Technology

The world of tech is on an ever-faster train of evolution that seems to increase every year. While it’s inevitable this would happen with tech advancements, 2017 was an amazing year when it came to technology. It also held some controversies in this category. […]

Slowly but surely, technology is creeping into every aspect of our lives. We interact with computers before we even leave the house in the morning- think automated thermostats, smart Vs, WiFi connected coffee pots and BlueTooth enabled garage doors. This is the Internet of Things and Machine to Machine communication. M2M stands for "machine to [...]

Data breaches are big news when they happen to big companies - but devastating when they happen to your company. Cyber security is a concern that every company, of any size, needs to take seriously. If you do not have a cyber security plan, then you need one now. You have two major areas of [...]

Technology is changing at a more rapid pace than at any time in history—and so is the language we use to describe it.  Acronyms abound, from CRM (customer relationship management) to SEO (search engine optimization), PPC (pay-per-click advertising), CTA (call to action) and ERP (enterprise resource planning).  And then, there’s SaaS.  What is it, and [...]

The use of cloud technology continues to expand exponentially. With the rise of the Internet of Things, cloud computing has become the next big innovation that tech companies are rushing to adopt. Whether they are transitioning into a cloud-based infrastructure, deploying software, or backing up files, companies are increasingly seeking to benefit from cloud technology. [...]

Considering the digital age that we’re in, there is no debating the importance of data to every business. With that in mind, the physical environment that your organization’s data is stored in can be an instrumental decision regarding natural disasters, security, and cost savings. Many small business owners are not aware that the typical office [...]

Until Steve Jobs brought his vision of the iPhone to life, people thought there had been nothing new in telecom since 1876 - when Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. Scientists are always striving to find new and faster forms of communication, from the telegraph to the radio. And now, people can connect across continents [...]

A business owner’s goal should always be to increase productivity – for you and your employees. Some tasks take longer than others, though introducing VoIP technology can help increase productivity in a variety of different ways. Before long, you will wonder what you ever did without it. […]

As a small business owner, you have a delicate balance to maintain, customers to satisfy and a corporate vision to maintain. The right IT solutions can help. IT tools exist to manage many of the daily operations of modern businesses. Automated processes tailored to your needs can perform many of the tasks necessary to your [...]

The telecommunications industry is constantly evolving, and so is the language used to describe it. Unless you work in the industry, remembering all the terms and acronyms can be challenging. And not knowing the basic vocabulary of telecom can make talking to your IT department or service providers difficult. This “need to know” list will [...]

It’s common knowledge that technology moves fast. But how fast?  The answer is actually daunting. Currently, technology is advancing at an 18-month doubling rate, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). That means that in a mere year and a half, technology will be twice as powerful as what we have today. And this [...]

These days, companies turn to SaaS solutions for a range of business needs, from collaboration tools to accounting and payroll to customer relationship management.  There are definitely advantages to these SaaS solutions. For instance: […]

As wonderful as technology is, it’s not perfect. Systems crash, Malware infects software, the Internet goes down and hardware fails. The effects of IT failure are far-reaching. Just one outage can end up costing a business much more than most people realize. According to one survey, IT downtime results in over $26.5 billion in lost [...]

Technology in business can be a blessing. Other times, it can feel like a curse. When systems are running smoothly, it leads to growth and better efficiency. However when problems arise, it can bring business to a screeching halt. Having spent years in IT, I can say that I’ve just about seen it all. Here [...]

Most business owners understand that a business is only as productive as its employees. As such, they continually look for ways to boost productivity and create a more effective work environment. In the IT arena, remote user desk support is one way to help staff be more productive. Remote desktop allows support staff to access [...]

A growing business always means more —more customers, more revenue and more staff. Most companies rely heavily on technology to keep their expanding business running smoothly. That means managing everything from keeping a website up and running to troubleshooting network problems to ensuring data is kept secure. With so much riding on the successful management [...]

Great question. In short, it depends. It really boils down to economics. The size of the company is also a critical component in the decision-making process. For large enterprises, maintaining in-house IT resources can come with significant cost advantages, because these organizations typically have the large budgets necessary to grow with technological advancements. The resulting [...]

“The hackers aren’t looking at me - they’re looking at the big guys like Target, Sony and TJMaxx.” I can’t tell you the number of times I have heard this from small to mid-sized businesses. But according to a 2013 Verizon security report, the truth of the matter is that over half of all data [...]

One of the biggest misconceptions in network services is about how something called remote monitoring works. Some clients take the term literally and believe that the size of their business doesn’t warrant the need for a simple status checker that has no added benefit. They think: “Well, it’s good that you can see if our [...]

Laura Hanssel – Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Harris Theater Experience: Over 13 years in the telecommunications field When I first stepped into my job as Chief Financial Officer and Executive VP for the Harris Theater, I looked into upgrading our seemingly ancient landline system. We were approaching a busy holiday season and [...]

A survey of IT professionals conducted earlier this year found that over 93 percent of respondents use some sort of cloud-based architecture. And with software giants like Microsoft moving towards service-based applications like Office 365, it is inevitable that some users will find themselves left behind because they haven’t made the shift. The subscription model automatically [...]

At work, Frank uses Gmail, Dropbox, Slack, Trello, and other “cloud-based office applications.”  He also uses Microsoft Word, Excel, and maybe a database program from the 90s. Does Frank sound like you? The vast majority of computer users are what I call hybrids. They like having some things in the cloud but are also adverse [...]

Technology has always had a big impact on business. From the printing press revolutionizing the publishing industry to the combustible engine forever changing transportation, technology’s mission is usually to improve efficiency - to make or move things faster. But sometimes, advances in technology go beyond efficiency; sometimes they fundamentally change the way we do business [...]

Have you used your cellphone at a large stadium? What about an underground parking  garage that was three levels deep? Ever wondered how you had signal there with no lofty  reception towers? You can thank Jennifer Fitzmaurice, current Executive Director – Chief of Staff of AT&T. In  her previous role as AT&T’s Director of Construction [...]

We sat down with Russ Zielezinski, Chief Operations Officer at Advanced Telecommunication of Illinois (ATI) to get his perspective on the challenges of managing aging telecom technologies. Managing aging technology is a challenge that we face everyday with our customers, some of whom operate under the principle, “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.” But [...]