Is BYOD just another acronym?

As if the comms industry didn't have enough TLA's (three letter acronyms) they've now introduced another. 
But this time they are testing us with four letters. The latest acronym to gain global status in the comms dictionary is BYOD, otherwise known as Bring Your Own Device. It sounds like a party invite and could become just as popular.


It has grown from being a general talking point of very little interest to a hot topic in a very short space of time, why? 


Maybe it's because it is the end-user that's driving the conversation. Organisations need to be lean and flexible. It used to be that IT departments drove technology, but that has changed dramatically in recent years. The introduction of the iPhone and other such devices has shifted the IT culture so that the users are the ones getting the latest, cutting edge technologies first, and they want to bring those devices to work.


The benefits to the organisation are that most of the costs shift to the user. You would expect that there would be an employee revolt but they are happy because they have the laptops and smartphones they desire making for a happier workforce. They like them so much they invested their hard-earned money in them. They’d rather use the devices of their choice rather than being stuck with laptops and mobile devices that are selected and issued by the IT department.


That brings challenges to the organisation such as compliance and ownership of data. Rules must be followed even if the data is on a device owned by an employee.


So whether it's BYOD or BYOB know the limits and enjoy.


"New Technology, Traditional Values" - askAdodo

Quote for the week!

"A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new"
          -  Albert Einstein
Keep looking out for our new and innovative ways to help you communicate with your customers. Do you want help, just AskAdodo - 0115 9701471.

Warning: Solar Storm

The largest storm of its kind for 5 years is currently bombarding the Earth's magnetic field with charged particles from the Sun and will continue to do so until 03:00 tomorrow.

The good news is the Northern Lights may be visible at lower latitudes.  The bad news is that these events, known as solar "eruptions", could interfere with technology: satellites, electrical grids and communications systems.  In 1972, a geomagnetic storm provoked by a solar flare knocked out long-distance telephone communication across the US state of Illinois.

This “eruption” was triggered by a pair of solar flares - the largest of their kind - earlier this week.  In the UK, the best chance to see them will be on Thursday night, the British Geological Survey says. So keep your eyes peeled!

Just Google It!

It is thought that around 40% of small firms in Wales have no website. On average, only 39% of companies in the UK have access to sell goods and services online. 


At a free conference in Cardiff this week, Dan Cobley, Google UK Managing Director, addressed almost 400 delegates as he launched a new initiative designed to highlight the importance of the internet to Welsh businesses. Business Minister Edwina Hart said the Welsh government was working with the internet company to help small businesses "access new markets". 


Google UK plans to train digital agencies across Wales to deliver training and workshops once the initial three month campaign has ended. Its travelling "Juice Bar" will offer free one-on-one digital health checks and workshops, tutorials and hands-on advice to small business owners, including how to acquire a web presence or improve the one they already have. 


The Cardiff event will be followed by others in Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil, Newport, Swansea and Wrexham.  


Other partners involved include the Institute of Directors in Wales and South Wales Chamber of Commerce.


Ask Adodo if you are interested in help building or improving your website. We can also help you with social media management and building mobile applications, remember, just ask adodo!

Superfast Broadband for Nottingham?

Business leaders in Nottingham are optimistic about the possibility of superfast broadband along the cities new tram links.

Nottingham City Council has applied for £8m of government money to help pay for the work, that would involve superfast broadband cables being installed along the same route as two new tram lines.  It would then be retrospectively connected to the existing network.  It is claimed it would give the city's businesses a competitive edge in the digital age.

Business leaders were informed of the plans at the launch of the Councils economic growth plan for Nottingham, and many believe it would help them compete globally.

Other cities are also bidding for the grant, with the winners being announced in the budget announcement next month.

Got a business broadband query?  Simple, Ask Adodo! 
0115 9701471 | solutions@adodo.co.uk | Click here to find out about our BB services

Quote for the Week!

"Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose."


Bill Gates


Starting the week with a Telecoms Query?  Simple, Ask Adodo! 
0115 9701471 | solutions@adodo.co.uk 

£2.1m Broadband Pledge from NCC

Nottinghamshire County Council is “chipping in” to the central government funding pledge to improve the county’s broadband access.

In August, the Government provisionally allocated £4.25m to Nottinghamshire County Council to improve broadband infrastructure county wide.  However with 23.7% of properties in Nottinghamshire having no or limited broadband access, the county council has decided to invest a further £2.1m.

Councillor Keith Girling, deputy cabinet member for culture and community, said: "At the moment we are losing businesses to South Yorkshire because broadband is better for them there.

"We've got to look at it sensibly. Rural areas depend on good broadband and it is up to us to make it happen."

But the county council said it needed Nottinghamshire's district and borough councils to match the funding to ensure the "vital" broadband improvements. Furthermore, the county council is seeking £8.5m from whichever telecommunications operator is appointed to carry out the improvements.  Work is not expected to start until 2013.

Got a question about broadband connectivity? Ask the experts, Ask Adodo 

Quote of the Week!

"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome."

Booker T. Washington 

Are You Ready for an IT Failure?

A total 1,750 IT bosses were questioned in a report by IT group EMC that suggests almost three-quarters of firms and public sector organisations across nine European countries may not fully recover their computer systems or data after an IT failure.

The survey that covered Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg and Russia as well as the UK claimed 74% were "not very confident" they could fully restore their networks.  Furthermore, 54% admitted they had lost data or suffered systems downtime in the past 12 months.

Its report found that the most common cause of data loss and downtime was hardware failure, followed by power outage and software malfunction. 

EMC said firms needed to put more focus on backup and recovery systems.  Adodo wholeheartedly concurs!  Find out more about Adodo's Disaster Recovery Solutions.

Mobile Customer Service is Better

New Ofcom research reveals that consumers are more satisfied with their mobile phone provider than they are with landline or broadband suppliers.

In September the communication regulators interviewed 3,000 people, quizzing them on recent contact from their providers and the levels of service that they received.   The results showed that whilst service ratings for landlines had improved with BT, Sky and Talk Talk since 2009, on average, these satisfaction levels were still below those for mobile services.

It seems broadband speeds are still a major bone of contention and the underlying reason for many customer complaints.  Consumers having to contact their providers to change the deals that they signed up for proved the most common gripe from dissatisfied customers.

The telecommunication industry gets a lot of bad press for poor service, overcomplicated tariffs and for tying customers into long term contracts.  However, there are still some good guys out there that put a strong emphasis on customer service, simple tariffs and 30 days rolling contracts.  If you have a telecoms query then please feel free to Ask Adodo.