from its existing clients.

APC has just recently been selected for two categories at this year’s 2012 Colchester Business Awards. David Bell has yet again been selected as a finalist in the Business Man of the Year category, whilst the company itself has also been selected for Growing Business of the Year. This is another fabulous testament to the hard work, passion and dedication that the Directors and team give to the company.

APC Solutions is a wireless communications and networking company based in Kelvedon, Essex. It also has satellite offices in South Africa and North America and is expanding to the Middle East in early 2013.

For more information on APC Solutions visit the website www.apcsolutionsuk.com or follow us on twitter @apcsolutionsuk

Welcome to the 4G revolution

The 4G revolution is soon to be on its way and APC Solutions thinks about time to. With UK consumers spending over £50 billion on internet shopping in 2010, mobile networks needed to ensure their piece of the pie is safe.

In this time-starved society, the UK consumer demands instantaneous access to everything at the click of a button or swipe of a screen. Need your weekly shop, swipe the screen. Need to order flowers for that forgotten birthday, swipe the screen. Need to transfer money, swipe and it is there. Need to send that report to your boss, update, swipe and send. There are over 12.8 million smartphones in use in the UK and consumers are thirsty for sites that operate without chaining them to a laptop. APC Solutions equips its staff with the latest mobile technology to ensure data and information can be fed back to and responded to far quicker than waiting to log in from the laptop. This in itself plays a vital role in keeping business on track, the ability to do this even faster? Even better.

Gone are the days of waiting an eternity for the standard online version of a page to load, even when you have a 3G signal. Now, there is an app or mobile friendly site for almost everything the consumer needs, often making it a shock to see a non-mobile version of a popular retailer. UK mobile internet sales could double in the next few years. By 2013, mobile internet sales could reach as much as £275m, 4% of online retail spending.*

And not to mention the need to socially interact though our phone. Gone is the time when a simple text will do. Now, it is a constant stream of information fed though social networks. Checking in at each bar you visit on a Friday night to gain your free drink or meet with your friends. Updating your status while watching the Olympics and setting the latest athlete trending. Or even, commenting on that photo of a certain person caught enjoying themselves whilst on vacation. How many of us forgo the morning paper choosing to read the latest news on Twitter as it happens rather than five hours later or even the next day in print. And how many businesses, including APC Solutions use a mobile device to update its customers with the latest news, views and goings on rather than sending out newsletters or hard copy reports when it can do this faster online.

So, just what is 4G and how will it benefit the standard mobile user? Well, it is all about speed. 4G downloads will be up to up to 20x faster than 3G enabling you to download an album in under 1 minute compared to 5 minutes with 3G. Or a film in 10 minutes as opposed to an hour with 3G.

Amazon launched its new 4G Kindle in LA this week, which offers a full year of 4G LTE service for just $50. However, 4G is not yet available in the UK. Everything Everywhere, the amalgamation of T Mobile and Orange is investing £1.5bn to instrument a 4G network in the later part of 2012. 4G is already available across the United States, Canada, Russia, Australia, Brazil and parts of Europe as well as others Including India, Angola and of course Hong Kong.

So why is the UK so slow on the uptake? The role out to 4G has been in the pipeline with Ofcom working towards an auction process due to start in the later part of 2012, early 2013. 4G runs across airwaves and will need to coincide with the traditional 2G and 3G frequencies. There is also the investment and the possibility of the 4G frequency interfering with digital transmissions. This can be easily rectified but of course, demands a body to deal with and educate users to re tune their frequencies.

However, over 82% of people polled by Everything Everywhere believe that 4G is vital for Britain. And, with the UK internet economy valued at over 100bn per year and growing at a steady 10% year on year, who can blame them?

To read more visit the APC Solutions website www.apcsolutionsuk.com or follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/apcsolutionsuk or like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/APCSolutionsUK

*(Verdict & Ovum, 2010)