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Archive for the ‘Data Network & Internet Access’ Category

What To Do When Public Business Internet Providers Fail? Put Your Business on a Metro Ethernet or MPLS Private Network

Posted on: March 20th, 2012 by admin

This past week it was reported that business customers around the globe suffered unexpected network service outages when two of the largest public Internet provers, Level3 and Time Warner, encountered routing problems with their Juniper Network hardware devices.

The outage only appeared to last for less than an hour but millions were affected in the United States and Europe.

Problems for Multi-Location Businesses

The public Internet being down for an hour or a day is certainly problematic for any business that relies on access to public business solutions like SalesForce or similar services.

Public Internet outages are doubly problematic though for multi-location businesses that use the public internet to connect their offices over a VPN (“virtual private network”) that creates a “private tunnel” but still uses the public Internet for the connection.

For multi-location businesses using the public Internet for there wide area network VPNs, when the public Internet goes down, so does their access to all their other offices.

Private Business Networks vs. Public Internet VPNs

Combining the public Internet with VPNs was seen by many multi-location businesses as “step one” of a very good idea. Step two was to replicate the VPN using data transport facilities that do not use the public Internet. Viola! Private business networks were born.

While point-to-point private networks have been around forever, their high cost and lack of flexibility was what drove multi-location business networks to VPNs on the public Internet.

With today’s MPLS and “metro Ethernet” solutions however, multi-location businesses can once again enjoy the security they had with expensive point-to-point circuits along with the flexibility, cost savings and convenience of using a network that someone else owns and maintains.

Which Private Business Network to Use?

Just as multiple phone companies were stringing phone wires down every street of every large city at the turn of the last century, today multiple telecom companies are building out their own private data networks for their multi-location business customers to securely connect to one another without touching the public Internet.

The best way to determine which telecom company and private network is best for you is to consult ATEL. We know which companies are providing the best service at the best price.

ATEL also knows which carriers can be mixed and matched if that’s possible. Integrating different networks is sometimes required when even the largest telecom company does not have a private network that touches every location a larger business might have.

Is the Public Internet a Bad Place for your Business Internet Traffic?

Posted on: March 20th, 2012 by admin

When I sold my first Internet T-1 to a business customers a decade ago I was amazed that a business would spend over $800 a month to have their data “go really fast” as compared to what they would get with a slower dial-up Internet connection. Since that first “DIA” (dedicated Internet access) sale of mine the cost of a similar 1.5 meg business T-1 connection to the Internet has plummeted to under $300. Why?

I don’t claim to really know why. More capacity, more fiber, more competitors? But does it really matter? As a business owner myself I’m pretty happy that my business phone calling costs is a fraction of what it used to be. And while my data costs are higher than what I used to spend with dial-up Internet, I now appear to have access to more Internet bandwidth than I can use over a consumer grade Verizon FiOS fiber connection out of my home office.

Is my business at risk?

Maybe – since I distribute a lot of audio, video and use VoIP phone service.

Everything seems fine now but where will I be in a year? Will all my clients be able to view my videos, listen to my audios or even understand me when I speak to them on the phone? I pay for an Internet connection to the “public Internet” but I don’t believe I’m paying for the Internet myself. I know when I fill my car with gas, 18 cents of every gallon goes to highway taxes to maintain the nation’s highways, but am I paying business taxes somewhere to ensure the Internet stays robust enough so my business Internet traffic is not impeded in any way? I really don’t know – but the fact that I’m running my business Internet traffic over the public Internet means I likely won’t have much to say about it if and when something goes wrong.

So what do I advise my business clients to do with their business Internet traffic? Pay attention to A) what your Internet traffic consists of, B) how it gets from one place to another and, C) is it a problem if it gets there slow? (more…)

What are the Benefits of Connecting Your Business to “the Cloud”? How do you choose a business cloud consultant?

Posted on: March 20th, 2012 by admin

Should-your-business-be-connected-to-the-cloud

In all the years I’ve been helping business customers choose telecom and technology solutions I’ve never had a customer call and say, “I need some cloud” or “Connect me to the cloud” or simply, “Cloud me, baby!”

When I have suggested to clients that their next technology solution can be provided to them from “the cloud” though some have asked, “What the heck are you talking about!”

Following is the simplest answer that I’ve ever come up with for the question “what’s the cloud?”

“The cloud is actually a windowless building someplace that’s built for the comfort of computers instead of people. One of the comfortable computers in the cloud is the computer that makes the ‘call waiting’ feature on your phone work. The cloud can accommodate almost any business computer that can help your business do almost anything.”

What Parts of Your Business Benefit from a “Cloud Connection”?

Maybe some, maybe none, maybe all. The decision really boils down to your your thoughts as a business owner around “convenience, cost and security”.

Convenience – Can you conveniently access your business email account from any computer or smartphone? How about your accounting software or customer records? Would your salespeople be able to sell more prospects or would your customers service people be able to serve more clients if accessing your critical business information was more convenient? (more…)

FCC Reports on Best Broadband Services – How Did Your Provider Perform?

Posted on: August 30th, 2011 by admin

Posted 8/29/11 By Dan Baldwin
Editor, 951-251-5155 email

Many business owners wonder, “Why is the broadband Internet connection at my home so cheap and the one at my office so expensive?” I mean seriously, a 1.5 meg T-1 at work is upwards of $400 per month while a 35 meg connection at home is under $100 a month?

Maybe the the federal government should look into it, right?

Well maybe that’s starting to happen now that the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) has issued a first ever report on whether consumers are getting what they’re paying for (or buying more than they need) in the way of their residential Internet service.

Click here to view the web page for the FCC broadband report.

I’ve thumbed through it myself and am pleased to learn that the fiber Internet service I use in my own home office performed pretty well. (I actually learned about the report when my service provider – Verizon FiOS – sent me an email proclaiming the FCC “says we’re best” or words to that effect.)

Why is the FCC’s Residential Broadband Report Important for Your Business?

As more and more business owners send their desk-bound employees to work at home out of a home office, the quality of the broadband connection the employee can get at home is critical to the employer’s ability to stay connected to (and keep tabs on) the employee during work hours.

The quality of a business phone system station being used at a home office will succeed or suffer based on the bandwidth, latency or jitter that the home Internet connection provides.

Fortunately the FCC report on residential broadband service is good news for business owners. The QoS or “quality of service” delivery (the bandwidth, latency, etc. that’s promised versus what’s actually achieved) was anywhere from 85% to 125% depending on the service provider.

With home Internet service being so cheap (I have a 35 meg up and 35 meg down service for under $90 per month), businesses can afford to max out their employees home Internet service to ensure the very best connectivity.

Network Service 24/7 IT Support Available as Well

One of the biggest drawbacks for business owners considering allowing their employees to work from home at a remote office has been the percieved drain on the company to support a home worker’s IT needs. All the broadband in the world won’t increase a home worker’s productivity if their computer isn’t working right or their Internet connection is having problems.

Who can afford 24/7 remote IT support for employees working at a home office? The answer is practically any business owner can afford it through multiple outsourced IT solution providers.

Even I, the world’s most frugal business owner, can afford it. While trying to get my Blackberry smartphone to connect to my computer recently I learned that my residential broadband service provider offers “premium 24/7 computer support” for every computer in my house (six at last count) for under $20 a month total. I quickly subscribed to that plan!

As well, I have another local computer guy that does annual hardware support for about $150 per year per computer. Sure it all sounds kind of knit together – but it works. I no longer pay per hour for PC support. If my two “all you can eat” IT service guys can’t fix the problem I simply get a new computer, reload my apps and I’m back in business.

But Is My “Doing-Business-on-a-Residential-Internet-Connection” Secure? (I think it is!)

I have a credit card merchant services account for my business and after 15 years my credit card prosessing service provider finally required me to prove my “PCI compliance” to ensure hackers can’t break through my firewall to steal my customer’s credit card information. I was a little worried because all my Internet firewall security is provided by my broadband service provider. I thought for sure I was going to fail the security test.

But I passed! Whatever Verizon is doing to keep my home office properly firewalled and secure must be working becaused I passed a PCI compliance and security intrution test performed by one of the biggest names in credit card processing.

What does This All Mean for YOUR Business? Give us a call!

Not every business can safely and successfully setup their employees to work from home over residential grade broadband Internet connections. But may other businesses can.

To see whether your business can take advantage of employee efficiency increases and cost savings of “sending employees home”, let us introduce you to one of the many IT consultants we trust and recommend to our clients.

My business succeeds with home based workers. Let me share with you my “lessons learned” to see what can work with your business.

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Wondering Where Comcast Fits Into Your Voice & Data Mix? Ask a Professional Telecom Agent

Posted on: June 21st, 2011 by admin

Comcast Business By Dan Baldwin, Editor

If your business is in an area served by Comcast you’ve probably at least tried them at home for your local phone service or TV service. Now you’re likely wondering, “How can their business voice and data services help my business solutions?”

Well wonder no more because Comcast has recently become “telecom industry friendly” by allowing their business services to be distributed by professional telecom agents and other independent IT voice and data consultants.

Why is it important that Comcast distribute their business services through professional telecom agents and IT consultants?

So telecom agents and IT consultants can give business customers an honest and independent evaluation as to how Comcast’s suite of business services solutions should be integrated in the customer’s mix of voice and data solutions.

(Now I’m sure that the direct W-2 salespersons working for Comcast Business have their customer’s best interests in mind but they are not likely to recommend or even know about a non-Comcast solution even if it’s in a customer’s best interest.)

Professional telecom agents and IT consultants represent (and get paid by) all the major voice and data service providers. This preserves their independence and adds diversity to their recommendations which ultimately saves the customer money as well as provides for a more robust solution.

So if you’re thinking about Comcast, you can now call your independent telecom agent or IT professional to get a quote. Chances are you’re going to get the Comcast availability confirmation and price quote quicker from an authorized Comcast Business agent than you would get the same information from Comcast direct.

Following is some additional background information about Comcast provided by Telarus, a national Comcast Business partner that provides “real-time” availability and price quotes.

“Comcast is the largest cable operator and third-largest telephone company in America, providing broadband internet, telephone service, and cable television to businesses in 19 markets nationwide, covering 39 states.

“Comcast Business, launched in 2009, originally targeted businesses with less than 20 employees. Today Comcast Business is targeting POTS and PRI together, with plans to move even higher upstream into metro Ethernet and SIP. You can sell Comcast Business with confidence because there are no leased lines between your customer and Comcast, who manages their own network end-to-end.

For more information about how Comcast Business fits into your voice and data solution mix, contact an authorized Comcast Business Class solutions provider.

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