Boxx Communications Ltd

Simplifying telecommunications for businesses large and small!

Office News

Celebrating 50 years of Milton Keynes

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Celebrating 50 years of Milton KeynesThis year our hometown, Milton Keynes, is celebrating it’s 50th year with numerous events taking place throughout 2017 to mark the occasion.

Milton Keynes is home to over 10,000 businesses and we are proud to have been ‘born & bred’ here in MK, which has been named one of Britain’s fastest growing cities.

Our directors James Green & Dean Burgin were keen to get in on the anniversary celebrations and the whole team were excited to be involved in one particular project…..

You may think that Milton Keynes is most famous for the American-style grid system of roads, interlocked with 124 roundabouts but it’s also rather well known for the beloved ‘concrete’ cows, which have become symbolic for the city and have attracted many visitors over the years.

To commemorate the 50-year birthday, not-for-profit Herd About MK wanted to bring the cows back, with an anniversary project to be remembered.

50 life-size fibreglass cows (in a nod to their concrete ancestors) make up the #MK50 herd which aims to bring together the businesses, schools, community groups and people of Milton Keynes, whilst raising funds for 3 amazing MK-based charities – Willen Hospice, MK Dons Set & MK Community Foundation.

Each of the 50 cows were available for sponsorship and we were thrilled to join the herd with our very own Boxx cow.

After weeks of brainstorming and working with creative agency, Cygnus, we came up with a binary code inspired design for our cow, affectionately named ‘Moopheus’ which Matrix fans will appreciate.

Format Graphics did an amazing job creating ‘Moopheus’ a bespoke skin and were even happy for us to add a few last minute touches whilst on-site at their MK1 based unit.

Wanting to go a step further and give our cow a purpose, we decided to install Moopheus with the power of the internet allowing her to provide the whole herd with FREE wi-fi, which of course demonstrated just one of the services we offer.

The ‘Herd About MK’ launch event took place in Middleton Hall, The Centre MK on Thursday 30th March and the herd continued to parade there until Sunday 2nd April.

We took some of the team along to the grand unveiling, introduced by local MP Mark Lancaster.

It was a fantastic event, which really did bring together not only businesses but also the people of Milton Keynes. And our wi-fi ‘hoofspot’ went down pretty well too!

We’re already looking forward to the next parade event, scheduled for later this year. It’ll be another chance to see some of our favourite cows – after Moopheus that is!

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Why small can be perfect in business

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Why small can be perfect in businessHere at Boxx, we don’t subscribe to the idea that big is beautiful and our relatively small size is something we’re actively proud of…..

We’re not a large company, certainly compared to industry leaders like BT, Talk Talk and Vodafone, but we think that actually brings a lot of advantages to our clients.

Advantage 1

Dealing with a smaller supplier means that an actual person answers the phone. Yes, there might be a short IVR to direct your call but there’s only one layer and then you’re in. No massively complex multiple menus that take an age to navigate!

Advantage 2

Also, you can call again and speak to the same person. Whether you have a customer service question, a billing question for accounts, or both, chances are the same person can help you.

And if not, they’ll be transferring you to someone in the same office that they know can assist, not another branch somewhere else in the country or even world, where you’ll have to start from scratch again explaining what you need.

Advantage 3

Another plus point for doing business with small companies – our employees care more…..
Not just about our clients, because they are heavily invested in them, but in each other.

When companies have hundreds or thousands of employees, chances are the people at the top have no idea who’s working at ground level. But our staff all know each other and the directors too, so therefore have better relationships. This also makes for a more loyal workforce, which ultimately has more benefits for customers.

We love our relatively small team and are a shining example of wanting our staff to share in the responsibility of serving our customers as well as sharing in our success.

They say good things come in small packages, and here at Boxx we couldn’t agree more!

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Celebrating Apprenticeship Week

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Celebrating Apprenticeship WeekThis week sees the UK’s 10th National Apprenticeship Week – Bringing together employers and apprentices to celebrate the success of apprenticeships up and down the country.

Over the last decade even more people chose apprenticeships as a fast-track to a great career and this is set to continue.

Since our ealy days, we’ve used apprenticeship schemes to recruit valuable employees. But there’s no making tea for the apprentices here….. We like our apprentices to get stuck straight in and from day one!

Customer service was our first department to welcome young people into the world of work – including Leah who is now a customer advisor. But as we’ve grown it’s our technical support team that has reaped the most rewards in terms of talented young employees joining as apprentices.

Jamie joined Boxx in Sep 2014 after finishing his A-Levels and being recruited by 3aaa – Our local apprenticeship provider. Jamie immediately showed promise and impressed us as his new employers, but also his course assessors, who we regularly welcome into the office to meet with their students.

We’ve built up a great relationship with 3aaa – Whilst we write the initial job descriptions ourselves, 3aaa vet the applicants which is a great time saver for us. 3aaa have learnt exactly what we are looking for which makes the whole process really simple.

3aaa are complimentary about our relationship too, which began in 2014. Rebecca Brooks – Recruitment Executive at 3aaa said….

Boxx Communications understand the importance and benefits of apprenticeships and offers young people the best possible start in their career.  They support, teach and nurture apprentices through the ranks and offer long-term career prospects to the right candidates.  This is exactly what apprenticeships are about and we look forward to continuing to work together in the future.

As apprentices near the end of their 12-month scheme, our company directors James Green & Dean Burgin sit down with them to talk about their future and are happy to support them whatever path this takes.

Dean quoted…..

We’ve found young people are great to work with, even if they have very little work experience. Raw talent is what we are looking for and we can teach them the rest!

Both Jamie and Chirag – another tech team employee who successfully progressed through the apprenticeship scheme – were pleased to accept permanent roles when their apprenticeship came to an end. Fast forward another 12 months and Jamie has been rewarded for his hard work with a promotion to a supervisory role. He’s now responsible for 2 employees and is continuing to impress – He’s regularly nominated for ‘employee of the month’ and James & Dean are really proud of him.

Not wanting to stop studying, we offered both Jamie & Chirag the opportunity to study towards industry recognised CCNA qualifications, funded by us.

And the future continues to look bright for Boxx’s apprentices – Akeem is the latest apprentice to the tech support team – He only started in December, but he’s already doing really well. And we’ve just recruited newbie James as a digital marketing apprentice too, to support our growing marketing needs!

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Phone box evolution hits London

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Phone box evolution hits LondonLondoners will soon be able to benefit from fast, free public WiFi and a host of other free services while out and about…..

All thanks to an innovative new partnership from BT called LinkUK.

Hundreds of ultramodern kiosks (Links) which will offer free phone calls and a range of other no-cost digital services, will be rolled out to major high streets across the capital as part of a partnership between BT, the tech company behind a similar project in New York and UK outdoor advertising company Primesight.

Users within range of a Link will be able to access free ultra fast WiFi with speeds of up to 1Gbps – the fastest free public WiFi service available.

Other services will include free UK landline and mobile phone calls, two USB charging ports and access to maps, directions and local services through a touchscreen tablet.

The cost of providing these services is covered by advertising revenue from the two digital displays on each Link, and BT intends to allocate five per cent of airtime to local good causes.

At least 750 Links will be installed across London and in other major cities over the next few years, with many replacing BT phone boxes. BT will work with local councils and communities to determine the best locations.

Rajesh Agrawal, London’s Deputy Mayor for Business, said:

I welcome this exciting new addition to London’s streets. Expanding London’s digital infrastructure is a priority for the Mayor, and LinkUK can play a big part in improving connectivity for Londoners and visitors to our city, while reducing street clutter by upgrading and reducing the number of phone boxes. London is already widely regarded as one of the technological capitals of the world but the Mayor is determined to improve connectivity across the city to ensure we maintain that position.

The new Links also contain sensors, which can capture real-time data from the local environment such as air and noise pollution, outdoor temperature and traffic conditions. This could potentially be used to introduce new smart services as part of the Internet of Things.

Gerry McQuade, CEO, BT Wholesale and Ventures, said:

We’re evolving the phone box to make it relevant in the 21st century by offering people ultra fast Wi-Fi and a range of digital and information services entirely for free. London is one of the greatest cities in the world and it’s entirely fitting that it becomes the first UK city to benefit from the Links. But we will be rolling out many more Links to the other great cities across the UK over the coming months as we look to transform the look and functionality of our public payphones.

London is second only to New York in welcoming Links to its streets, which were first installed in January last year as part of LinkNYC and we can’t wait to see them!

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Our Top Tech Gadgets for Christmas 2016

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Our Top Tech Gadgets for Christmas 2016Looking for something new and exciting for that special someone in your life but don’t have a clue where to start?

Let us guide you…

With a go-to list that has something for everyone – even children!

1) Playstation VR – Real life gaming not realistic enough?

The games nut in your family will love this brand new immersive experience, putting players at the heart of the game and experiencing an awesome new way to play with virtual reality.

Compatible with all PS4 models, it boasts a custom 5.7” OLED screen that makes the hyper-real 3D gaming environments jump to life in front of your eyes, and 360 degree vision that immerses you in the world of the game with a seamless field of view.

Smooth visuals with 120 frames per second add to the ultra – realistic experience.

Retails at £349.99

2) Sphere Ollie – fancy an app-controlled super-tough driving robot?

Then you’re going to love Sphere Ollie – He can reach speeds of 6.3m per second, and is customisable and programmed for tricks!

Rugged, with two agile wheels, a durable polycarbonate chassis and featuring glowing internal LEDS, he’s ready to take on any terrain. And it connects to your smartphone via bluetooth up to a distance of 30m, meaning you can really put it through its paces and let it roam free!

The accompanying free app is packed with multiplayer game options, as well as programmable tricks and stunts – and each charge gives you 60 minutes of driving time.

Retails around £79.99

3) Prynt iPhone case – want more from your pictures than just storing them on your phone?

Then the innovative photo printing case is for you! Available for the iPhone 6 and 6s, simply connect the case to your phone to get high-quality prints on the go!

With millions of colours included, Prynts are glorious, long-lasting and fade and tear resistant – and even double up as a sticker! The special ink-free tech means it’s never messy.

Retails at £130

4) Power Share – Think car jump-leads for the tech-savvy generations!

This nifty device powers one phone from another.

Featuring a double-sided cable charger, as well as two micro USBs and a lightning adaptor, it transfers from a phone with a higher charge.

Compatible with most Android phones and with iPhone 5 and above, you can transfer from Android to Android, or Android to iPhone but not iPhone to iPhone.

Retails at £8.99

5) Amazon Echo – meet Alexa, the brain behind Amazon Echo!

The home helper that is always on and continually learning.

Hands free voice control means you can just ask, and your favourite music will start playing, filling the room with immersive, 360º omni-directional audio.

Alexa (App) can hear you even in noisy environments, and is always ready to answers questions, reads audiobooks, report news, traffic and weather and much more. Alexa can also controls lights, switches, thermostats and more with compatible connected devices from WeMo, Philips Hue, Hive, Netatmo, Nest, tado° and others and is always getting smarter, adding new features and skills.

Retails at £149.99

6) Hatchimals – This season’s must have children’s toy!

Eggs containing interactive Hatchimals which respond to being looked after by their eyes lighting up and making gentle sounds.

When it’s been played with enough, it will hatch with the help of your touch – and then it’s time to take yours through the three stages of growth, teaching it to walk, talk, repeat things you say, dance, play games and more.

Out of stock everywhere, but £59.99 if you can find one!

And to all tech fans out there…… Merry Christmas!!

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ZyXEL Router Hack – Router Update

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ZyXEL Router Hack - Router UpdateFollowing our announcement last week about our ZyXEL routers being hacked, we have been in close contact with ZyXEL regarding how to resolve the issues being experienced by users.

ZyXEL have run a series of firmware updates to fix the ‘Mirai Worm’ malware attack issues. If you are experiencing problems connecting to the internet and you have a ZyXEL AMG series router please see our guide which will walk you through how to reset your router to receive the firmware updates.

If you are still unable to connect to the internet after completing these steps, please speak to our support team, who will assist you further.

There are a small number of users for whom these updates haven’t resolved the problems. In this instance, ZyXEL are offering to provide a FREE replacement router but get in touch with us and we will organise this for you.

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