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4G mobile speeds - next-gen mobile broadband tested
May 08, 2012
Your mobile phone almost certainly has 3G mobile broadband built in. It’s the technology that enables you to send and receive emails, view web pages and download Google Maps on the move.
But there’s something faster on the horizon. 4G is the next generation of mobile internet connection. It promises greater reliability and much, much faster speeds. If it lives up to the hype, it could change the face of mobile working.
4G mobile data in action
While some countries – including the US, Germany and Sweden – have already begun rolling out 4G networks, we’re somewhat behind in the UK. However, O2 is running a trial of the system in London. I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of it, and so far my experiences suggest 4G broadband really could revolutionise mobile internet access.
With only 25 masts around London, O2’s 4G coverage is hardly ubiquitous. But then it is a just a trial. And when you’re in a coverage area, the access speeds are superb.
To use the trial, I had to connect via a 4G dongle, which plugs in to my laptop. I first tried it in a McDonald’s near King’s Cross station.
Initially I was connected at a download speed of over 13 megabits (Mbps) per second and an upload speed of around 0.5Mbps. The average speed of a home broadband connection is a little over 7Mbps, so that didn’t seem too shabby – although it was a long way off the theoretical maximum of 150Mbps or so.
4G mobile speeds on the move
Still, I knew I could do better, so I headed out to try some different locations. From the top deck of a number 25 bus I maxed out at 15.5Mbps down and – surprisingly - 25Mbps up.
I switched to the pavement just in time to catch a torrential rain shower, and after sheltering my laptop and dodging raindrops, I took shelter in a pub just off Oxford Street. Sat in the window and sipping a cup of tea (honest!) I hit the jackpot with a download speed of 40Mbps and 23Mbps upload.
That’s really fast (faster than some BT Infinity broadband packages), but to illustrate just how fast, I tried a few tests. A video call through Skype barely warmed up the connection, so I fired up the BBC’s iPlayer.
Streaming video requires a fast connection, yet I managed to stream four different programs simultaneously, without any slowdown, pauses, or interruptions to the video at all. Can you do that with your home broadband connection?
Strong signal = fast 4G
So, there you go. If you’re looking for a fast 4G connection in central London, you could do a lot worse than head for the pub.
But seriously, my brief experiences with 4G technology certainly suggest it has the potential to put an end to today’s mobile internet frustrations.
Of course, there are some caveats. My sojourn found excellent speeds where the signal was strong. But maintaining a strong signal across the UK is going to require a fast rollout of new equipment from the mobile operators. One of the issues with 3G is its patchy coverage in rural areas. There’s no guarantee 4G will be any different.
Network operators will also face challenges depending on which parts of the radio spectrum they use. The available bandwidth is much higher at some frequencies than others, and the frequencies used also affect the strength of connections inside buildings.
We all need 4G mobile speeds
However, the ability to have genuinely fast internet access on a laptop, tablet or mobile phone is going to change how we all use the internet and do business. It is certainly going to drive more business into the mobile environment.
For example, Timico (the company I work for), gives its sales force iPads so they can demonstrate our applications and customer portal. An iPad combined with a 40Mbps suddenly becomes a low-cost teleconferencing system than you can use anywhere.
And 4G can provide a workable backup to the fixed line connection at your office, so the chance of being affected by an internet connection outage will drop considerably.
Everything about my experience suggests 4G could be a game-changer. Now we just need to get on and roll it out across the country!
- Finding the right mobile internet device
- Are tablet computers right for business?
- Mobile internet access explained
Trefor Davies is chief technology officer at Timico. This post was adapted from a post on Trefor’s own blog.
What does Google Drive mean for business?
April 25, 2012
The launch of the long-rumoured Google Drive happened yesterday. But is this online storage a useful new service for businesses, or is it a step too far for a company that already knows so much about you?
What is Google Drive?
If you’ve ever used Dropbox, SkyDrive, Box, SugarSync or any other cloud-based storage, you’ll be familiar with what Google Drive does. It gives you access to online storage, to which you can upload documents, photos, files … any of your data, basically.
You create a special folder on your computer (your ‘Google Drive’). Anything placed in this folder gets uploaded to your online storage. Here’s why you might do this:
- Easier backup. Google Drive creates a second copy of your data online. So it’s an easy way to backup your data.
- File synchronisation. If you use more than one computer, you can put your Google Drive on all of them – so files are managed across your computers.
- Anywhere access. You can log in to Google Drive through your web browser, meaning you can get at your files from any internet-connected computer.
- Easier sharing. You can share files with other people just by emailing them – and you can control who can view, edit and comment on them.
But what’s new? All these features are already offered by most of the other online storage services I mentioned above. Is there anything to make Google Drive different?
The Google Drive difference?
Perhaps the biggest thing that sets Google Drive apart from its competitors is the fact that it’s one of a whole portfolio of services from the ubiquitous search engine. This means Google Drive is closely integrated with elements of the company's other services. For instance:
- It works with Google Documents. This means you can edit documents stored in your Google Drive using Google Docs, the company’s online office suite.
- Searching it should be really, really good. Google does search better than anyone. So finding anything in your Google Drive should be a piece of the proverbial.
- It claims to recognise your photos. Apparently, Google Drive will recognise photos of things like the Eiffel Tower, so you can find them more easily.
There’s one other thing that makes Google Drive attractive, and that’s the price. It’s significantly cheaper than most competitors. For instance, it costs $9.99 a month (all the prices are in US dollars, even though I’m in the UK) for 50GB of storage with Dropbox. With Google Drive, twice that costs $4.99.
As with most cloud storage services, there’s also a basic free option – Google Drive gives you 5GB free, which is actually enough for loads of documents.
The true cost of Google Drive?
Google Drive is poised to shake up the online storage market. Expect prices of competing services to drop over the next few months, as Google takes a big bite of the market.
It may also be worth considering if your business already uses other Google Services, because Google Drive will work very well with them. If you’re using Google Apps for your email and document editing, then Google Drive may be a logical next step.
However, before you jump in with both feet, it’s worth just stopping to think through the implications of the service. Google uses detailed information about its users in order to show them targeted advertising. For instance, the adverts you see in Google Mail are determined – to some extent – by the content of your emails.
Google is likely to extend this capability with Google Drive. It might not show you adverts within your Google Drive, but it will almost certainly analyse your data to help it target ads at you when you’re signed in to other Google services.
So, are you comfortable granting Google access to your files, some of which may contain important business or personal information? The answer to that will probably depend on your attitude towards the company overall, and your feelings about targeted advertising.
As part of its Google Drive FAQ, CNET has a good summary of how Google says it may use your files. You might also be interested in this succinct argument against the service from Chris Armstrong and Aral Balkan’s interesting analogy.
Read Google’s official announcement about Google Drive. Will you be signing up to try the service?
Do we really need Wi-Fi on the Tube?
March 15, 2012
News came this week that much-mooted plans for wireless internet access on London’s Underground are going full steam ahead in time for the Olympics.
Passengers at over 80 Tube stations will be able to log on while moving through stations and waiting for their trains.
On the face of it, this is A Good Thing. For a start, long-suffering commuters will be pleased they can check the exact reason for the delay on their smart phone or even fire off a complaint to Boris Johnson while stood shoulder-to-shoulder on the platform.
You’ll also be able to email your client if you’re running late for an important meeting with them or grab a map of your destination while on the escalator instead of having to wait till you’re back on the surface. If the connection is good enough, making calls via voice over IP services like Skype could be possible.
On the downside, I’m predicting an increase in the number of accidents on escalators as people check their tweets rather than watching where they’re going. We could even see the odd person attempting to use their full-size laptop on the platform.
(If you think that sounds farfetched, my experience suggests otherwise: I once saw a man playing a game of online poker on his laptop while simultaneously negotiating the ticket barriers and escalators at Reading Station, so anything’s possible.)
When is enough enough?
But as faster internet connections seep into every area of our lives, do we need to start guarding those precious moments when we’re cut off? Should we treasure those increasingly rare minutes when we’re out of signal, offline and unlikely to be disturbed by a buzz in our pocket or someone else’s loud Nokia ringtone? (Watch the video up to the 1:20 mark to make it worthwhile.)
I’m honestly in two minds about this. On the one hand, wireless internet has transformed the way many of us work. Within the office it’s brought extra flexibility to how we conduct meetings and work with colleagues. In the wider world, it’s this technology that enables us to stop for a coffee and catch up on email or get online even when we’re travelling.
But the flipside is that it’s much harder for us to switch off. Queuing in Starbucks? You’re much more likely to check your email or review your tweets than just stopping to look around you.
On the train? Never mind sitting there quietly to collect your thoughts or getting stuck into reading a complex document. With wireless internet available on many UK services, you’re more likely to get distracted by Facebook or spend the time dealing with email overload.
The tables will turn
Currently, losing internet access can be a frustrating experience. But we’re slowly but surely moving towards a world where you can stay connected everywhere.
So, once internet access has crept into every rural blackspot, once every plane has Wi-Fi and once underground trains pose no barrier to getting online (like in Tokyo), will we start to yearn for a place where we can be disconnected? Will the frustration of getting cut-off unexpectedly be replaced by the frustration of being always reachable?
Well, it’s maybe not that clear-cut. But we’re certainly going to have to learn more self-discipline and understand when unplugging ourselves is a good idea: whether it’s to focus on getting a task done or simply to find time and space to think.
Grow your business on a budget with the cloud
February 22, 2012
Starting up is undoubtedly the hardest part of any business. Finding funding, scoring that all-important first client and managing on meagre cashflow are all difficult but important steps for any new enterprise.
But after a while - assuming you’re successful - you’ll be established with a stable client base. You might even be turning a profit. What’s next? If you’re ready for another challenge, it could be time to scale!
Reduce costs with the cloud
In the past, scaling often meant buying costly new equipment, paying a small fortune in software licences and employing a dedicated IT staff to manage it all. Nowadays, with modern cloud computing becoming more widespread, many of those costs have been eliminated. This means scaling your business - although still not without risk - is significantly more achievable.
Google Apps, for example, can take the place of your traditional Microsoft Office desktop suite, offering web-based email, calendar and productivity tools. Best of all, Google Apps is completely free for companies with up to ten employees.
Cloud software can pay dividends in other ways too. Without hefty applications weighing down your office computers (all you need is a web browser) you can do without expensive top-of-the-line computers. And because maintenance is managed by the cloud software provider, you don’t need the same level of in-house IT support.
Cloud computing to try for yourself
Cloud software is becoming so pervasive that new services are springing up every day to offer a cheap, hassle-free alternative to desktop software. Some of the more successful cloud software services are:
- Salesforce. A powerful-as-can-be customer relationship management suite that can scale from a micro-business all the way up to a large corporate. Salesforce has rapidly become the industry standard and sports so many add-ons that it can run your entire business.
Visit the Salesforce website >
- ZenDesk. This is a cloud-based helpdesk system which allows your employees to raise IT issues and interact with your support team. You can also populate it with help articles, tutorials and video content to help your staff help themselves
Visit the ZenDesk website >
- Dropbox. A fantastic tool for keeping yourself and your team in sync, Dropbox is like the shared network drives of old, but accessible absolutely anywhere. That includes computers, tablets and smartphones. The basic version is completely free!
Visit the Dropbox website >
- Crunch. There are a number of cloud accounting tools to help with your bookkeeping. One example is Crunch, my own company. It’s aimed at freelancers and micro-businesses and helps with all your invoicing, bookkeeping and expenses before submitting your tax return. It also shows your real-time tax liability and provides support from accountants.
Visit the Crunch website >
Which cloud computing tools does your business rely on? Have they made it easier for your company to grow?
- Cloud computing services to get you started
- Are you ready for cloud computing?
- Is cloud computing green computing?
Darren Fell is MD at Crunch.
Survey reveals small business owners' optimism about 2012
February 15, 2012
Our recent survey attracted almost 700 respondents – all hoping to win a Dell Vostro laptop. Many congratulations to the lucky winner — Cyd Smith of C S Accounting Services in Tyne & Wear.
This was a competition with strings attached. We asked you to share your views on the current business climate and about your plans for 2012. And the results paint a very interesting picture.
Today’s small firms, it seems, have a positive outlook for 2012.
Top-line results reveal that almost half of small businesses think things will improve in 2012, one third are planning to invest in new job roles and cloud computing technology, the majority are planning to spend more on marketing and just three per cent expect to make redundancies this year.
But what’s fascinating is that small firms are doing this by themselves. They say that they don’t expect government help and most are not looking to borrow money from their banks.
Small business owners speak out
Let’s take a look at the results. The first thing to note is that 82 per cent of respondents describe themselves as SMEs or sole traders with a turnover of less than £2 million. Respondents are fairly evenly scattered from across the UK.
Crucially, most of our respondents (63 per cent) are owners, founders or managing directors. A further 22 per cent describe themselves as either directors or managers. So these findings come straight from the horse’s mouth.
A number of questions were designed to take the temperature of business confidence among small firms. And the results are encouraging. Only three per cent, for instance, say they expect to make redundancies this year. Ten per cent are unsure. But the vast majority — 87 per cent — do not expect to have to lay off staff.
Another positive indicator concerns marketing spend. 51 per cent of respondents expect to spend more on marketing in 2012. Just nine per cent plan to cut their marketing budgets.
Next we asked — “In general, how do you view the economic outlook for your business in 2012 compared to 2011?” Only 16 per cent think things will be worse. Almost half (48 per cent) think things will be better.
Support for small firms
The thorny question of support for small firms shows that entrepreneurs are determined to succeed, with or without help from government or the banks. Two-thirds of respondents (67 per cent) say they won’t be asking their banks for finance. And only five per cent plan to approach their banks for new funding this year.
What about government support? We asked respondents to choose the statement that best matched their view on government support. These are the results:
- 45 per cent agree that “we do not expect the government to support our business and sector in 2012”.
- 28 per cent agree that “government is unlikely to do enough to support our business and sector in 2012”.
- 22 per cent agree that “the government will do what it can in the current economic climate”.
- Just five per cent agree that “private businesses should work to offer support rather than the government”.
Investment plans
Small business owners are fairly cautious about recruiting new staff, although one third (34 per cent) say they are planning to invest in new job roles in 2012. More respondents, however, are sure that they will not be creating new positions (44 per cent).
The number of respondents planning to employ young people via training schemes, internships and apprenticeships is a little underwhelming. A fifth of respondents say they plan to take on new young recruits (21 per cent) but most are either unsure (12 per cent), considering it (24 per cent), or definitely not recruiting young people (43 per cent).
The majority of SME respondents (60 per cent) plan to invest in technology in 2012. And the message is loud and clear — cloud computing, virtualisation, outsourcing IT and mobile working are likely to get the lion’s share of investment.
Overseas expansion is less significant. The survey shows that 19 per cent of respondents are already trading overseas. But most respondents only trade in the UK and plan to keep it that way (62 per cent). Just nine per cent are planning to start trading overseas in 2012.
Optimism for 2012
Overall, this survey highlights a good deal of optimism among small businesses as they face the year ahead. We are planning to conduct another survey later in 2012. Please take the time to respond and help us to give UK small business owners a voice.
Why 2012 is when businesses will embrace the cloud
February 06, 2012
Was 2011 the year of cloud computing? Whatever your view, there’s certainly no denying that it created a lot of hype.
I like to say it was the year when businesses discovered the Cloud. It’s during 2012 that we’ll see a bigger movement towards it.
Cloud computing has been around for years, but it was only last year that the technology and marketing hit that critical point where businesses could start to fully understand what it is.
This year, 2012, will be the real year of the cloud. This is why:
- We get cloud computing. Most businesses now understand cloud computing. In March 2011 we ran a Twitter poll which found only 64% of people who answered had heard of the cloud. The same question asked in January 2012 saw the figure jump to 91%. (This year’s poll also revealed that although only 27% of respondents were using the Cloud, 75% said they would be considering it for 2012.)
- We like cloud computing. The cloud’s credibility has increased significantly. Along with other major companies, Apple can probably claim much of the credit for that, because it incorporated its own cloud service into advertisements for the new iPhone.
- It’s going to get social. Social networks show no signs of losing their popularity and the cloud is already starting to become more social, which makes it more appealing. Because cloud computing stores all your data centrally, it makes sharing and collaborating much easier. Take Salesforce: it’s taking this further with the introduction of Chatter, a private social network for employees.
- New jobs will emerge. Despite initial speculation that cloud computing would reduce the number of IT jobs available, 2012 will see new job titles emerging. The Recruitment & Employment Confederation recently announced that its members expect demand for staff with IT skills to increase in 2012. Job roles like ‘cloud transformation officer’ barely existed in 2011 and yet the number of roles available is set to grow this year.
- We trust it. Trust has always been a major issue with the cloud. People worry about where their data is stored, how safe it is and what the chance are of it getting lost. In response, cloud computing providers are addressing this issue, tightening security and demonstrating how the cloud often involves less risk than storing data locally.
At SpiderGroup, we are already seeing an increase in cloud popularity. We believe 2012 is, without doubt, the year of the cloud. And we promise not to say the same thing next year.
- Q&A: cloud computing security
- Cloud computing services to get you started
- Are you ready for cloud computing?
This guest post was written by Kerry Hale from SpiderGroup.
Business success: your 2012 calendar launched
January 27, 2012
Surrounded by the brightest and best of the UK’s entrepreneurs, business minister Mark Prisk MP launched rather a useful tool for the UK’s small businesses at BIS HQ this week – a definitive calendar of events to help small business throughout Britain for every month in 2012.
Targeted at pre start ups as well as established and new businesses, the calendar marks the first time all Britain’s best business events feature on the same site in a searchable format. There are 600-plus events listed already – and Mark Prisk is aiming to get 1,000 online in the near future. He said:
“We want 2012 to be the year of enterprise, where entrepreneurs can unlock their business potential. Enterprise events don’t just take place on one day, or during one week, but they appear throughout the year and across the country.
“We need to make sure people know that there is support and advice available, that it is easy to get, and it is often on their doorstep.”
With shows, talks, workshops, schemes and local networking events listed, the calendar does just that. And the country’s diverse business support organisations – ranging from teachers who inspire primary school children to mentors of hi-tech start ups - are showcasing their event offers on the site too. Rajeeb Dey, one of the founders of the Government’s StartUp Britain campaign, said:
“The Enterprise Calendar is about helping businesses go for it. It will shine a spotlight on the broad range of plentiful resources that exist for people wanting to start or grow a business in 2012.”
The most up-to-date version of the calendar is online to search or download – and even upload your own event. Many events are free, so the calendar could well become an invaluable tool for you – and at the very least should benefit you with a couple of days of advice, inspiration and a range of handy new contacts.
20 inspiring and insightful Steve Jobs quotes
October 07, 2011
1 “What made the Macintosh great was that the people working on it were musicians and poets and artists and zoologists and historians who also happened to be the best computer scientists in the world”
2 “Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected.”
3 It’s not the consumers’ job to know what they want.”
4 “Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
5 “Things don’t have to change the world to be important.”
6 “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn't matter to me. Going to bed at night saying ‘we've done something wonderful’, that's what matters to me.”
7 “We don’t do market research. We don’t hire consultants. We just want to make great products.”
8 “The most compelling reason for most people to buy a computer for the home will be to link it into a nationwide communications network. We're just in the beginning stages of what will be a truly remarkable breakthrough for most people – as remarkable as the telephone.” (speaking in 1985)
9 “Simple can be harder than complex. You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple, but it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”
10 “My model for business is The Beatles: They were four guys that kept each other's negative tendencies in check; they balanced each other. And the total was greater than the sum of the parts. Great things in business are not done by one person, they are done by a team of people.”
11 “What a computer is to me is the most remarkable tool that we have ever come up with. It's the equivalent of a bicycle for our minds.”
12 “I'm the only person I know that's lost a quarter of a billion dollars in one year. It's very character-building.”
13 “You can’t just ask the customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new.”
14 “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it.”
15 “You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”
16 “When you're a carpenter making a beautiful chest of drawers, you're not going to use a piece of plywood on the back, even though it faces the wall and nobody will ever see it. You'll know it's there, so you're going to use a beautiful piece of wood on the back. For you to sleep well at night, the aesthetic, the quality, has to be carried all the way through.”
17 “It’s really hard to design products by focus groups. A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to them.”
18 “Innovation comes from people meeting up in the hallways or calling each other at 10:30 at night with a new idea, or because they realized something that shoots holes in how we've been thinking about a problem. It's ad hoc meetings of six people called by someone who thinks he has figured out the coolest new thing ever and who wants to know what other people think of his idea.”
19 "I don't think I've ever worked so hard on something, but working on Macintosh was the neatest experience of my life. Almost everyone who worked on it will say that. None of us wanted to release it at the end. It was as though we knew that once it was out of our hands, it wouldn't be ours anymore. When we finally presented it at the shareholders' meeting, everyone in the auditorium stood up and gave it a five-minute ovation. What was incredible to me was that I could see the Mac team in the first few rows. It was as though none of us could believe that we'd actually finished it. Everyone started crying.''
20 “Stay hungry, stay foolish.”
8 reasons to manage your accounts in the cloud
October 05, 2011
Market analyst IDC predicts that spending on public IT cloud services will hit £46bn in 2015 (up from £13bn in 2010). Cloud technologies are no longer up in the air, it’s now a reality for many innovative businesses, regardless of size, to access their technology in a ‘virtual’ environment.
As cloud becomes mainstream and security concerns diminish, companies should also consider the benefits of moving their finances to the cloud too. According to the Cloud Industry Forum, 29% of SMEs already use cloud-based accounting, so what is the appeal and why might now be the right time to reach for the sky?
Here are the 8 key reasons why you could benefit from cloud-based accounting in both the short and long term:-
- Lower costs and no upfront capital costs - solutions are typically charged on a monthly subscription basis, allowing you to pay for what you use e.g. volume of transactions
- Better control over cash-flow - Taking advantage of new and extended functionality such as real-time dashboards will give you the ability to make more informed decisions
- Additional security and resilience - All data is held remotely and is automatically backed up so in the event of fire or any other disaster you are assured that you can be up and running again with minimal downtime
- Less IT infrastructure required internally - You don’t need to buy the servers/PCs to support running the accounting software yourself
- Reduced staff overheads - Fewer support staff are required to manage the system, liberating resources to be re-assigned to more productive activities such as credit control
- Support for Flexible/Mobile/Remote Working - Accounts can be accessed remotely, anytime and anywhere on any device from an iPhone to a Blackberry, making it ideal for multiple sites, home workers or staff on the move.
- Greater scope for IT integration – with sophisticated cloud accounting solutions you can get other applications such as your CRM to update information automatically so all systems are in sync with each other
- Fast implementation time – With a new on-premise accounting solution it could take a few months to install and get fully trained on the system, but with a cloud-based option, you can be up and running in a matter of hours - ideal for start-ups or fast-growing companies that don’t want to waste unnecessary time and resources.
Is security an issue?
The reasons for adopting a cloud strategy are convincing, yet there is often reluctance to move from an on-premise solution that is managed in-house. The arguments surrounding whether your data is safe in the cloud can be easily discounted, as providers are likely to offer at least the same if not better protection of data than you could internally. However you should ask your provider where your data will be stored, as you could be contravening data protection legislation if it is held somewhere overseas.
How do you select the right system?
One of the main issues is how a solution integrates with your other key back office systems such as a CRM database. When selecting a system, you should ask the supplier about the range of functionality. Is it ‘open’ so it will integrate easily with other critical systems? Will it be straightforward to blend and share data simply? Remember that there is a huge amount of choice out there, so be careful to match your wish-list with what is being offered.
The advantage of cloud-based accounting is that you don’t need to compromise; you can expect the type of functionality that you would expect from a corporate system, but with an affordable price tag. For ambitious, growing companies, a cloud offering is ideal because it gives you the accounting features you need now and in the future, as well as driving business performance and profitability.
Julian Sayer is the Sales & Operations Director at Accounting software vendor, bluQube
Cloud computing legal dos and don'ts
August 02, 2011
Justice in the clouds? (Image: Ariaski on Flickr.)
When businesses use cloud computing, it often means they don't need to buy or install software, or run their own servers. The benefits can be compelling, but cloud computing also presents some interesting legal issues.
Contracts, data protection and copyright
Because cloud computing services involve storing data outside your business, usually on servers operated by another company, there are some contractual, data protection and copyright issues to be aware of:
- The risk of concluding contracts inadvertently. For example, if one of your employees signs up to a cloud-computing service using a computer at work for a purpose related to their employment, then your company could be bound by the terms of that cloud computing service - even if the employee acted without consulting anyone.
- The risk of data protection compliance. If your employees input personal data held by your business into the cloud, your company must comply with its data protection obligations - including those relating to the transfer of data.
- The risk of intellectual property infringement. Your business could be liable if staff post defamatory or copyright-infringing content into the public areas of cloud-computing services. Appropriate policies, procedures and training must be given to employees.
Licensing and software use
A software licence is the set of terms and conditions you agree to before you start using a piece of software or a cloud computing service. Software licensing can be confusing at the best of times, and there are some specific things to remember when you're choosing and using cloud computing services:
- You must have appropriate licences. Some cloud computing services are only licensed to be used at certain computers. So if any of your staff use them at computers without a licence, they commit copyright infringement.
Also, licence terms can be narrow and may limit you to using the service only for your company's own purposes - so check your sub-contractors and business partners can use it too, if they need to. - Using open source software. Many cloud computing services are built on open source software. However, some open source software requires software based upon it to be distributed under the same terms - i.e. made freely available. This could have consequences for your business, if you want to retain the software just for your use.
- Intellectual property indemnity. A cloud computing operator may not always own the intellectual property rights in the software used by their service. If that's the case, that operator has to sub-licence the software to its customers, or arrange a direct licence between its customers and the relevant software company. Check this has been taken care of, or your business could be liable for using unlicensed software.
International implications
It can be hard to tell where cloud computing services actually operate from. Even those that price their services in pounds may be based outside the UK. And if you are dealing with a UK company, they may still store your data on servers in other countries.
In most cases this isn't a problem, but it's wise to aware of the issues that can arise:
- Unexpected obligations. You need to make sure that foreign law does not result in unexpected and binding non-contractual obligations for your business. For example, in some countries you may have duties of good faith in negotiations which do not exist under English law.
- What happens if things go wrong? A cloud computing provider based in the EU can be sued in all the jurisdictions in which it provides services to its customers.
But when a cloud computing provider is based outside the EU, it can be harder to enforce court orders against the company. It's usually best if the governing law of the contract is the local law of the cloud computing provider.
This article is for general purposes and guidance only and does not constitute legal or professional advice.
The cloud has a silver lining
June 03, 2011
This is a guest post from HP Business Answers. Check out our website, blog and Twitter feed. You can also join the HP Business Answers LinkedIn group for conversation, advice and expert tips.
There’s a fair weight on the shoulders of the UK’s small business community. Frequently referred to as the ‘backbone’ of the economy, they now have the added onus of leading the recovery from recession. No pressure then.
But if there’s a silver lining, it may come in the form of cloud computing. It's been heralded as a true opportunity for smaller organisations to bounce back.
In a report from last year, K2 advisory predicted cloud computing would even give small companies an advantage over [larger] enterprises.
Getting behind the cloud computing hype
And this year’s Microsoft Cloud Adoption Study goes further, envisioning a more transformational future for cloud users. “I believe there is huge potential for cloud technology to accelerate both the business opportunities for the ICT industry as well as for SMEs in Europe,” says Klaus Holse Andersen, area vice-president of Microsoft Western Europe.
There’s still lots of hype around the cloud that makes it seem like a daunting prospect for small business bosses. However, reduced to its most simple form, it’s just the way companies buy IT.
It can give you IT on demand, offering a pay-as-you-go solution that could have a profound impact on our work culture, not to mention small business growth. Cloud computing has generally lowered the barriers to entry for new businesses, so there's little wonder it’s being heralded as the engine that will drive the recovery.
“One of the wonders of cloud computing is that, unusually, small businesses are among its early adopters,” says Andy Burton, the chairman of the Cloud Industry Forum, an industry body promoting best practice.
So far, companies tend to be moving backup, storage and back-office functions into the cloud. A fortunate by-product of this is that many businesses have improved their haphazard disaster recovery plans too.
But the cloud is also proving popular for email, especially if the company has a mobile workforce. In fact, hosted business email - along with cloud-based video-conferencing and VOIP - can give smaller businesses access to the kind of integrated communications that have been the preserve of larger companies until now.
Cloud computing opportunities
And it’s the collaboration opportunities that Burton believes hold the greatest value for small firms. While the cost benefits are important, an upcoming Cloud Industry Forum survey found financial savings tend to come second to collaboration benefits.
Small businesses are likely to push cloud computing into the mass-market, too. According to the Microsoft report, 39 per cent of over 3,200 small businesses surveyed expect to pay for one or more cloud service this year. The number of services small companies pay for will nearly double, with uptake accelerating as owner-managers upgrade their existing technology.
Barriers to cloud computing
And what about pitfalls? The ‘click-through culture’ and low cost of cloud computing can make you lazy about reading contracts. You can sign up for services in just a couple of minutes (if you have your credit card handy), but Burton urges buyers to consider thier requirements before buying.
There are also cultural and perceptual changes to overcome – according to Microsoft's research, most people are more comfortable with cloud services that are ‘local’. “People are concerned particularly about where data resides. So it’s important to understand your supplier’s approach to data storage,” says Burton.
Connectivity can pose a problem too. After all, you need an internet connection to use cloud computing, so it's important to understand if your connection is fast and reliable enough. Also, does your cloud computing provider offer a solid service level agreement? How will it behave regarding data transfer and security if you want to switch vendors?
The Cloud Industry Forum has codes of practice for providers, while cloud computing has even attracted the beady eye of the EU commissioner Neelie Kroes – a sure endorsement that it has arrived.
In all, the use of cloud computing is only likely to grow. Burton even sees a time when the workplace as a single entity dissolves. “The components are all there for something ‘transformational’, now it just has to come together.”
If Amazon can't make the cloud work, can anyone?
May 20, 2011
Inside a data centre. Photo from Neospire on Flickr under Creative Commons.
You might have read about problems last month with Amazon’s web hosting service. These affected many well-known websites, including Q&A social network Quora, Foursquare and Reddit.
The outage sparked some debate about how far businesses can rely on cloud services, especially if they’re unable or unwilling to commit to services offering a high level of security and backup.
Don’t let Amazon cloud your decisions
’The cloud’ has been billed as the be all and end all, but like any other business-critical service, you can only count on it if it’s backed up by solid business continuity planning.
Reading between the lines, the Amazon customers least affected by the outage were those with budgets big enough to afford the company’s premium service. They get the peace of mind of knowing that their data’s stored in more than one location.
However, many start-ups and small businesses use cloud services in order to benefit from low up-front costs and manageable ‘pay as you go’ charging. For some, this means they invest in a bottom dollar package from a mass market provider.
But if you don’t choose wisely, taking this route can end up compromising business continuity. What’s more, you may eliminate one of the main reasons for taking the cloud computing route in the first place: complete assurance that your data and systems are protected in every eventuality.
Multiple locations matter
If your chosen cloud computing supplier can only offer hosting from a single location – also called a ‘data centre’ - within your budget allowance, it’s usually worth shopping around. A niche provider that caters specifically for smaller businesses like yours may understand and meet your requirements more effectively.
The key thing is the number of places where your data is stored. Without at least two data centres, you leave yourself at higher risk of service interruptions and failures. Having all your applications and data stored at one site may be no safer than sticking your server in the corner of the office.
True, cloud services have expert engineers available to fix problems quickly, but if your data’s hosted in at least two separate locations it is highly unlikely that both environments will be affected at the same time. So if there’s a problem, you can keep working as normal.
Do remote networks right
My message to companies out there that are questioning cloud technologies after the Amazon outage is to take heed: remote networks are more secure than many traditional systems and, moreover, easier to reinstall should onsite disaster strike.
However, this only applies if you’ve got the right provisions in place. Make sure your cloud provider has more than one data centre, and examine their business continuity plans in detail.
Adrian Smith is MD of Heywood-based IT services provider Flexsys.
Three online tools every freelancer should try
May 17, 2011
Working freelance has its own particular challenges. If you're busy with work, you're forever juggling projects, priorities and individual tasks, leaving scant time for other important jobs, like admin and marketing your own services.
I should know: when I'm not hard at work on the IT Donut, I'm usually helping other clients.
To keep in touch with my clients and on top of everything, I rely on three key tools. Fellow freelancers, if you haven't tried these yet, give them a go:
- Remember the Milk is a super-slick to-do list system. You can plug in all your tasks, large and small, and then assign them to different categories. You can then set deadlines and any other information you need to keep yourself on track. There are plenty of advanced features: you can set a location for each task, show tasks in your calendar or email, and - as you'd expect - access everything through an app for your mobile phone. But the basic version of Remember the Milk is easy to use and free.
- Dropbox is an online backup and file sharing tool that just works. Download the software, install it on your computer and choose where you want your 'Dropbox' to go. Then, anything you save in your Dropbox is automatically backed up across the internet. What's more, you can install Dropbox on to all your computers and it'll makes sure your files are mirrored on all of them. The entry-level Dropbox package is free.
- Skype is an instant messaging and voice over IP service, which means you can place telephone calls through your computer. More and more I find myself reaching for Skype instead of picking up the phone. With a headset connected to my computer I chat to other Skype users for free. It costs to call other telephones, but is particularly useful for freelancers because you can choose a landline number to use with Skype, so people can call you on it - and if you're not at your computer, you can divert calls elsewhere.
Are you freelance? What online tool couldn't you operate without?
The broadband lottery: here's why your internet connection might be slower than you'd hoped
April 20, 2011
Is your broadband slower than this? (Image: RogueSun Media under Creative Commons)
Broadband companies have been criticised for advertising connection speeds that only a fraction of customers ever actually get. But it's not always easy for them to predict what speed an individual customer will receive. Sebastien Lahtinen from thinkbroadband explains.
Imagine you run manufacturing business that uses widgets as a component. You see an advertisement on a website from a company offering to supply 'up to 24 widgets' each month for a fee of £35 per month.
However, when your first delivery arrives you find it only includes nine widgets. On querying the error, the supplier's response is that they only ever promised 'up to' 24 widgets.
It sounds confusing, unfair and illogical. Yet this is exactly how most broadband services are sold. And the grounds for it are actually quite reasonable.
What is broadband?
Broadband describes what were considered fast internet connections at a time when slow connections were the norm. Most UK broadband is delivered using DSL technology (most commonly ADSL, which stands for asymmetric digital subscriber line). This uses old-fashioned copper telephone cables to get an internet connection into your business.
There are two main causes of slow broadband speeds and it is important to distinguish between them.
1. Congestion
Congestion can affect all internet connections. It simply means that too many people are trying to transfer too much data at once. Like having too many cars on the roads, it leads to delays in data reaching its destination.
Each broadband supplier has to strike a balance between capacity and congestion. To keep costs down, many broadband suppliers - especially those in the price-sensitive consumer market - operate a high contention ratio. This is the number of connections being sold compared to the total available capacity.
At peak times, broadband suppliers with a high contention ratio may not be able to service all customers at full speed.
To alleviate this problem, some companies implement traffic management systems. These can differentiate between different kinds of internet traffic, ensuring that when you're using your connection for something that requires a fast response - like video calls or online gaming - you get given priority.
Many business broadband packages have a low contention ratio. However, even so, your broadband supplier can't guarantee good end-to-end performance. The internet is, essentially, a network of connected networks. Your broadband supplier only has control over their bit of it. If congestion is a problem elsewhere, they can't do anything about it.
2. Technology
One of the main problems with ADSL broadband is that it relies on old copper telephone lines which were never designed for digital communications.
Signals degrade as they travel along the line, meaning that the further you are from your local telephone exchange, the slower your broadband service will be. In general, if you're within 2km of the telephone exchange then you will receive the top speeds, with a sharp fall thereafter depending on the type of ADSL technology used.
The upshot of this is that ADSL broadband suppliers can't market a service with a definite speed until they know the exact telephone line on which it will be used.
Before you order, most providers will give you an estimate of the speed they expect you to achieve. Unfortunately, this can't be guaranteed either, particularly as broadband providers don't own the phone lines they use.
They have to pay Openreach (the division of BT which maintains phone lines) for access to your line - and they pay the same regardless of what speed connection your line can support.
Confusing, isn't it?
What this means for you
If you're looking to purchase an internet connection, the key consideration should be how important the connection is to your business.
Every year, more companies are moving from local servers to cloud-based business applications, and from traditional telephone systems to VoIP services.
These applications require a reliable internet connection, so you need to look at not only the headline speed (which, as we've established, doesn't always tell the whole story) and price, but also the level of service on offer.
If your business can't function without internet access, make sure you build some redundancy into your connection - perhaps by using more than one technology or supplier. It's also important you look at upload speeds. These are important for some applications, like VoIP, yet many connections prioritise downloads, at the expense of upload speeds.
About the author
Sebastien Lahtinen is co-founder of thinkbroadband, the UK's first community dedicated to helping users resolve broadband problems. In addition to reporting on the latest broadband news, you can run a speed test on your current service, view a broadband map showing locations of telephone exchanges, availability and speeds in your area, and check if your internet connection is ready for IPv6.
It's time to break down the broadband bull
March 08, 2011
By international standards, UK broadband isn't exactly super-speedy. But the worst thing is that when you buy it, often you have little idea what you're going to get.
Sure, your package might offer speeds 'up to 8Mbps', 'up to 16Mbps', or even (optimistically), 'up to 24Mbps'. But even if you know what 'Mbps' means, that 'up to' introduces massive uncertainty. You might end up with only a tenth of the promised speed, or worse.
It wouldn't be allowed elsewhere
In other industries, this wouldn't be allowed. Imagine if your car - which an enthusiastic salesman promised would do 'up to 100mph' - actually maxed out at 35.
You wouldn't stand for it. Yet with broadband, this kind of advertising is the norm.
The use of 'up to' stems from the way in which ADSL - which is how most of us get our broadband - works. It uses copper wires which were never designed for the purpose. And that makes speeds unpredictable.
We're relying on 1911 hardware to deliver 2011 connectivity. So if you're miles from a telephone exchange or your line is old and crackly, you won't get a good connection.
We want honest broadband
The obvious way to make our broadband better would be to introduce a modern, up-to-date broadband network. With guaranteed speeds, you could forget any 'up to' hassles.
And that is happening, albeit slowly. Some places can already get a fast fibre optic connection via Virgin Media or through BT's fledgling Infinity network. But those services won't reach many of us anytime soon.
So, while the rest of us are waiting for a fibre optic connection, ADSL providers need to shape up their act:
- Set charges to reflect real-world speeds. If I'm only going to get 10% of the advertised speed, I should only have to pay 10% of the advertised cost. That might give providers some incentive to improve things.
- Quote realistic speeds in advertising, not best case ones. Only a tiny proportion of broadband customers get the promised speeds (if any), so it's time advertising changed to reflect this. Even Ofcom seems to agree.
- Be open about fair use. Many packages limit what you can download each month to reduce network load. Hit your limit and your connection will crawl. But these limits are hard to understand. How much is 10GB?
Nowadays, internet access isn't just important to run your business. It's essential. So is it wrong to insist that broadband companies are open, honest and upfront about the speed of their services?
(Image of fibre optics from adrienneserra under a Creative Commons Attribution licence.)
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