The world seems very different than it did in January. Ever since the lockdown started on March 23rd 2020, the entire economy has found significant challenges in enabling teams to work from home for the foreseeable future, especially around productivity, security, resiliency and collaboration.

Finding novel solutions to these problems will help businesses in the long run, not only to increase the agility of businesses, but improve productivity too, though, only if the right foundations are put in place first.

As the dust is starting to settle, we’re beginning to get a clearer idea of what our customers will need in the short and long-term, to ensure businesses can carry on thriving, even through these tumultuous times. But one thing is for sure: homeworking is here to stay.

During this period of unpredictability UK businesses have been forced to adapt to homeworking and some have adapted better than others. For most it’s been a matter of trial and error and seeing what works for each individual operation. So, here’s our top three tips for adapting to a successful homeworking strategy.

Choose scalable connectivity

Your team now has all the physical hardware it needs – laptops, video conferencing software, wrist rests and second screens – so, that’s mission accomplished, right? Wrong.

Your homeworker’s communication is only as effective as the internet connection it runs through and the residential connections we all rely on for our iPlayer, YouTube, browsing and gaming are just not fast, reliable or secure enough to handle business usage.

Internet services for businesses are usually built to include a number of device and network-level security features to protect operations from malicious sites, hackers and misuse.

Considering that homeworking seems here to stay, it’s time to look further afield than just the once’s connectivity and look to bring remote worker’s internet connections in line with those used at larger once sites, because there are plenty of benefits, other than security that your team will be able to take advantage of.

Supporting homeworkers is an important consideration for businesses looking to protect their future success and by broadening the scope of your network to your team’s home offices, you can take back control of your system’s performance and gain a more detailed insight into team performance and the efficiency of your operation.

Collaboration with clarity

While businesses need to ensure homeworkers don’t fall victim to endless meetings and video calls in the name of ‘clear communication’, they do need to provide connectivity that supports high usage, while face-to-face contact is not an option.

Keeping staff morale high is important, especially at times like this. So, look for tools that enable your workers to communicate in different and more personal ways. IM software like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and MiCollab, are perfect for quick conversations with more involved, personable dialogue and the option to include emojis and GIFs, making communication more enjoyable and more responsive than traditional email.

Collaborative tools like virtual retro boards, workshop facilitators, and live polls and Q&As, keep staff engaged during town halls too, so make sure you’re using the right tools for the task at hand!

As some return to the office part-time, we will start to see more hybrid meetings, with some office attendees, and others from home. Therefore, it’s even more essential to get the process correct to ensure remote employees feel involved and part of the team, while ‘on site’ employees will require equal access to the tech they’ve been using at home.

Expect distraction and work around it

As you may be aware, childcare continues to be a challenge for many employees …

It’s an issue that employers can help overcome. By making time for regular check-ins that accommodate individual circumstances, employees can work around their existing constraints, so set your expectations and offer flexible ways for staff to meet them.

One person might prefer a check-in email at the end of the day, or another may like to correspond over IM throughout the day. As long as you’re considering their home/life balance when working out deadlines, then you should keep your team happy and (relatively) stress-free.

Keeping in touch is more important than ever but, with a rich stack of tech in place, you can host quick and effective check-ins with the different members of your team. Collaboration platforms like Microsoft Teams and MiCollab allow people to see when each other are busy or when they’re in calls. This enables workers to better use their time, not calling colleagues
that are already in meetings, or on lunch, for example.

Ultimately, by allowing staff to take better and more control over their time and providing with the right tools to assess their teams and operations, business can become more productive with a robust homeworking policy and our products and services can enable you to do just that, so get in touch and discover how we can help you adapt to the new normal of the economy.

Our 6 top tips for homeworking

Its all about finding your rhythm, many have not found it easy working from home with all the distractions around you, take a read of our top 6 tips:

1. Get dressed! Even though you are at home, getting dress will improve your state of mind
2. Have boundaries with people around you, don’t let your cat, your dog your husband or kids distract you. Make sure they understand that you are working even though you’re not in your usual work environment
3. Get out and about! You may not miss your everyday travel but just because you are working from home does not mean you have to stay cooped up indoors, go get some air
4. Pick up your phone and have a conversation with a work colleague to help you engage you with your normal surroundings
5. Make sure you take breaks. It’s easy for us to just get into the mode of work and forget about the whole wide world around us but its important to take regular breaks; go for a walk, walk your dog or go get some lunch (if you’re not self-isolating of course).
6. Join in the team WhatsApp chats.  Use this and share the funny videos etc.  For anyone who is furloughed, they will appreciate still feeling part of the team.

As homeworking is set to stay, business-grade connections for remote workers could be the answer to cutting costs and excelling in the ‘new normal’.

UK businesses have adapted enormously since the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Almost overnight, they were forced to send workforces home and establish new remote working protocols. So much about the infrastructure, processes, operations and technologies we relied on was forced to change and now looks unlikely to return to ‘normal‘ anytime soon.

Many industries have suffered as their business ground to a halt while everyone remained indoors, and despite the loosening of lockdown restrictions, businesses are now faced with the economic aftermath of the pandemic, described by Chancellor Rishi Sunak as a ‘recession like we’ve never seen’. This is undoubtedly a challenging time for business leaders, but its not all gloom and doom. For some, the pandemic has thrown up new opportunities and presented new ways of working that they would have been reluctant to accept if they had not been forced into trying them by lockdown. For example, Chief Executive of Barclays Bank, Jes Staley, made headlines a few weeks ago by speculating that having thousands of workers in expensive offices may be a thing of the past, and the bank is reviewing its ‘location strategy’ long term in the light of its operations during the pandemic. So, if a Big Five bank like Barclays can see the benefits of embracing remote working for its 70,000 global workforce, why not consider a similar model for your business?

We’ve all faced the frustrations that go with home-working; worries about security, frozen video conference screens and lack of speedy resolutions to connectivity issues, but for weeks now desks have remained empty while teams worked from home, highlighting that it is possible to collaborate closely with colleagues without being in the same location. So how about a bit of new thinking for the ‘new normal’? Rather than looking to return to a centralised future and maintaining expensive offices, let’s focus on a new solution: business-grade connectivity for homeworkers.

It’s becoming increasingly clear that outlay on physical office space is better spent elsewhere. Empowering homeworking through business fibre lines for remote workers is an ideal strategy for UK businesses looking to save money and excel in the new normal. Installing business-grade connections for staff will cut OpEx and remove the common frustrations homeworkers experience with their residential connections. Of course, this is a major change in mindset but as our lockdown experience has proved we can adapt much more quickly than we thought possible when change is forced upon us. So now is the time to capitalise on the lessons we have learnt during the pandemic.

Investing now will put you ahead of the game in terms of connectivity and cost efficiencies, but let’s not forget the reason we were locked down in the first place. While COVID-19 remains an issue remote working is the best way to protect the health of staff and protect your business against an uncertain future.

Already a number of cities in the UK have had restrictions re-imposed and it is likely that the winter will bring a new wave of chaos. Let’s face it, humans are sociable creatures so I can’t see the office disappearing altogether but creating a workforce that can operate without one, certainly seems like the future.

Our Tips For Home Working During COVID-19

The coronavirus pandemic has quickly changed how we work as a nation, with the vast majority of employees now positioned away from the traditional office environment and working from home.

This is all possible through the use of technology that allows us to stay connected with colleagues through broadband, phone lines and perhaps most effectively, video and conference calls.

Technology for remote working

With these unusual times upon us, it is uncertain to know when we can resume normality in our day to day working life. Remote working is likely to continue for an extended period of time, and once this is over, may allow for more flexible working in the future.

Through the use of technology you can ensure that your clients and customers still get the same level of service they expect, especially as you can reroute calls so your work contact stays the same, and with reliable telecoms such as hosted telephony, you’re easy to reach any time of the day.

Advice on working from home

If your comms are already set up for remote working, we have collected some top tips for working from home which will be especially helpful if it’s a new way of working for you and your team.

Start as normal

Get ready for your working day as you would if you were going into the office by getting dressed into smart or smart casual clothes. As you may not be dealing with clients on video calls you can relax workwear to suit your new routine as the need to ‘dress to impress’ may not be applicable each and every day.

By starting early, getting dressed and getting a coffee, if that’s part of your normal routine, you can set yourself up for the rest of the day and get into a productive mindset to succeed.

Have a dedicated work space

A dedicated work space is good to have if possible when working from home. It means that you can have a proper set up with everything you need so you’re ready to be productive during your working hours. It also means that you’re able to leave that area at the end of the day knowing that your working day is over and now is the time to relax. It can also be a ‘no go area’ for other members of the family for certain times of the day, giving you the boundaries you may need.

If you have a business mobile, then try turning it off at the end of the working day and leave it in your dedicated workspace (if this is applicable for your job role). This allows you to separate work life from home life.

Stay connected

When working from home it is really important to make sure you still engage with the people that you work with. It is sometimes easy to get caught up in your work as there are less distractions around you so it’s a good idea to pick up the phone to a colleague from work to help engage in normal work life.

If your business uses hosted telephony solutions, getting in touch with your team can be extremely easy as everything is based in the cloud. This allows you and your colleagues to all keep the same phone number and easily call internal phone lines, as it would be from the office, as well as contacting customers.

If you can, try to:

• Have a dedicated time to talk to your line manager or team
• Maintain scheduled meetings as normal, simply host them digitally rather than face-to-face
• Use cloud based software to collaborate on work rather than working individually

The flexibility of hosted telephony solutions can certainly help make ‘the new normal’ feel less uncertain and stressful.

Keep active

Keeping active is very important, especially as current restrictions limit our time outside, including commutes. Whilst it is easy to simply transition time outdoors into looking at our computer or phone screens, make sure you get out for a form of exercise, such as going for a walk, run or a bike ride near to home.

Staying active has an incredible host of benefits; it keeps you fit and healthy, encourages endorphins and can break up your day.

Take breaks

Taking breaks is very important to do when working from home. It can sometimes be easy to forget to do because you are not in your normal routine.

To make sure you are taking any entitled breaks you usually have when in the office, make sure you tell your colleagues you are on your break and will not be responding for a while. Then make sure that you move away from your working area and log off, maybe using this time to go for your daily exercise.

Maintain a routine

It is important to keep a routine when working from home to allow yourself a balance between your work and private life. This can be achieved by maintaining your normal working hours – 9am-5pm, 8.30-6pm, whatever they may be – and signing off as you would usually. Routine can also include when you take your daily exercise, when you make yourself a coffee or tea, or when you have company wide or team meetings scheduled.

Keeping the same working hours may be complicated if you have children at home or need to share any technology with a partner or other family member. If this is the case, being flexible might be necessary, in which case try to maintain your workspace as discussed.

Contact our team about remote working

If your business is already utilising our cloud based phone systems and wants to know more about the features that can help your team work more effectively from home, then please get in touch with us on 01256 391 046.

In the current climate changing your telephone system may not be at the front of your mind but there are many reasons why now is a good time to upgrade your telephony.

1. School premises are empty of students making installation simpler.
2. Using ISDN means you missing out on the flexibility offered by SIP and hosted solutions.
3. Update messages quickly and easily when the landscape is changing, such as updates to opening due to coronavirus and weather.
4. Improve communication and contact staff on their extension number – wherever they are (in the school grounds or working remotely) with a mobile phone application.
5. Enable teachers to call from mobiles when not in the school grounds and present the school number.
6. Make your school safe for when students return with a single key activation for lockdown.
7. Improve audit trails with call recording and logging.
8. Reduce costs with free calls.
9. Maintain your essential services such as absentee and information lines.
10. Now is a great time to take advantage of the free training offered by Southern Communications on all the systems we install.

We understand how vital it is for teachers and parents to have reliable and effective communication, as well as internal calls between staff that are safe and secure. With our range of telephone systems we can find the right solution for your school, which is GDPR compliant, no matter whether you are small or large, state-run or independent.

The recent call to arms from the Government to work from home has sent millions of people setting up makeshift offices throughout the UK. Through digital technologies and devices, the transition has been relatively painless, especially if you are in a major conurbation where networks routinely offer stable fibre connections and solid 4G connections.

Sadly, not everyone in the UK has access to reliably fast connections or indeed anything over a “one bar” mobile connection which means your crucial client meeting or Zoom family quiz is still very much “subject to availability”.

There is however some very good news for sufferers of “buffer-face” or the “wheel of eternal doom”, and that is the rollout of 5G Broadband, coming 10 years after the rollout of 4G, promising speeds in excess of even wired connections.

In real terms, this game-changing technology will allow you to stream 8K video directly to your phone, download a full movie in seconds and engage in latency-free multiplayer gaming (literally, a game-changer!).

Now, more than ever, fast, reliable and consistent connectivity is playing a vital role in human interactivity and business productivity, so here is our guide to 5G and why it could be your next home and company game-changer.

What exactly is 5G?

5G is the next generation of internet connectivity. 4G had a maximum download speed of 300Mbps whereas 5G is expected to achieve download speeds of 10Gbps – that’s 100 times faster than 4G and 2000 times faster than 3G.

5G speeds are likely to exceed those of modern-day fibre connections, which translates into fast, reliable connections both in and out of the home or office.

When will 5G be available in the UK?

5G is currently available in selected locations; it has now been launched in 71 large towns and cities throughout the United Kingdom. Services are provided by the main mobile providers with further rollout expected to continue aggressively throughout 2020/2021. EE are currently aiming for full UK coverage by 2022.

Locations where 5G has rolled out or will be rolling out in 2020 include:

• London, England
• Edinburgh, Scotland
• Birmingham, England
• Belfast, Northern Ireland
• Manchester, England
• Cardiff, Wales
• Bristol, England
• Coventry, England
• Leicester, England

If you need further information about availability in your area, call our expert team.

It is anticipated that the rollout of 5G will inspire and accelerate the advancement of emerging technologies such as self-driving cars, augmented reality software and the famed “IoT” (the Internet of Things) devices that “speak” to each other providing services that anticipate need, make us more efficient and even save lives.

Will 5G replace my current fixed-line broadband?

According to TechRadar the answer for the moment is no, it will act as a “companion to fixed-line broadband” but in time it is anticipated that it will “eventually become the de facto connection for both your mobile phone and home broadband.”

In short, 5G is the connection you will have wherever you are – at home and at work.

How do businesses benefit from 5G?

Whilst 5G will improve home connectivity, its true potential lies in how it can improve business communications across all industries.

Increased mobility

5G is a genuine “always-on” technology – essentially you take your connection with you. No more dropouts whilst moving from WiFi to Mobile data. With our unlimited data bundles for business mobiles, you can ensure your team is able to stay connected no matter where they are, even when working from home.

Better communications

With increased speed comes increased stability. In today’s hyper-connected world where video conferencing has become standard in both businesses and homes, 5G now offers genuine opportunities to work smarter and play harder.

Improved productivity

Consider the effect of increased levels of speed, capacity and reliability for your business. Collaborative working in real-time over rock-solid connections is the dream of most business owners who are looking to increase efficiency and drive bottom-line profit.

What’s the latest on 5G phones?

Major manufacturers are ramping up 5G compatible phones and mobile devices. Major players including Samsung, Oppo, LG, Huawei and Xiaomi all feature highly in reviews with some stunning models being released on a regular basis.

There is little doubt that the rollout of 5G across the UK will signify another sea change in how we view and respond to the world. Increased connection speeds bring a fresh perspective on working from home or remote locations allowing greater flexibility and is, ultimately, kinder to the planet, which is possibly the real game-changer for all of us.

Is 5G right for your business?

5G will improve the productivity and competitiveness of nearly every business in the UK and there is an opportunity to capture the benefits before it becomes mainstream and to get ahead of your competitors.

Our expert team can advise you on the best way to incorporate 5G into your business across multiple locations and internationally, whether you are a charity or a financial firm, or even a start-up.

To explore ways that 5G could be a game-changer for your business call our expert team.

The coronavirus pandemic has quickly changed how we work as a nation, with the vast majority of employees now positioned away from the traditional office environment and working from home.

This is all possible through the use of technology that allows us to stay connected with colleagues through broadband, phone lines and perhaps most effectively, video and conference calls.

Technology for remote working

With these unusual times upon us, it is uncertain to know when we can resume normality in our day to day working life. Remote working is likely to continue for an extended period of time, and once this is over, may allow for more flexible working in the future.

Through the use of technology you can ensure that your clients and customers still get the same level of service they expect, especially as you can reroute calls so your work contact stays the same, and with reliable telecoms such as hosted telephony, you’re easy to reach any time of the day.

Advice on working from home

If your comms are already set up for remote working, we have collected some top tips for working from home which will be especially helpful if it’s a new way of working for you and your team.

Start as normal

Get ready for your working day as you would if you were going into the office by getting dressed into smart or smart casual clothes. As you may not be dealing with clients on video calls you can relax workwear to suit your new routine as the need to ‘dress to impress’ may not be applicable each and every day.

By starting early, getting dressed and getting a coffee, if that’s part of your normal routine, you can set yourself up for the rest of the day and get into a productive mindset to succeed.

Have a dedicated work space

A dedicated work space is good to have if possible when working from home. It means that you can have a proper set up with everything you need so you’re ready to be productive during your working hours. It also means that you’re able to leave that area at the end of the day knowing that your working day is over and now is the time to relax. It can also be a ‘no go area’ for other members of the family for certain times of the day, giving you the boundaries you may need.

If you have a business mobile, then try turning it off at the end of the working day and leave it in your dedicated workspace (if this is applicable for your job role). This allows you to separate work life from home life.

Stay connected

When working from home it is really important to make sure you still engage with the people that you work with. It is sometimes easy to get caught up in your work as there are less distractions around you so it’s a good idea to pick up the phone to a colleague from work to help engage in normal work life.

If your business uses hosted telephony solutions, getting in touch with your team can be extremely easy as everything is based in the cloud. This allows you and your colleagues to all keep the same phone number and easily call internal phone lines, as it would be from the office, as well as contacting customers.

If you can, try to:

• Have a dedicated time to talk to your line manager or team
• Maintain scheduled meetings as normal, simply host them digitally rather than face-to-face
• Use cloud based software to collaborate on work rather than working individually

The flexibility of hosted telephony solutions can certainly help make ‘the new normal’ feel less uncertain and stressful.

Keep active

Keeping active is very important, especially as current restrictions limit our time outside, including commutes. Whilst it is easy to simply transition time outdoors into looking at our computer or phone screens, make sure you get out for a form of exercise, such as going for a walk, run or a bike ride near to home.

Staying active has an incredible host of benefits; it keeps you fit and healthy, encourages endorphins and can break up your day.

Take breaks

Taking breaks is very important to do when working from home. It can sometimes be easy to forget to do because you are not in your normal routine.

To make sure you are taking any entitled breaks you usually have when in the office, make sure you tell your colleagues you are on your break and will not be responding for a while. Then make sure that you move away from your working area and log off, maybe using this time to go for your daily exercise.

Maintain a routine

It is important to keep a routine when working from home to allow yourself a balance between your work and private life. This can be achieved by maintaining your normal working hours – 9am-5pm, 8.30-6pm, whatever they may be – and signing off as you would usually. Routine can also include when you take your daily exercise, when you make yourself a coffee or tea, or when you have company wide or team meetings scheduled.

Keeping the same working hours may be complicated if you have children at home or need to share any technology with a partner or other family member. If this is the case, being flexible might be necessary, in which case try to maintain your workspace as discussed.

Contact our team about remote working

If your business is already utilising our cloud based phone systems and wants to know more about the features that can help your team work more effectively from home, then please get in touch with us on 01256 391 046.

2019 has been another successful and exciting year for us at Southern Communications, with award wins from industry leading bodies and successful fundraising tasks among our highlights.

With 2019 coming to a close, we have put together some of our top highlights from the year:

Awards success

We were delighted again this year to be nominated for a number of awards from notable industry bodies.

Our first award of the year was from the BVCA (British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association) Management Team Awards, where we were pleased to take home the Best Mid Market Management Team award.

We received our second award from the Thames Valley Tech Awards (TVTA) where we were delighted to be given the Tech Leadership Team Award.

We are proud to be nominated and win from these prestigious industry awards, especially in such competitive categories. Discover the other accolades we have been awarded over the years here.

Fundraising challenges

This year, we were proud to help a number of charities and good causes with a variety of fundraising tasks throughout 2019.

One of our main fundraising challenges was supporting Francis Benali in his Iron Fran Challenge, where he planned to complete seven triathlons in seven days to raise money for Cancer Research. To help Franny raise his £1 million target, we undertook a range of fundraising tasks, such as a charity cycle challenge, charity golf day and auction.

We were also proud to raise money for Jeans for Genes Day, Macmillan Cancer Support and Children in Need.

To see the full list of money raised and charities supported, take a look at our fundraising page.

Another record breaking financial year

Although 2019 has been another difficult year for businesses in a range of industries, we have managed to see continuous impressive growth with another year of record breaking turnover.

In the 2018/2019 financial year we saw a 62.5% increase in turnover, taking £70.2 million and we have seen continued growth within the company since 1995.

Improving the telecoms of small businesses

In order to help small businesses benefit from industry leading voice and data solutions, the DCMS have introduced the Gigabit Voucher Scheme which gives SMEs up to £2500 to improve their communications systems.

At Southern Communications, we are dedicated to offering the best service at the best price, and are delighted to be helping small businesses as a supplier that can pass on savings through the Government £67m Gigabit voucher scheme.

5G ready

Ready for the roll out of 5G networks in 2019, we have launched a range of 5G compatible mobile devices for businesses to benefit from. Partnered with EE, one of the main mobile networks providing 5G coverage, we are able to offer the latest devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S10 and iPhone 11 Pro all ready for when 5G connectivity is available in your area.

Continued expansion of the telecoms guide

We started our online telecoms guide in 2017 to help users understand exactly what each type of telecoms is, their benefits and which business types they best suit, as well providing information on industry abbreviations and their meanings.

In 2019, we continued to expand the guide with the addition of a new section, FTTC. As well as this, we added a new resources section with even more information, FAQs and definitions of phone systems.

Here’s to 2020!

Thank you to everyone who has worked with us and supported us in 2019. We look forward to continuing working with and helping you with your communications in 2020!

If you’re interested in finding out more about any of our services in 2020, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

The Univerge^® SV9100 is an IP Unified Communications solution that provides a technologically advanced platform ideal for SMEs and corporates, with from 10 to 800 extensions.

It is a phone system that connects every aspect of your office and out of office team in one central hub, with its simplified licensing and comprehensive suite of contact centre solutions. These features will allow you to stay ahead in your field and capitalise your firm’s USP by dramatically increasing the productivity of your operators and sales agents.

How Your Business Will Benefit With the NEC SV9100

Save Time and Money

Time is of the essence and time is money in the competitive business world. The SV9100 allows your company to effectively and efficiently coordinate aspects of the working day, week and month that may not previously have appeared necessary.

As this software allows you to condense the workload financially and physically, you and your company will save money on expenses for office space rental and in house staffing.

Central Hub and Advanced Features

You and your business can benefit from the SV9100 by utilising its networking abilities and linking the office to one central hub. There are a wide range of features that include advanced secure software solutions, stylish handsets and a wealth of mobility applications and devices making it easier for out of office access to your network.

InGuard Against Cyber Attacks

InGuard monitors all call activity 24 hours a day and instantly detects any suspicious activity that may be detrimental to your company or clients secure information or finances.

There are two automatic alerts

• An ‘alert only’ email sent to designated recipients
• An ‘alert and block’, which is used in more severe circumstances to instantly prevent any further call activity

Toll fraud, also known as phreaking or phone hacking is a risk to any size business with an estimated 85% of businesses vulnerable. An attack could cost you thousands and potentially bankruptcy, so it’s always recommended to have a safeguard in place, such as Southern Communications VoiceSafe service.

Company Co-ordination & Efficiency

The SV9100 has a vast amount of features for increasing efficiency and productivity as well as being able to coordinate your workload regardless of location either in the office or at home.

Here are some core features to consider:

• Treat your smartphone like your deskphone with a mobile extension
• Remain contactable through one extension number wherever you are
• Use system features on the move
• Call recording capabilities on your mobile phone
• Use the NEC smartphone application and connect via WiFi or 3G or 4G

Smart Collaboration And Real Time Communication

The SV9100 InUC utilises WebRTC provides highly cost effective video and collaboration working seamlessly within your IT environment. Quickly set up audio and visual connections between two or more PC’s from anywhere using internet and a VPN or LAN connection.

Users can:

• Quickly set up audio or visual connections between two or more computers
• Set up audio or video conferences
• Work collectively with screen share or sharing documents
• Present live software demonstrations and slideshows

Being able to collaborate is about sharing and developing ideas together and the SV9100 provides a great hub for being more productive as a collective.

There are a wealth of other functions in the SV9100 that include:

• Email integration
• SIP disaster recovery technology
• Hot desking
• Remote management
• Door phones
• Key call performance summary reports
• Caller I.D
• Soft phone
• IP DECT handsets
• Mobile extension
• HD audio
• Roaming
• Enterprise dialling

Who Are The NEC?

The NEC were originally known as the Nippon Electric Company. Established in 1899 The NEC are at the forefront of telecommunications technology and now employs more than 100,000 people worldwide.

The NEC, known for its innovation, excellent customer service and post-sales management have achieved the accolade of the world’s top selling phone system manufacturer. By constant innovation and research they are at the forefront of business telephone solutions and offer comprehensive services. They are committed to the highest industry levels of customer support and the development of the most advanced communications applications.

Speak with us today about the NEC SV9100

Based in Nottingham the NEC team provide Southern Communications with equipment and additional support services to enable customers to benefit from continued reliability and future proofing.

If you would like to learn more or get in touch with our experts – click here for all of our contact information.

At Southern Communications, we will be rolling out EE 5G to our customers as it is rolled out across the UK, with the latest devices.

Is 5G much better than 4G?

It has been 10 years since 4G was released on mobiles across the world, making the Internet and connections far more accessible and speedier for users. Now 5G is being rolled out across the UK and the rest of the world and is expected to completely change the way we interact using mobiles, being up to 100x faster.

5G networks are being delivered by leading networks such as EE and will have a large impact on how businesses use mobile communications.

When will 5G roll out and who is providing coverage?

5G coverage has already started rolling out in the UK, with EE currently the main network providing 5G services. Over the course of 2020, EE are planning on providing 26 major cities with 5G coverage, with some cities already receiving coverage.

These include:

• London, England
• Edinburgh, Scotland
• Birmingham, England
• Belfast, Northern Ireland
• Manchester, England
• Cardiff, Wales
• Bristol, England
• Coventry, England
• Leicester, England

Mobile phone companies are also starting to roll out smartphones that are 5G ready. The latest phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S10 and the iPhone 11 Pro are already available.

Improved speed and connectivity – 100x faster

The main feature of the new 5G network is the speed and connectivity solutions, making it far more efficient for users. It’s predicted that speeds will be up to 100x faster than 4G, making connectivity almost instantaneous.

Low latency is the reason for faster connectivity and speeds on the 5G network. Latency refers to the time that passes between your device sending the information its looking for, until it has been transferred to the receiver.

These speeds will give users the ability to upload and download files instantly and watch an HD film immediately on your phone without waiting for it to download and buffer.

What are the main benefits for businesses?

Having business mobiles with a 5G connection will allow businesses to work even more efficiently and productively, providing better communications for both staff and clients.

Some of the main benefits to businesses include:

Fast uploads and downloads

Ability to upload and download files easily with better connectivity and faster speeds. Staff will be able to quickly and efficiently look at files on their mobile when out of the office. This flexibility means that your teams can work at anytime, giving customers a far better service, even when out of the office.

Clear and fast video calls and conferencing

Video calling will be clearer and faster. If you have clients all over the world that you have regular meetings with, or you just need to speak to your team back in the office, video calling will be far clearer and quicker. You will be able to easily communicate with and show others presentations without blurred communications that cut out. This will save a lot of time, prevent miscommunication and potentially help sales.

Better comms for out of office staff

You’ll notice better connectivity to those who are out of the office. If your business has regular home workers, such as customer service executives, it will make it far easier to keep in touch with them and for them to communicate with clients. Emails will be sent and received instantly, improving efficiencies in the workplace.

Get in touch with our expert team

If you would like to find out more about our business mobile services, visit our website, or get in touch on 01256 391 046.