While about half of small businesses in the U.S. experience a cyber-attack, a whopping 87 percent of business owners think they’re not at risk. A data breach can be devastating; half of small businesses who experience one are shuttered within six months.

The good news is there are some easy things you can do to protect yourself from hackers who can not only steal money and customer data, but also employee details and vendor information.

• Train employees on your cybersecurity policy and what you expect them to do. This should include procedures for keeping employee, vendor, and customer information safe, as well as protocols on what to do in case there is a breach. Employees should also create strong, unique passwords for each account and every desktop and mobile device they use. Encourage the use of two-step authentication as well.
• Regularly update computers to ensure operating systems and web browsers are up to date and running any new versions of software, including security software. Any software stored on computers should also be updated.
• Regularly backup computers so that if information is stolen, there’s another copy available. For example, vendor information on your desktop should also have a copy stored in the cloud. All important information should include encryption and password protection.
• Limiting access is an important key to data security. Only employees should have access to company computers and accounts, and they shouldn’t share passwords.
• Secure your WiFi so only employees can access it. If you want an open WiFi for customers to use, set up a separate network so that guests don’t have the same WiFi access as employees.

​
It’s imperative to build a strong cyber security plan. By using data breach basics, you can help protect your business from cyber-attacks.

Although most often associated with Bitcoin, blockchain’s potential far exceeds digital currency to include a host of other industries, including telecommunications. The technology allows digital information to be distributed but not copied. Because a blockchain database isn’t stored in any single location, the records it keeps truly public and easily verifiable and therefore difficult for hackers to corrupt. This technology will be applicable to telcos networks in a variety of ways.
​

• Blockchain could lower network costs through efficiency gains, while service providers could save by relying less on third parties to complete a transaction.
• Blockchain can offer a decentralized approach to telecom systems, which could help better secure the privacy of the end user experience.
• As the telecom industry encompasses more internet of things (IoT) devices, blockchain’s decentralized control could help make the security of web connected devices more scalable.

​
While blockchain is poised to disrupt typical business operations, unanswered questions about regulatory frameworks, security and privacy issues, and more still exist. Perhaps the biggest challenge of the new technology will be for telecom service providers to identify optimal entry points.

One of business owners’ most dreaded projects is rebidding their telecom services and negotiating a new provider contract. Simplified has helped hundreds of clients navigate this often-complicated process, and recommends the following tips when negotiating a telecom contract:

• Have a powerful “out" clause that serves the best interest of your business. Be sure to include terms that allow for "termination without penalty." Worded correctly, an out clause can provide you with leverage if the vendor isn't delivering up to expectations.
• Think ahead. Although it can be tempting to agree to a long contract in order to save costs, don’t go beyond three years. Improving technologies means it costs less to deliver telecom services every year. Negotiating annually can allow you to adjust Service Level Agreements (SLA) and key contract terms.
• Keep it clear and concise. SLA’s are designed to hold the carrier accountable, so make sure your agreement in the contract is clear and defined, and allows your team to get the support they need in a reasonable amount of time.
• Be flexible. Consider how your company may change and include flexibility that accommodates for growth. Include language in the contract that makes things like mergers seamless from a mobility perspective. 
• Make it easy. Ensure monthly billing and reporting is easy to understand and works for you and your team. During negotiation, be clear about the details you require in reporting.

​
Having contracts in place makes it easy for a carrier to count customers and ensure predictable revenue. But telecom contracts are to your advantage as well. They eliminate guess work when conducting service audits and help to verify that your accounts are being billed correctly.

Call your Simplified agent to find out more about how your business can benefit from telecom contract negotiation services.

5G technology, the next generation of mobile internet connectivity, is expected to launch across the world by 2020, bringing three types of innovation: greater speed to be able to move more data; lower latency to improve responsiveness; and the ability to connect many devices at once. While many are focused on what they will be able to do with faster smartphones – 5G is expected to provide average download speeds of 1GBps – others are looking toward the innovations 5G will make possible.
​
“5G will be the platform for invention,” says a PSB Research report commissioned by Qualcomm. The survey found that 91 percent of worldwide respondents expect 5G to generate “new products and services that have yet to be invented,” and 87 percent expect new industries to emerge.

It’s predicted that 5G technology will bring opportunity to many industries:
​

• Healthcare innovations such as stroke rehab through Virtual Reality, smart bandages that track healing and the opportunity for parents to interact with babies confined to incubators.
• Automotive executives foresee 5G being used to provide quick location-based services, collision avoidance, roadside assistance and more. In fact, an autonomous car with 5G technology could hit the brakes with a stopping distance of one inch compared to the 4.6 feet it takes today with 4G.

​
5G will also contribute to the Internet-of-Things through machine learning and artificial intelligence, and its evolution will be used with appliances, alarm systems, health monitors, parking meters and traffic signals as well as for ultra-fast wireless delivery of video and data files.

​Like many industries, from healthcare to insurance, trucking and finance, Telecom has its share of acronyms that can be confusing and frustrating for those new to the industry. If you’re considering a new phone system for your business, here are the four types of phone systems you need to be familiar with in order to make the best decision for your business.

• PSTN, or POTS: When you plug a handset into a wall socket, you are using a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), or Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS). PSTN lacks any of services that businesses usually demand, such as conferencing, transfers, 3-way calling, voicemail, etc.
• PBX or PABX: The Private Branch Exchange (PBX) or Private Automatic Branch Exchange (PABX) began connecting businesses to the world nearly a century ago. Originally PBX was mostly used simply to allowed companies to route calls internally, but new and features and systems have grown more sophisticated over the decades.
• VoIP: Since the 1990’s, Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone systems have decreased business communication costs. Rather than transmitting signals along a direct connection, internet protocols break up message data into packets, which are scattered and randomized, taking many routes along countless nodes from one point to another.
• Virtual PBX and mobile VoIP:  Virtual PBX is a less-expensive form of hosted VoIP that usually handles inbound calls for small businesses with low-volume telephone traffic. Mobile VoIP refers to mobile handsets that have been integrated into an existing VoIP network, via a Wi-Fi or 3G/4G cellular network.

To learn more about the different types of business phone systems, including the benefits of each, contact a Simplified broker today.