Barriers come down as the communications revolution gathers pace

NL article Masthead.PNG'In conversation with Neil Linter' was first published in the SouthEast London's Chamber of Commerce magazine 'The Masthead' Issue 12, October 2019. To read the full magazine visit:  https://issuu.com/benham/docs/the_masthead_1687

Communications technology is undergoing dramatic change and the pace is quickening all the time as the barriers to take up are removed.

At the heart of the revolution is the move towards Cloudbased telephony and IT as it takes over from the traditional telephone line, PBX and IT Server. One of the people excited by the rate of change is Neil Linter, Managing Director of Beckenham based Glemnet, an independent service provider of Cloud-based telecoms and IT services to businesses of all sizes, from start-ups through to SMEs and large enterprises.

The company moves businesses away from traditional telephone lines and on-premise servers to telephony and IT solutions hosted on the web-based Cloud. For Neil, the big catalyst for change is the introduction of full fibre, a technology that supplies superfast and more reliable broadband, allowing customers to move their communications into the Cloud ahead of BT’s ending of traditional phone lines in 2025.

Neil said: “The move to the Cloud is gathering pace because the barriers that were preventing people taking up the idea are coming down. “One of the challenges has been helping people to understand the idea of the Cloud. They are used to a cabinet sitting in the corner of the room with lights flashing but there is none of that in the Cloud. “Another issue has been availability and reliability but full fibre is addressing that as it is introduced in more and more areas, providing broadband that is very fast and very robust. 

“That is important because one of the things some people say is ‘what’s the point of having this superfast broadband if you cannot access it because it keeps crashing?’ Full fibre is the solution. “Cyber-security has also been a concern for some people who are worried about the security of their
communications. Our message is that you are better off putting your faith in a company like Microsoft which has invested half a billion pounds in cyber security rather than relying on a £150 server you bought on the high street.

“As each one of these barriers is removed, we are finding growing demand for our services. We have moved 1,500 users onto the Cloud from the NHS alone.” One of the big advantages of moving to the Cloud is the flexibility of the system, which means that, although some devices can still be traditional phones and PCs on desks, others could be operated from anywhere through laptops, Tablets, and Apps on a mobile smartphone. No longer are companies tied to expensive static phone lines and inflexible local networks, something which will be phased out in the years to come anyway.

Neil said: “There is a need for businesses to embrace the Cloud and to do it now because in 2025 BT will no longer be running traditional telephone lines. People may think that 2025 is a long way off but the process of phasing out is already under way in some areas.” 

The revolution, it seems, can only quicken its pace.

To find out how Glemnet can help bring you up to speed (no pun intended!) and get your business connected with full-fibre broadband, call our team of experts on 0208 639 0230 or fill out the contact us form and we will call you back.