Boxx Communications Ltd

Simplifying telecommunications for businesses large and small!

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Router Hack causing Global Broadband Problems

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Router Hack causing Global Broadband ProblemsOur Zyxel routers have been hacked by a form of malware called the Mirai Worm, which you may have heard of in the current news. It is a global issue affecting companies including The Post Office, Talk Talk and German’s Deutsche Telekom.

The issue is not a malfunction with the routers or a physical issue and so is not covered by any warranty. The routers have been hacked which is a criminal act.

We understand that for most customers this is the busiest time of year. Our team are working hard to contact as many customers as possible and provide assistance.

To fix the problem you will need to reinstall firmware updates which have been issued by Zyxel.

We have tested this solution successfully however we offer no guarantees.

Step 1 – Remove DSL Cable from the router

This is typically a grey cable connected on the far right hand side of the router.

Step 2 – Reboot your router

Push in the the black on/off button, wait for 5 seconds then push the button again. The lights will flash whilst it re connects and show a stable green colour when fully reset.

Step 3 – Reset router

When lights have stabilised, inset a paperclip into the reset hole until the power light and DSL light flash together. This takes around 30 seconds. When the lights flash together remove the paper clip and the router will reboot. Turn the router off and on once more.

Step 4 – Reconnect DSL cable

Reconnect the grey DSL cable. The Internet light will will flash for 20-40 seconds before turning a solid green colour. This will complete the reset and your router will be working correctly with the new firmware updated.

If you have difficulties following these steps or you are still unable to connect to the inetrnet after completing them, please speak to our support team, who will assist you further.

If you are worried about connectivity over the weekend, you may want to consider buying a suitable router from your local retailer. We can assist you to set up the new router and advise buying the Draytek Vigor 2760 if possible.

Any new router purchases are your responsibility. Please speak to the tech team for some advice on which router is best suited for you if you cannot buy the Draytek.

We can supply routers, however, can not guarantee delivery before the weekend.

We will continue to work on a resolution, thank you for your patience during this difficult time!

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Why using Trustpilot will benefit your business

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Why using Trustpilot will benefit your businessAnyone who’s ever started any kind of business will tell you they are the best at what they do.

Better than the competition on price, on quality, on…

Well, everything!

So how do consumers work out who is actually head and shoulders above the rest…?

Recommendations are the key – and the more the better. Which is why businesses of all shapes and sizes are turning to review sites to allow their customers to (hopefully) recommend a great and competitively-priced job well done to others looking for something similar.

Trustpilot is the big name among review sites, and one that came to our attention after initial online research to identify potential suppliers.

We were – and still are – very impressed with the service they provide, which aims to build trust and transparency between consumers and businesses. We felt, of all the services we looked at, that Trustpilot really ‘did what it said on the tin’ and were true advocates of the service they provide, which was very important to us. Reputation is everything so we were determined to provide our customers with a reliable place to leave an honest review and Trustpilot seemed to fit the bill.

We work hard to do the best for each and every customer every day, so had no qualms about opening ourselves up to the public vote, as it were. And with over 120,000 businesses in 65 countries being reviewed, including big names like Royal Mail, Travelex and Superdry, we’re in good company.

Trustpilot make it really easy to obtain reviews, with templates that can be customised to look and feel part of your brand. You can also choose whether to send them manually or automate the process completely.

We take the time to respond when customers leave reviews on our Trustpilot Company Page, as whatever they say (and they’re generally very positive), we value their input and the time they take to tell us about our service.

The Trustpilot Dashboard is pretty addictive too and you’ll definitely find yourself spending time there, fascinated by the wealth of data available.

Our personal favourite is the search terms that are typed into Google that result in our trustpilot company page appearing in the search results.

It really is fascinating!

There are numerous widgets that can easily be integrated into your website so that you can share your success stories. Visitors to your site immediately know that these recommendations are genuine – Let’s face it, anyone could ‘write’ a testimonial and slap it on their website. No-one would really be able to tell if it was authentic or not. Trustpilot voids that underhand trick completely.

And while transparency is very important in itself, using Trustpilot has also had additional benefits for us. Our Google ranking has improved and now we always dominate the top results positions – and so it works for us on every level.

Are you using Trustpilot or similar, if not we recommend you do!

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Business Energy: How to get a Better Deal

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Business Energy: How to get a Better DealWhat’s normally a sure-fire way to get a better deal on something…?

Switch provider of course!

From car and home insurance to personal mobile phone packages, the best deal is rarely with your current provider – hence the switching culture we’ve nurtured over recent years.

Homeowners regularly switch energy providers and it’s often promoted in the media, with comparison websites on hand to help.

So why does business energy buck this trend…?

Business energy contracts have more onerous T&Cs than most, so those unfamiliar with the processes can be reluctant to rock the boat, which ultimately leaves them at the mercy of companies banking on them doing just that.

With common clauses such as being put on a higher rate with no advance warning if a business contract expires without a new one in place, it’s not surprising that stats show up to 30 per cent of companies are on a rollover contract, rather than negotiating afresh.

Add in the fact that comparing the UK gas and electricity markets can be time-consuming as well as confusing, with the wealth of tariffs and suppliers on offer, the lack of changing makes some sense – until you consider that getting the cheapest business energy prices, all the time, can really make a difference to your business’ bottom line!

So what can you do….?

Obviously everyone is always looking to cut costs with no added hassle or time factor – and this is where handing over to an expert makes sense. We are experts in the field, who can negotiate a competitive contract on your behalf.

Even if you are tied in to a deal at the moment, we can look for your next one, making sure your future contract is at the best possible price and with no stress for you.

Because we’re a one-stop shop, that gives us good purchasing power with leading UK energy suppliers, which often results in better deals for our clients – and as your energy purchasers we’ll make sure you never go out of contract and always stay on the best rate for your business.

Sound good?

Then get in touch now so we can start making savings for you!

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Directors Dean & James’ Day at School

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Directors Dean & James' Day at SchoolIt’s our third year running seeing the kids at Shenley Brook End School for careers advice speed interviewing!!

The kids are given ten minutes to interview various people from business and industry, including myself and business partner James, to get a feel for where they might want their career to go.

Being at a school brings back memories of how scary life looked for a boy who didn’t know what to do with his life!

All I knew was that University wasn’t the route for me. Whereas it felt as though the whole system was built around driving people into further education. The worst thing for me was that everyone else – all my good friends, seemed to have a plan.

How many of you had a plan when you left school….?

No sir.

How many of you stuck to it….?

Not me.

So does deviating from your plan mean you failed….?

I don’t think so.

Yet that’s the message we often teach our kids. Fear of failure is crippling and it’s worrying how much emphasis is still put on formal education as the only route to success. Let’s be frank, it isn’t is it!?

Both I and James are proof of that!

If we have inspired just one of the kids we met today, so that they don’t feel how I did at their age, then I’d say….

“We’ve had a good day!”

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0500 numbers are being withdrawn

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0500 numbers are being withdrawnNumbers starting in 0500 are being steadily taken out of service as Ofcom phases them out ahead of withdrawing them completely on June 3, 2017.

But why….?

Ofcom believes removing the numbers, which are mostly used for sales inquiries and consumer helplines, will benefit both consumers and businesses, due to the poor awareness of the 0500 number compared to the more popular 080… range.

The number series has been in long-term decline, with no new numbers issues since 1997/8.

So what now….?

A migration path to the new freephone service 080 85.. will be provided, with companies able to use the same six final digits as previously.

080 numbers also have the bonus of being free to call from mobile phones as well as landlines – but if users want to transition away from freephone numbers, an 03… number is a good option, as these often cost the same as local or national calls from both landline and mobile networks.

What do 0500 number users need to consider….?

1) Where is your number published? – Because you have to change it in every single place it can be found, to stop the possibility of missed leads.

Obvious places include your signage, website, letterheads and business cards – but also think about any directories, such as Yell, where your company could be listed.

2) Don’t leave it too late…! Changing before the last minute is crucial – especially if you want to choose your new number.

Plus, if you get a new number in place now, you’ll have over six months to make the necessary changes to your details and plenty of opportunities to let customers know that you are changing.

3) Spread the word – Think about adding a message to your existing 0500 number advising of the new one.

So the key takeaway from this is don’t panic – but do start planning now to ensure a smooth and straightforward changeover.

As ever, if you need more advice or support to help make this change, or about your telecoms service generally, the Boxx team are only ever a phone call away!

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Broadband Overuse: How to avoid it!

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Broadband Overuse: How to avoid it!

Know your limits!

This was a gag from a Harry Enfield television comedy series many years ago.

Remember it…?

The once-popular phrase has never been more apt for data in the modern age!

As all of us are becoming more and more dependent on the internet for our downtime as well as our business lives. We’re connected for the vast majority of each day, which naturally causes a related massive up-tick in data consumption.

Whether we’re storing files, playing games or watching on-demand television, our need for data is forever increasing, and traditional data-limited broadband packages are creaking under the strain.

Just think about the logistics;

So many of the things we love to do online – and which the internet makes so easy – use huge amounts of data.

We’re not just talking about downloading music or films here, or even opening and installing apps, downloading email attachments or torrenting files.

No.

Even things such as streaming services like Netflix, YouTube and Spotify can use up a surprising amount of data, as can gaming or streaming game play for sites like Twitch.

And then there’s business use….

Having backups of your files going to cloud storage is certainly good practice – but it will also use a lot of your upload data. If you back up all of the files on your hard drive or server daily, you could be uploading 100s of GB’s to the cloud each day.

Consequently, many users are finding that their broadband package isn’t really sufficient for their everyday needs.

Not surprising when 10GB used to sound a lot;

But a video download of a game such as Grand Theft Auto could require nearly 50GB alone!

So what can you – or should you – be doing about this?

1) Know what your package limits are.

2) Look at your monthly usage over a few months, so you can see if you’re keeping within your limit or not.

3) Consider an unlimited package.

The beauty of an unlimited package is that you won’t need to worry about ever getting charged for additional usage no matter what you do (or use). And let’s face it, most of us are consistently heavy users these days.

Changing to an unlimited package is easy and quick to do;

It may not even cost much more than you are already paying for your current broadband or fibre package!

We’re always happy to help you talk through the options that would work best for your home or business – just get in touch with us and see how we can help!

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