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VoIP is a phrase that is thrown around in the telecom world on a regular basis.  But what is VoIP exactly?  Voice-over IP (VoIP) is a telephone system that sends a digital signal over the internet through a VoIP server (similar to a PBX). This server can either be purchased and housed inside your business building, or you can purchase a service through a third party who would host the server for you. If your business does not have an IT department or a large amount of trunk lines, a third-party host can cut costs on infrastructure and maintenance. Another great thing about these servers is that they can be accessed almost anywhere (given internet access) and has high mobility, meaning you can take your phone number with you even if it’s a local number.

One of the best options available for a VoIP phone system is an Allworx Connect.  An Allworx system can seamlessly blend your in office work with your out of office work through their various features.  One of their most popular features is the Allworx Reach.  Reach is an app that can be installed on your iPhone or Android and mimics your office extension.  All office calls that would normally ring your office extension will ring your cell phone through the Reach app.  You can access your voicemails, call other office extensions, and call customers all through the Reach app.  It is an incredibly useful tool that benefits both small and large businesses.

For more information on Allworx Reach: <insert Allworx Reach brochure>

Contact a ProTel Support, LLC representative today to get started on your transition to VoIP!

Sales@protelsupport.com // 940-483-0000

A cybersecurity setup is never complete without a cloud backup solution.  Because most companies have their network equipment so intertwined, when one device stops working there is no telling how much important data will be lost.  Unfortunately, too many people still have the “It could never happen to me” mindset.  In 2015, BackBlaze found that only 8% of computer users were backing their data up daily, and a staggeringly low 9% were backing up on a weekly basis.  While that number has increased over recent years, primarily in thanks to highly publicized ransomware attacks, it is still very low. 

(Source: https://www.backblaze.com/blog/backup-awareness-month-2015/)

Due to a lack of understanding and a lot of bad publicity, the ‘cloud’ has a dangerous reputation with a lot of people.  They hear stories about people “hacking” various clouds and stealing information.  Unfortunately, virtually all technology is capable of being hacked into.  Keeping this in mind, the cloud solution is still the safest for your data. 

Here at ProTel Support, we don’t want our customers taking chances with their data. But we also want them to be comfortable with what they have.  This is why we offer a combined appliance and cloud backup solution.  It starts at 500 Mb and goes up to 4 Tb.

Don’t take any more chances with your data.  Contact a ProTel Support representative today to get started!

Finding the right Managed Service Provider (MSP) for you and your business can be a grueling task.  Here are a few tips to help you make the right decision:

Is the MSP asking you what your wants and needs are?

All too often managed service providers want to sell you on every aspect of what they offer, even if it doesn’t truly benefit you.  Not all customers require, or even want, the same services in regards to technology management.  If someone is telling you what you need before asking for input, that should be a red flag.  A sign of a good MSP is that not all its customers are on an identical plan.  This shows that they are able to build a customer specific plan.

Does the MSP still allow you control over your own data/equipment?

Even when an MSP is involved, having control over your own data and applications is important.  If for some reason you decide to switch managed service providers, but their name is on various software applications, it makes the process much more challenging and you risk losing data.  While this may seem harmless, it is actually done intentionally by less than trustworthy MSPs.  Many customers will find it not worth the hassle to fire their MSP, even if they are unhappy with the level of service.

Is the MSP proactive enough?

In the world of technology, waiting until something breaks to fix it is not necessarily the ideal solution.  While some things can’t be completely prevented, you want a managed service provider to be as proactive as possible.  This will have a different meaning for different businesses.  For some, it may mean 24/7 offsite monitoring.  For others, it may simply mean weekly or monthly visits to run diagnostics and ensure nothing is out of place.  Regardless of your specific plan, being proactive is an important piece of any plan that is designed for you.

Let us help you with your venture into finding the right managed service provider.  Contact a ProTel Support representative today at 940-483-0000!

*Special offer for new customers*

FREE 1 hour network/security audit by one of our highly-certified technicians

Phishing scams can take many forms.  Oftentimes they are quite obvious, but depending on the source it can appear safe.  What is phishing?  It is the sending of fraudulent emails or phone calls designed to gain personal information or infect your devices with malware and viruses.

Our ‘spam’ folders do a rather good job of collecting the precarious emails, though we still need to be on the lookout for the ones that slip through.  Emails from the US postal service or other government departments are common favorites, as well as reputable companies like FedEx or UPS.

Phishing phone calls are also very common.  The attackers will usually call you posing as your IT company to gain access to your computer.  Don’t ever share your computer’s information with someone unless you have complete assurance of that person’s identity.

To help you better identify what phishing scams look like and how to report them, visit:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/safety/online-privacy/phishing-symptoms.aspx

Dealing with cybersecurity issues can be frustrating and overwhelming.  Contact a ProTel Support representative today to help you take control of your cybersecurity.

*Special offer for new customers*

FREE 1 hour network/security audit by one of our highly-certified technicians

VoIP phone systems are becoming more common every day, but they are not the right solution for every business.  Many businesses are better suited for a more traditional phone system.  Whatever a customer’s individual needs might be, we at ProTel Support strive to implement products and solutions that fit those needs rather than trying to fit our customers into a specific product.

NEC has been a manufacturer of reliable phone systems for several years, and we are proud to have installed hundreds of their products.  The NEC DSX was their top selling line of phone equipment.  However, this line has been phased out and replaced with the NEC SL1100 line.  They are overall very similar, but the SL1100 phone system comes with upgrades and newer features. A great feature with the NEC SL1100 is that it can be “plug and play”, meaning we can get it fully programmed for the customer at our office, ship it to them, and they simply plug it in.  Our highly-trained technicians can offer remote support (if onsite is not an option) after the installation.

If you are thinking about upgrading your current system, call one of our ProTel Support representatives today and let them find a solution for you!

Reliable and quality phone service is a necessity for all businesses.  Unfortunately, phone service providers know this and get away with charging more than they should. 

There are a few different options when choosing your phone lines.  You can go with traditional analog lines, fiber, or SIP trunks.  Fiber is generally not recommended because it is expensive and not beneficial for most small businesses.  Analog lines have been the norm for quite a while, but are starting to get phased out by SIP trunks.  This is due in large part to how easy SIP trunks are to implement.  Analog lines take up space and can create a mess along with all the other equipment needed for them.  SIP trunks are simple because they are phone lines that run through your internet (VoIP).  There is very little setup involved and they are much more cost effective.  This solution can even be utilized to include your fax.  However, if you prefer a traditional fax line they can be incorporated together.

ProTel Support offers SIP trunks starting at $15/month!  Contact one of our representatives today for more information and to see if your phone system is compatible.

Cybersecurity is a crucial aspect of all business.  If your cybersecurity is lacking it can be detrimental to your customers and your daily operations.  Even though most data breaches that you hear about happen to conglomerates, the people who bear the most brunt of these attacks are small businesses.  Thankfully there are measures to be taken to help keep your data secure.

Virtually every electronic device requires password protection now.  While it can be mildly annoying at times, having a password is actually your first mode of defense.  Using strong passwords and changing them every 30-60 days is the best way to utilize this defense mechanism.  Limiting access to certain websites is another way to help prevent cyberattacks. 

The best and most efficient way to help protect your customers and your company is to be one step ahead at all times.  Routers and firewalls that are capable of blocking various attacks need to be in place along with a continual backup running to ensure that your information will not be lost should an attack happen.

If you are ready to upgrade your cybersecurity or would like to find out more information, please contact a ProTel Support representative today!

The recent cyber-attack has made many businesses and consumers concerned about their cyber security. These distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks used a new malware known as Mirai to flood Dyn’s servers with traffic effectively stopping the use of many major websites on the east coast. Dyn is a host to the DNS (Domain Name System) that basically works as a ‘switchboard to the internet’ that allows ‘computers to speak with one another’. This company has found that hundreds of thousands of wireless devices have been infected with the Mirai malware and are working with law enforcement to remedy the situation.

This attack brings up important questions regarding your business’s security pertaining to wireless devices. With Fortinet firewalls, malware, viruses, and other harmful agents are blocked both from coming in and going out. With firmware and security consistently being updated, your devices stay up to date on any known threats as well as sandboxing unknown, suspicious threats.

To learn more about the security offered by Fortinet devices, please contact a ProTel representative at info@protelsupport.com.

To learn more about the extent of these attacks, please view the article in the link provided below.

https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2016/10/21/hacking-vendetta-seen-in-attack-on-east-coast-web-host/

In May of 2015, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 788 making a new Texas law. This bill is known as Kari’s Law and affects all multi-line phone systems that require a prefix before dialing out (for example, having to dial ‘9’ to dial out). This law requires direct access to a 9-1-1 service. Bill 788 was signed into law due to a murder that happened in a motel room in Marshall, Texas. Kari Hunt was murdered in a room and her 9-year-old daughter tried to call 9-1-1. Her daughter never got through to 9-1-1 responders due to the fact that she was unaware she needed to dial ‘9’ first. The Governor’s office believes that this new law could potentially save lives and reduce response times for emergency calls.

Hotels and businesses are the establishments most affected by the enactment of this new law. Here at ProTel Support, we are able to make your system adhere to these new laws. We can work on most phone systems.  In most cases we can help by simply upgrading the software or making a few minor programming changes.  In some instances, we may have to replace the phone system – but we are able to work with your budget!  By adjusting your emergency lines sooner, your business will avoid charges and fines enforced by the State of Texas.

Kari’s Law went into full effect requiring all systems to have direct 9-1-1 access on September 1^st, 2016. You can learn more about Kari’s Law at http://www.texas911.org/KarisLaw .

The big question: how much is enough for my business? It is typically a safe assumption to make that businesses are in business to make money. It makes sense that cutting cost whenever it is acceptable is a ‘good’ business practice. Since communication is such an important part of day to day operations, it is vital that you get a phone system that meets the needs of your business without breaking the bank.

            Voice over IP (VoIP) is a telephone system that sends a digital signal over the internet through a VoIP server (Similar to a PBX). This server can either be purchased and housed inside your business building, or you can purchase a service through a third party who would host the server for you. If your business does not have an IT department or a large amount of trunk lines, a third party host can cut costs on infrastructure and maintenance. Another great thing about these servers is that they can be accessed almost anywhere (given internet access) and has high mobility meaning you can take your phone number with you even if it’s a local number.

VoIP digital signals are transmitted through Codecs. These codecs can be prioritized to allocate the desired bandwidth to meet your communication needs while not interfering with web use.  Voicemail devices can be connected easily which can also be set up as an auto-attendant as your greeting when people call into your business. Hard and soft phones can also be connected to the VoIP network which can continue to cut infrastructure costs. You can have a traditional looking telephone (hard) or download telephone software onto a computer (soft) to increase efficiency based on your business needs.

            Unified Communications (UC) takes VoIP to the next level. Telephone calls are made over the internet like VoIP, but also integrates web-based needs into their applications with a unified user interface. UC is essentially a one-stop-shop for your communication and file sharing needs. These applications integrate telephones, email, instant messaging, file sharing, conference calling, and video calling in one application with seamless collaboration. This application is easily accessible through smart phones, tablets, computers, and other internet-accessible devices making cutting infrastructure costs easy. I once worked at a call center as a recruiter and there were only a handful of actual telephones in the office. All the recruiters were set up on headsets that connected to their computers for them to make calls from. It worked great!

            The most impressive thing that UC brings to the table, is the collaborations between these products. With UC applications, all your communication outlets will be able to ‘talk’ to each other in a way that isn’t seen many other places. A voicemail can be translated into text and emailed to one or many users. Files, regardless of text or audio, can be easily converted to fit communication needs. Mobility of UC applications is also quite impressive. While accessing certain UC application through your smart phone, you can make a phone call from anywhere and the caller ID will show you are calling from your office number.

             Back to the big question. How much is enough for my business? While UC is an impressive set of products, it might be a little bit of overkill for the offices with low communication traffic and a smaller need for heavy duty collaboration. Why buy a castle when all you need is a solid house? The first questions you should ask yourself is how much traffic you have coming in and out of your business, the amount of file sharing that is necessary, how many faxes you tend to put out or receive, and how many other offices do you need to have solid communication with. UC is ideal for business with a high need for collaboration, quick communication within and without, high file sharing, an abundance of conference calling, branch offices, or businesses with several big departments. VoIP will more than suffice to offices with lower communication traffic and little need to quickly collaborate with others over large areas. If your business only requires you to have open phone lines and impeccable service, VoIP might be enough for your business.