18/08/2009 by Allan Goldsmith.

There are numerous ways you can lose the information on your computer. Your child decides to play Jerry Lee Lewis on your keyboard, a power surge, lightening, a virus, or even simple equipment failure. Therefore, backing up the contents of your hard drive is an absolute MUST. By regularly making backup copies of your files and storing them in a separate location, you can typically get some, if not all, of your information back in the event your computer crashes. That overwhelming feeling is no joy… if only I backed up….While a regular backup to floppy, CD, or DVD drive will save your files, wouldn’t it be great if you could create an exact copy (a drive image) of your hard disk? That means backups of all your files, programs, and user settings. This would definitely save you time when it came to reloading. 

Using an external hard drive like, Seagate Expansions 1TB External Desktop USB 2.0 Hard Drive would be the ideal solution and coupled with the fantastic Drive image software Perfect Image 12 Backup & Protect Suite (PC CD) all your back up problems solved!

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29/07/2009 by Allan Goldsmith.

Audio Conferencing is the answer! With the understandable fear of the Swine Flu virus there is no better time to consider the benefits of Audio conferencing. It is simple to set up and use. You will have your own designated Conference call number and the only cost involved is 12p +vat per minite for each person attending the call! All paid monthly by Direct Debit.

We are currently offering a free trial conference call involving 1 or 2 people in our office and perhaps 2 people from your company, this will give you first hand knowledge of how the system works and a chance for us to tell you more about how audio conferencing can save you time and money.

Call us now on 0800 652 2560 or email aag@pumaip.com

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20/07/2009 by Allan Goldsmith.

I know I have, - one of the most common things to go wrong with a cheap pc is the power supply. On a budget pc they’re just not up to the regular punishment of non stop business use. Depending on your requirements the video graphics are rarely more than adequate and a separate video card upgrade is essential to bring it up to an acceptable standard. Pretty soon you will have spent way over the odds for a so called Budget machine

Then there’s Vista – enough said about that! Thank goodness for the new Windows 7 just released. For those that don’t want to change all over again just yet – stick with XP Pro, its’ reliable and dependable with most of the kinks ironed out. We will see what Windows 7 pans out like in due course.

Choosing new business machines can be complicated, but if you have specific requirements it is best to seek advice on the best spec for your needs. Most setups are more than adequate for normal business use, but what is important are robust and reliable quality components that are made for the job.

We base all our custom built pcs on Asus and Shuttle two of the top brands in the computer industry. Our online Configurator will give you a quick online quote and you can be sure of an excellent dependable business machine with superb after sales and support.  

Check out createyourpc.pumaip.com

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09/07/2009 by Allan Goldsmith.

BT’s Business Plan tariff implies that business customers will make large savings on their telephone expenses. We think that the BT Business Plan is cleverly marketed. Their new capped rate of 10p for local and national calls appears attractive although our research shows that many business customers will see an increase in telephone costs.The reason is hidden in the small print. The 2p set-up fee for local and national calls (renamed from connection charge) means that no matter how short the call, you will be charged 2p from the moment you connect. You are also required to sign up for a minimum of 1 year.

We have no binding contracts – no connection charges – no set up fees and only per second billing

Information from Energis (one of the UK’s largest network operators) shows that 90% of business calls are under 3 minutes and data shows the average call duration is only 2 minutes 9 seconds therefore BT’s set-up charge will actually increase the cost of many business calls.

When you do review your telecom costs – ask the right questions;

Do you have set up call fees?
Do you have connection charges?
Do you have minimum contracts?

Steer clear if the answer is yes!

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03/07/2009 by Allan Goldsmith.

Having offered free telecoms evaluations for many years and checked out what some businesses are actually paying for their calls and line rentals, we are always encouraged by hearing; “I never reallised I was paying so much” or how can you charge such low prices?” It is  a real shock sometimes as to how much some businesses are being overcharged. Despite the encouragements, it is so frustrating for us as a telecoms provider that we can do this for many more businesses just like yours. All we ask is that you find the effort to send us a copy of your last BT (or other) bill with details of your lines, calls and Broadband charges and we will do the rest free of charge.

There is no better time in this tough economic crisis to save money - your money - and we are confident we can do this for you. Our committment is to offering the best advice to suit your needs, if we cannot save you money we will tell you.

All we ask for is that initial effort - send, email or fax your last or recent bill - you may be pleasantly surprised!

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01/07/2009 by Allan Goldsmith.

Adding a new BT line (or installing new lines) is often overlooked by by our clients, perhaps not realising that PumaIP offer this and at a cheaper cost and monthly rental than BT themselves. As wholesalers of BT services our overheads are far lower and we are able to pass on this saving to our customers, not forgetting our call costs are considerably lower than BT’s standard rates as well.

All types of lines can be installed, from single analogue business lines to ISDN2e and ISDN30 digital lines

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30/06/2009 by Allan Goldsmith.

With so much competition in the broadband market, users are constantly being offered a better deal. But why are these offers aimed at consumers rather than businesses? Firstly, this is often because some Internet providers cannot provide the quality of service and connection a business depends upon. A business needs a low contention ratio to ensure a fast and consistent access to the network and the internet. Another area of cost cutting is hardware; cheap and often not too cheerful USB devices are not up to the standard of professional business use, if you want travel comfortably at 150 miles per hour - its no good buying a Ford Fiesta!

The “buzzword” in the telecommunications industry today is convergence. The various aspects of communication, the Internet and computer systems are indeed “converging”, our voice, data and internet access and are now all beginning to be handled by our
broadband internet connection. Services like Voice over IP and Audio/Video Conferencing are now everyday tools for us all. These services are reliant on the quality, reliability, contention ratio and speed of the internet connection they are using. PumaIP offer this future proofed reliable service, and would be pleased to discuss your requirements for a new broadband account or to help you “migrate” your existing service to PumaIP.

Posted in Business Broadband | Print | No Comments »

29/06/2009 by Allan Goldsmith.

We are often asked;  Why should I pay for a Hosted VoIP service for my business when I can get Skype for free?

While Skype and Hosted IP offer calls via the Internet, the similarity ends there. There is no doubt that  the free service has many uses and offers a lot of technology completely free of charge,

From a technical viewpoint there is a big difference. The free service offers calls over the public Internet with all the potential insecurity that entails. Support is limited to forums and searches; is this the reliablity that your business deserves?

A paid for hosted IP service is a business grade service that is routed through a secure private network with a complete system remotely hosted on secure private servers. This service is then downloaded directly to your pc where you administer and control your system features and call management.

The most important aspect of the Hosted service is the level of reliability and support available to your business, this being  the most important aspect of your business.

There are many features and benefits not available in a free service, contact us now for your free PDF product brochure and find out how Hosted IP can enhance your business communications.
aag@pumaip.com

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29/06/2009 by Allan Goldsmith.

No matter how small your business, it is essential  to have your own Domain name. It doesn’t mean you have to have a website, this can be added anytime in the future should you wish. Having your business name (or your personal name) gives you a corporate identity with credibility and flexibility. If you currently use your Internet providers default email account and address like mybusiness@btconnect.com then you are locked in to that service provider and email address permanently. With your own Domain and email addresses you are free to use whatever service you wish with no hassle in informing your clients and contacts of endless email address changes.

Your email accounts can be added, changed and deleted anytime you like, you can also set up short term addresses for events and sales campaigns etc. all done quickly and easily! Find out more on how we can set up your own domain name and email accounts for you!   allan@pumaip.com

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25/06/2009 by Allan Goldsmith.

Audio conferencing is perfect for people who regularly attend meetings with others who are scattered around the country or world. It is also perfect for people who just do not have the time to travel to meetings. It is also suitable for firms with tight travel budgets as it is much cheaper than actual travel.

Do you often find yourself travelling to foreign destinations on a plane for 4 hours just to have a 3-hour meeting? Have you ever been in a situation where you really need to talk to a few people in real time but end up phoning them individually over and over again?

 Audio conferencing is the solution to your problems. It saves time, money and energy - find out more

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