A recent survey by ISPreview.co.uk found 62% of respondents think the process of switching broadband suppliers is confusing.
That won't come as a surprise if you've ever tried to unpick the muddled web of ADSL, fibre and cable broadband, limited offer pricing, additional line rental costs, contract terms and MAC codes.
It's enough to put anyone off. The sheer length of this guide to switching would be funny, were broadband not such an essential service for consumers and businesses alike.
It's good news then, that telecoms regulator Ofcom is aiming to sort out the process. A new, simpler solution should be unveiled later this summer.
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However, although these efforts were supported by 93% of the survey's respondents, cost could be a significant problem.
To stop people being switched without their knowledge, Ofcom has suggested the new process may include a verification step.
Good for security, but as it would almost certainly cost broadband suppliers to implement this step, their customers could see prices rise.
Just 27% of respondents said they'd continue to support the process if it caused their monthly charge to increase, or incurred other extra fees.
It remains to be seen just how much costs could increase by, if anything. But as ever, we're unlikely to be in for a free lunch. If you want your broadband simpler, then you'll probably have to pay for it.
We said PHISHING, not fishing.
In 2013, most of us are now aware of the online threat known as 'phishing', where cyber criminals use various techniques to gain access to your email or social media accounts or, worse, get hold of your bank account or credit card details.
However, you might not realise that phishing has evolved. Criminals now use increasingly sophisticated con tricks and scare tactics to dupe unsuspecting victims into handing over their sensitive data.
These days, phishing emails are less likely to come from fictitious foreign royalty and more likely to come from one of your social media connections or a trusted business contact – at least, that’s who the email will appear to come from
In reality, the sender will be a skilled confidence trickster prepared to spend time and effort slowly reeling you in.
Last year, the German Federal Court ruled that where people had fallen for phishing scams that appeared to originate from their banks, the victims were responsible for the losses, rather than the banks. This ruling may set an international precedent, which means protecting yourself against phishing could become even more important.
Here are my top three tips to avoid being hooked:
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A common technique among phishing emails is to try to panic you into a kneejerk reaction.
For example, you may receive an official-looking email telling you that one of your online accounts has been compromised and urging you to update your password via a link provided.
Or you might be told your computer has a virus and that you need to download a new piece of software to repair it.
Don’t bite – these are very likely to be phishing scams.
Most reputable companies will never send emails asking for sensitive information such usernames, passwords, National Insurance numbers, bank or credit card details.
In the digital age, we’ve become accustomed to doing things quickly, often in a couple of clicks. A key to avoiding phishing is to slow things down.
If you receive an email that alarms you for any reason, treat it as highly suspicious and, above all, don’t click any links it contains.
Many phishing emails link to spoof websites that are practically identical to the real sites they are trying to mimic, such as your bank.
Some of these sites will collect your login information and then do nothing (alerting you to a problem) but others will link you back to the genuine site, covering their tracks.
If you receive an email containing a link, hover over it without clicking to reveal the web address that it will take you to.
If it contains long strings of numbers or looks different from the usual web address of the sender (e.g. if ‘Twitter’ is spelled ‘Tvvittler’), it’s dodgy. Note the address, then contact the company involved directly to find out if the email is genuine or not.
However, be aware it's not always easy to spot dubious links. It's always safer to type in the correct website address manually, then sign in yourself.
The rise of social networking has been a gift to cyber criminals. Most social network users willingly share masses of personal information on their public profiles. This often includes the names of spouses and children or family birthdays.
Unfortunately, the same people often use this information as the basis of their passwords. Scammers can also use this information to impersonate a trusted contact via an online message or email.
If you use social media, check your account settings to ensure your personal information can only be viewed by those in your network or, better still, be sensible about the information you post in the first place.
Also, never use the same password on multiple online accounts. Use a strong, unique password for each, protecting against a domino-effect where one account after another is hacked using the same password
Norman Begg works for online security company my1login.
In October last year, Nominet, the organisation that administers all domain names ending in .uk, announced that in addition to names like .co.uk and .org.uk, it was planning to offer domain names under ending just in .uk.
This would mean you could buy www.yourcompanyname.uk, for instance.
In the domain name industry this is called a second level registration. It's never before been offered in the UK.
Back last year, Nominet invited comments on its plan. And earlier this year, the organisation acted on that feedback, releasing this statement:
'Following our board meeting yesterday, we are not proceeding with our original proposal on ‘direct.uk’ but we will respond to feedback by looking at whether a revised proposal will address issues raised in the recent consultation.'
There’s no doubt that being able to register a domain under .uk is an attractive concept. After all, the USA has had .us, Japan .jp and China .cn for quite some time. The UK is behind the pack in that respect.
The shorter a domain name is, the more memorable it becomes. Dropping the .co from .co.uk would not only make the domain name itself shorter, but would also allow a more prominent affiliation with the UK marketplace.
A key concern raised in the comments was that existing domain owners were not given priority.
This meant that if you already owned example.co.uk, you wouldn’t necessarily be able to secure example.uk. If you were running a business from your .co.uk domain, and one of your competitors purchased the .uk, there could be real issues.
The security features in the initial proposal were important too:
After reviewing all the feedback, Nominet released a new, revised plan for .uk domain registration.
The new proposal contains a number of processes to help alleviate any previous concerns:
A further consultation on these revised plans will run until 23 September 2013, when we’ll no doubt hear about further feedback.
What would you say if you were going to have your comment? Would you like to own a .uk domain in the future?
It’s an interesting time for the domain name industry. Not only is Nominet making changes, but the global domain market is changing.
Plans to create many new domain extensions - like .london, .nyc and .hotels - are well under way, and you'll see hundreds of these appearing in the coming years.
Against this background, there’s no doubt Nominet needed to make a move. Thankfully, that’s what they’ve done.
Sam Barnes is from Domain Monster.
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Ok, it's not the most high-tech cooling system ever devised. It probably doesn't match up to buying an air-conditioning unit or investing in a communal paddling pool for staff.
However, following exhaustive (and exhausting) testing at the IT Donut office today, we can report that this USB fan does a reasonable job of circulating air while you're at your desk, creating a microclimate that feels at least a little more comfortable.
What's more, it's available for a stunningly-cheap £3.42 from Amazon. And unlike your local DIY store - which is likely to have run out of fans some time last week - plenty of these USB fans are available for fast delivery. They're perfect for the hottest day of the year so far.
There are plenty of other options for cooling down, of course. Try putting ice in your drink, using mobile broadband to work from a cooler location (perhaps a local park?) or simply popping out to the local swimming pool at lunchtime.
How are you keeping cool in the heatwave?
Image: what Notepad looks like in Windows
When you paste text into Microsoft Word, it tries to be clever by preserving the original formatting. Sometimes this is useful, because it means things like titles, bullet points, links and bold text all carry across.
However, more often than not, something seems to go wrong. For instance, Word will try and preserve the formatting but match it to the styles in your new document, creating a hideous mess of font sizes, indents and all sorts.
And if you paste from a website, you can end up with hidden code that you don't want or need.
No problem: for this Friday's IT tip, we explain how to remove all this formatting when you paste into Microsoft Word.
It's really straightforward:
That's all there is to it. You can then change or tweak the formatting in Word as you choose, without worrying about any styles that have carried over.
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Your desktop PC isn't for the scrap heap yet.
If you listen to some IT experts and pay attention to sales figures then you may be under the impression that the days of the desktop PC are numbered.
After all, the fourth quarter of 2012 saw a drop in online searches from desktop computers (down 4% year-on-year) for the first time since the Macquarie Group began tracking the data back in 2006. There was also a 4.9% fall in worldwide PC shipments compared with the final quarter of 2011.
Both of these suggest a worrying trend for the PC industry - we are buying fewer PCs and using them less.
The decline in PC shipments can be looked at in two ways. Yes, we are buying PCs at a slower rate. But you have to remember there have been big improvements in PC hardware and software - and that's affected how often we upgrade.
Ten years ago you would upgrade your desktop computer every 3 - 4 years. However, the durability of modern systems has extended this to more like 5 - 6 years. A four-year-old computer is perfectly capable of running modern software.
The inevitable consequence of upgrading less frequently is that fewer PCs will be sold. Although that might frustrate PC manufacturers, it doesn't mean we are abandoning our desktops. The assumption that the rise of mobile devices has come at the expense of desktop PCs may not be true.
In fact, when you compare the upgrade cycles of smart phones (typically 1 - 2 years) and desktop PCs (5 - 6 years) then the figures make sense.
In 2012 700 million smart phones were sold worldwide versus 350 million PCs. Considering the respective life spans, it follows that people would purchase two phones for every one PC.
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Despite the proliferation of mobile devices, most companies still rely on desktop PCs, laptop computers or thin clients.
Businesses want their staff to be able to get on with their work productively without having to adapt to a new device, and were a firm to convert wholesale to mobile devices then there would be a significant learning curve for employees.
Bring your own device (BYOD) is gaining traction within forward-thinking organisations, but there is a long way to go before it is standard.
In addition, cloud computing has allowed companies to invest in thin client computers, a very cost-effective option that is significantly cheaper than tablet devices.
Ultimately it is not that the computer industry is closing in around the desktop PC. Rather, it is opening up to incorporate a wider range of tech, and so it follows that the PC's market share will decrease.
However, just as the oven wasn't replaced by the microwave and the car wasn't replaced by the scooter, the humble desktop computer will continue to play a major role in our personal and professional lives for many years to come.
A guest post from John Rooney on behalf of GCC Innova - a team of experienced, professional IT specialists working for blue-chip clients in the heart of England and the South West.
Cheap. Powerful. Light. When you're looking to buy a new business laptop, you usually have to settle for two of these three requirements.
Quite simply, the smaller and more powerful your laptop is, the more you'll have paid for it.
And while this dinky 11" Asus laptop isn't exactly super-powered, it has enough oomph to browse the internet and run your standard business software, like Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel.
Weighing in at 1.3kg and currently available from Amazon for just £330, it certainly ticks the 'cheap' and 'light' boxes. Ok, it's not quite as featherlight as something like an 11" MacBook Air, but then it's well under half the price too.
This Asus Vivo is also equipped with a touch screen and an adequate 4GB of memory, although it's worth bearing in mind you'll probably only get about half a day's work in before you need to recharge the battery.
Still, at £330 it's a definite bargain.
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Glastonbury, earlier this year.
A couple of weeks ago I went to Glastonbury Festival. In recent years, one of the most notable changes there has been the explosion in people you see tapping away at their smart phones, posting photos to Facebook or filming video clips rather than actually watching the band on stage.
Of course, not everyone takes their smart phone to festivals. Many people switch to a basic handset, like this super-cheap Nokia.
Shorn of everything except call and text functions, these 'dumb phones' have batteries that last for days and days, yet still let you stay in touch in a festival environment.
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And this all got me thinking: how many of us really need a smart phone in our professional lives?
I'm not saying for a moment that smart phones aren't useful. I refer to mine frequently - checking Twitter, firing off emails, finding the best public transport options and even occasionally making a call.
The thing is, many of us cart unneccesary computing power around with us. The £500 smart phone in your pocket is more powerful than the computer you were using for work a few years back.
If you work on the go, you almost certainly have a laptop in your bag too. That's another £500 - probably more, if you've chosen a super-portable model. And do you have an iPad? That's a smart phone, just bigger. Chalk up another £500.
That's a lot of money to have spent on different gadgets that can all be used for very similar things. Multiplied up across your business, you could be blowing serious cash on what almost amounts to duplicate hardware.
It's not just the money. If your 'dumb phone' gets lost or stolen, you don't have to worry that it might contain your entire customer database, or grant hackers access to your company servers.
And - as I mentioned before - if you're on a business trip, you don't have to find a power point every day to boost your juice.
Does it feel like you're paying twice for devices that do the same things? Would you consider switching to a 'dumb phone'?
Many regular users of Google Reader were irritated earlier this year when the search giant announced the useful RSS reader would be switched off at the start of July.
However, although a petition to save the service amassed more than 100,000 signatures, Google went ahead and pulled the plug as planned.
If you used to use Google Reader, the list of sites and blogs you subscribed to can be a useful resource to keep, even if you've decided not to seek out a replacement.
You can download all this information from Google easily, but if you want to do so then you'd better move fast, because today is the final day on which it will be available.
To be precise, you have until 8pm (UK time) on 15 July to download your Google Reader data. After then it'll be gone forever.
It only takes a moment to grab your Google Reader data. Just visit Google Takeout, make sure you've chosen Google Reader, then click the create archive button. A .ZIP file will download to your computer.
When you unzip it, you'll see a number of different files inside. The most important one is subscriptions.xml. This holds the list of all the feeds you subscribed to in Google Reader.
If you're looking for a replacement for Google Reader, you can import this file into an alternative service. I like Feedly, though you can also try Newsblur, The Old Reader or Netvibes.
Keyboard shortcuts can make a big difference to the speed at which you use your computer, yet many people aren't aware they even exist.
We've covered some key keyboard shortcuts before (like copy, cut and paste), but here are two web browser shortcuts that will come in handy when you're browsing the internet.
Both shortcuts work in almost all common web browsers.
If you're typing an internet address like 'www.microsoft.com' into your browser, you don't actually need to type the '.com'.
Instead, you can just hit CTRL+ENTER. This web browser shortcut will add the '.com' to the end for you, and take you to that website.
You might already know that you can tap the TAB key to move to the next field in an online form. That's handy when you're entering your details or registering on a website.
But you might not realise that if you make a mistake, you can hit SHIFT+TAB to go back to the previous field.
What are your most-used web browser shortcuts?
A network attached storage (NAS) device is a fancy name for a hard drive you can plug directly into your business computer network.
Once it's connected up, everyone on your network can access and use it to store files and data. If your business doesn't have a network server on which to store shared files, NAS can be a good way to centralise data without having to spend a fortune.
Tradtionally, NAS devices have been pretty expensive. However, there's now a good choice at the budget end of the spectrum too, including this super-cheap option from long-time hard drive manufacturer Seagate.
The Seagate 2TB central NAS is a basic NAS, offering 2 terabytes (TB) of data storage for an eminently-reasonable £113. That's enough space for thousands and thousands of documents, but you may require more storage if you hold lots of larger files.
Because this is a cheap NAS drive, it's not really designed to share data between more than a couple of people working on a network. It's unlikely to have the performance to serve files up quickly to several people at once.
However, cheap storage is always useful and so this NAS could be an ideal way to backup your key business data. Combine it with a cloud backup service (perhaps something like Mozy, Dropbox or Livedrive) and you'll have a straightforward backup system that should keep you safe in most scenarios.
(If you haven't given serious thought to how you back up your data, please read our advice on how to back up your business.)
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Here's a list that might jolt you out of complacency if you're a bit lax when it comes to choosing and changing passwords.
SplashData, a leading provider of password management solutions, has put together a list of the 2012's worst passwords.
The list was compiled by analysing millions of compromised passwords that were posted online by hackers, and identifying the most common. It contains few surprises, but certainly underlines that we can all be far too slapdash when securing our online accounts.
Here are the top 10 worst passwords of 2012:
See any passwords you recognise? Change them, now. Because if you don't, it'll be child's play for a hacker to get in to your account.
Remember: the strongest passwords are as long as possible and use upper and lower-case letters, numbers and symbols. I like to choose a song lyric, take the first letters and then substitute in symbols and numbers where they're easy to remember.
For instance, the Rolling Stones' classic lines You can't always get what you want / But if you try sometimes you just might find can become:
For many years now, the staple of data storage in your average computer has been the hard disk drive. These spinning magnetic disks are relatively cheap, reliable and can hold an incredible amount of data (like this huge 3TB model).
But the times they are a-changin', and in some places the stalwart hard drive is being edged out by a faster, slicker upstart: flash memory.
Flash memory is a kind of data storage that doesn't have any moving parts. This means it's much quicker to save and retrieve data, and usually more reliable than than hard disks, which spin at very high speeds.
Flash storage also tends to use less power, so it can help your laptop's battery last a little longer. It's already used widely in camera memory cards and smart phones. But it's now starting to make significant inroads in other areas.
High-end, super-portable laptops like Apple's MacBook Air and the Dell XPS 12 get some very real advantages from using flash memory, including lightning-fast startup and software loading times.
However, because flash memory is much more expensive than traditional hard drives, it has had limited impact beyond high-end computers. Could that be about to change?
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If it wasn't for the cost, flash memory would already have almost entirely replaced magnetic disks. On speed alone, it wins by a mile.
This means flash storage is brilliant in situations where you need to manipulate lots of data - like processing video files or accessing your customer database.
However according to market intelligence firm iSuppli, 524m disk drives were shipped globally in 2012, compared to just 39m flash drives.
Although we're some way off the death of the hard drive, predictions state shipments of flash drives will grow to around 83m in 2013 and hit 239m in 2016. In particular, expect corporate buyers to invest as they demand faster speeds and higher capacity.
Market trends aside, flash memory could bring benefits to your business today. A good way to speed up your laptop or extend its life is to swap the hard drive for a type of flash storage called a solid state drive (SSD).
You can buy a 256GB SSD for under £130, or pick up a 512GB model for £300 - £350. Not cheap, for sure, but if you want to speed up or prolong the lifespan of a high-end laptop that's a couple of years old then an SSD can be a worthwhile investment.
The process of switching to an SSD is fairly simple. We'll be explaining how to do it in a blog post that's coming soon.
Alternatively, there are a growing number of storage devices that combine the best elements of both flash memory and disk drives. These 'hybrid' drives (like this model from Seagate) have both flash memory and a traditional magnetic disk.
The bits of data you access most frequently are stored in the flash memory where it can be accessed quickly, giving you a good balance between price and performance.
Flash storage could be the future. Is it time your business got in on the act?
DDoS stands for distributed denial of service. A DDoS attack sees hackers coordinate a network of computers in order to overload a web server with requests.
The result is that the server can become unavailable - taking down any websites or services that run on it.
An enormous DDoS attack hit the headlines earlier this year, sparked by a row between a spam fighting company and a web hosting firm. But it's not only high-tech firms and big companies that are at risk.
Online criminals are a far cry from what they were - in recent years they've become more sophisticated, more strategic and more debilitating to smaller businesses. In fact, they can leave your company devastated by stealing data and causing downtime.
You can be hit with a DDoS attack for all manner of reasons, including:
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And if you think your business is too small or insignificant to be worthy of a hacker's attention, here's what security firm Symantec had to say in its Internet Security Threat Report, released earlier this year:
“While it can be argued that the rewards of attacking a small business are less than what can be gained from a large enterprise, this is more than compensated by the fact that many small companies are typically less prepared in their cyber defenses.”
But before you panic, there are weapons you can use to protect your site and online services.
Many web hosts and internet service providers have begun to offer DDoS protection. These services monitor for unusual internet traffic and attempt to fend off DDoS attacks targeted at your site,
What's more, a number of high profile incidents (like this, this and this) have encouraged IT providers and web hosting firms to step up their DDoS defences.
If you're not sure how well-protected your website is then it's worth taking some time to investigate further - especially if you rely on your website to bring in business or sell online.
Ask your web hosting firm what defences they have in place, and, if they offer a DDoS protection service, consider adding it to your account. Your web designer or IT supplier may also be able to advise on what would be the right level of protection for your company.
Tim Pat Dufficy is the managing director and founder of ServerSpace Limited, which provides hosting and connectivity services and help clients with DDoS protection.
If you get an unsolicited call from someone claiming to be from 'Microsoft support', 'Microsoft Windows support' or something similar, put the phone down.
It's a scam, and for this Friday's IT tip we explain how it works and what to watch for.
We all have computer problems now and again. And you've probably read about the security threats from hackers, viruses and malware.
So when someone calls you out of the blue claiming they're from Microsoft and that they're calling because your internet provider has reported a problem with your computer, it's human nature to listen.
If there's a problem, you want to put it right.
And if they ask for a payment of - say - £50, well, that's a small price to pay for the security of knowing your computer is safe and sound.
But wait. If you offer payment and hand over log in details for your computer, the consequences could be severe.
For a start, you'll have passed your payment details onto a scammer. And you'll also have granted them access to your computer, along with any sensitive data saved on it.
So, this Friday's tip is simple: if you receive a call like this, just hang up.
There is no problem with your computer. There is no Microsoft support team calling people in this way. And so you should steer well clear.
If you need a cheap, capable way to print and scan in your office, this Epson Workforce WF-2520NF 4-in-1 inkjet printer may fit the bill.
As it's an inkjet printer, it's probably best-suited to relatively low-volume printing. However, it's a decent model from a reputable manufacturer, and as it's currently available to buy online for just £55 from Dabs.
Useful features include:
Reviews suggest print quality is decent and extra-large ink cartridges are available, which should reduce your running costs a bit and mean you don't have to replace them so frequently.
This printer is also available from Amazon (£55.97), eBuyer (£82.78) and Misco (£87.60).
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Next time you're on a train, stop and look around. Ten years ago, most people sitting nearby would have been reading books and newspapers.
But today, the most popular way to pass the time on public transport is to use a smart phone. Checking emails, reading tweets, playing games, checking the news ... we take smart phones for granted because they're so common these days.
But actually, those little glowing screens represent a big shift in how we use technology and consume information.
As we've said before, it's a trend you should take note of when you're creating a website or planning a new business. And now Lebara - which provides worldwide mobile phone access - has created this infographic to illustrate how the smart phone trend is playing out in different parts of the world.
It reveals that the world has gone mobile in a way nobody could have imagined just ten years ago. And some of the figures are surprising:
If you're planning to launch a mobile product or service, this overview highlights how important it is to do your research and understand how people in your target market actually use their mobile phones.
Here's the infographic - if it's hard to read then just click it to view the full-size version:
Infographic by Lebara.
If you seem to spend much of your working day cursing your slow internet connection or turning your router on and off to get it working, then the latest statistics on UK broadband might come as a surprise.
According to the EU Commission, the UK actually does pretty well when it comes to broadband prices, speeds and connectivity - at least compared to the other 26 EU states.
The latest figures show that a broadband connection with a speed of 8 - 12 megabits per second (mbps - that's typical for an ADSL connection that uses a standard phone line) costs an average of €19.78 a month. That's well under the overall EU average.
Similarly, if the figures are to be believed then 70% of the population now has access to so-called 'next generation' connections of 30mbps+, which are typically delivered via fibre-optic cables. That's well above the EU average.
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Given that we live in a country where online shopping is high and internet businesses account for a significant slice of GDP, perhaps we shouldn't be surprised.
So, why are people's perceptions often so different? After all, we've moaned enough on our blog about the state of UK broadband.
Well, although the UK broadband market looks pretty healthy at face value, the headline figures do obscure a couple of important facts.
Many businesses still find there's a big difference between the advertised 'up to' speed of their internet connection, and the speed they actually receive.
This is caused by the nature of the copper wires used for most broadband connections (we explain the issues in full here), but the result is that it can feel like you're paying for a connection you don't get.
The EU figures back this up. If you're using some sort of DSL connection (usually advertised as 'up to'), on average you only get 45% of the advertised speed. For instance, I'm writing this on an 'up to 20mbps' connection that tends to run at about 10mbps.
Although the EU figures suggest 70% of people can now opt for a faster fibre connection, that still leaves 30% of the population who can't. That's a significant proportion of businesses unable to benefit from properly fast connections that are reasonable value.
But then perhaps we shouldn't criticise this fact too harshly. The pace at which providers are rolling out this superfast broadband has increase significantly over the last year or so.
You can use this broadband availability checker to see what's available near you, or search for specific packages using uSwitch.
How do you find your broadband connection? Is it fast enough for your requirements?
Would being more cyber secure help grow your business or add value for your customers and partners?
If so, you could be in line for £5,000 to spend on working with an external security expert for the first time.
These grants are available in the form of vouchers from the Technology Strategy Board. The aim is to support small companies, entrepreneurs and start-ups that see value in protecting and growing their online business by having effective cyber security.
This isn't 'free money' - the grant is paid to your business only once you show the Technology Strategy Board that you've finished the project in line with your original application and paid the supplier. (They do approve the project and supplier in advance, so as long as you stick to the plan you shouldn't be in for any unwelcome payment issues.)
It sounds like a great opportunity to improve your security if your business fits the criteria. The official website reckons you might be suitable for a voucher if you're looking to:
There's plenty of advice and guidance on the voucher website itself. A good place to start is probably this flyer (PDF link) that explains the voucher scheme and how to determine if you're eligible. The next deadline for applications is 24 July.
Unsurprisingly, UK IT suppliers are also keen to promote the voucher scheme. It was brought to our attention in a press release from security company Espion, which says it's happy to help companies with the application process.
Email [email protected] to find out more.
Even if cyber-security isn't where you need to invest at the moment, it may be worth having a quick look over the categories on the voucher website. Under the scheme, you can also apply for funding in areas like open data, energy and the built environment.