Boost Your Telecommunications Functionality and Security with 5G

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Five years after the release of fifth generation (5G) wireless technology, its growth steadily continues and is expected to increase. Read on to learn about how your company can harness this technology’s advantages for a positive user experience.

 

A Brief History of 5G Technology

 

In 2020, the fifth generation of Internet technology arrived and has been growing ever since. By April of that year, some providers had expanded to more than 7000 cities. A few years later, 5G mobile subscriptions were expected to increase to 2.3 billion; subscriptions are expected to more than double by 2030. Some forecasts are more ambitious than others, but your company will need to look past the hype and consider what advantages 5G can bring to your telecommunications. 

 

Advantages of 5G for Telecommunications

 

Business telecommunications require strong connectivity to run without interruption. Wireless 5G offers enhanced bandwidth hand-in-hand with low latency to provide a seamless telecommunications experience. Files can be shared easily, supporting file sharing which in turn can facilitate collaboration in the office and remotely. Scalability allows companies to add more devices and bandwidth as business needs grow. Private 5G in particular can provide security by using encryption to keep data safe. 

 

5G and SD-WAN Together

 

According to a CompTIA article, the combination of the 5G technology and Software-Defined Wide Area Networking can provide speed (5G) and reliability at the same time, reducing costs while maximizing uptime. Companies can simply pay for 5G coverage and use the provider’s circuits. Network slicing enhances security by isolating cyberthreats from the rest of the network. 

 

The newest generation of Internet connectivity has great applications for telecommunications and other applications. For further guidance, contact your trusted technology advisor today. 

 

Don’t Get Hooked by Phishing Schemes

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Social engineering is one of the biggest threats to business computer networks, since it gets in via the weakest security link – human error. Read on to learn about the dangers of social engineering schemes (especially phishing and its variants) and how to protect against this threat.

 

Phishing and its Dangers

 

Phishing is a subset of social engineering attacks, and is a form of manipulation whose object is to falsely obtain personal information, inject malware into a computer network, or both. A bad actor can use an email to trick an unsuspecting victim into responding to appeals to fear, or even wanting to be helpful. Variants of phishing include vishing (voice phishing), or smishing (via text message) or even via social media sites. Whatever the medium, the objective is the same–stealing data or distributing malware on a company’s network. Any social engineering attempt can cause a security incident resulting in identity theft or financial and reputational loss to your business. 

 

How to Recognize a Phishing Attack

 

What does one do with an unsolicited email, or phone call, or text, that looks like it’s from a legitimate entity? The very fact it is unsolicited is a clue, and if it contains an urgent appeal for action, that’s a tip-off that it isn’t what it seems. Such urgent action could be addressing a password issue or updating an account. Irregularities in graphic images as well as grammatical errors are also signs. Even though artificial intelligence can now be used to generate emails not containing these errors, the urgent calls to action remain the same.  Other signs include:

 

  • Requests for money or sensitive information
  • Files and attachments not requested by the receiver
  • Generic messages rather than ones with specific details

 

Protecting Your Business from The Dangers of Social Engineering

 

Organizations can use technology to prevent ransomware and security incidents, but one of the best ways to prevent such attacks is employee training. Do workers know what to do and not to do with a suspicious email, text or phone call? Do they understand the dangers posed by social engineering attacks, and what to look for? One way to check a message’s legitimacy is to contact the supposed sender by a different method, to verify if the message is legitimate or not.

 

Social engineering attacks are among the many threats to your company’s cybersecurity. Now is the time to review your response plan. For further assistance, contact your trusted technology advisor today.

The Importance of Security in Telecommunications

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Numerous platforms are available today for business telecommunications, enabling businesses to seamlessly interact with customers. With data constantly transferred from servers to devices, data security remains a crucial concern. Read on to learn about communicating and collaborating while keeping data secure.

 

Security in Telecommunications

 

Various platforms are available for business telecommunications, with varying security protocols. One of the most important, if not the most important, is data encryption. For some platforms, this can be activated manually, though it’s even better for encryption to be by default. Without encryption, as well as other defenses like firewalls and virus scanning, in place, your data remains at risk and hence your reputation.

 

Threats to Guard Against

 

The same threats that can attack your network can also impact telecommunications tools. Distributed Denial of Service attacks can bombard your system, including telecommunications, with fake traffic and slow the system down or even bring it to a halt, impacting uptime. A bad actor can “eavesdrop” by gaining access to a data path and reading employee conversations. Another threat, ID spoofing, involves an attacker identifying and then using the IP address of a network or attached device to pretend to be a legitimate participant. Add to this viruses and worms that can replicate malicious code with or without a host, and the threat landscape is widened. 

 

Protecting Your Business Telecommunications

 

Thankfully, numerous mechanisms can protect your telecommunications from attack. One key defense is encryption, and another is authentication. Transport Layer Security (TLS) provides both as a protocol that defends telecommunications from attack by authenticating all parties and encrypting the data passing between them. Authentication via certificates can prevent spoofing, for instance, by depriving bad actors of information used to pretend to be a legitimate party. Other mechanisms include firewalls and Intrusion Detection Systems.   

 

Employing Best Practices is Important

 

Not only are tools important, but training workers in best practices can keep telecommunications safe. Recognition of phishing emails and other security threats via awareness training is necessary for workers to help stop attacks on telecommunications platforms. 

 

Use of telecommunications platforms involves data transmission and storage, and protection of the data is crucial. For additional guidance, contact your trusted technology advisor today.

Understanding SaaS Data Protection

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Software as a Service (SaaS), a platform supporting office work through applications available from MS 365 and other software, enables companies to communicate, collaborate and drive business outcomes. Companies using SaaS applications need to backup critical workload to ensure comprehensive data protection. Read on to learn what SaaS Backup has to offer to protect your valuable data.

 

The Need for SaaS Backup

 

With expansion of the availability of Software as a Service (SaaS) cloud computing model and its business applications, comes an expansion of the amount of data generated and needing protection. Threats to data include accidental deletion, data leaks due to insider threats or compromise from cyber attacks. The very cloud model that powers business applications and keeps companies running also provides backup of data via SaaS Backup. Data needs to be protected for the sake of customers and other stakeholders as well as to help companies comply with data-handling regulations such as HIPAA and GDPR. Data mishandling can result in fines as well as the loss of customer trust.

 

The Benefits of SaaS Data Protection

 

Software as a Service, along with making work more efficient, creates a shared responsibility between your company and the SaaS provider. It is important to consider if your SaaS provider capability is in line with data protection strategy. Email, user data, financial records, customer data and more may reside in the cloud and be managed by your SaaS provider. You may need longer periods of data retention to comply with your industry regulations and your business requirements. SaaS data backup protects files, email, website and more to fill the gaps.

 

Considerations in Use of SaaS Backup

 

When discussing needs with a cloud service provider, it’s smart to have some questions answered ahead of time. What is the mission-critical data that needs to be backed up first? How frequently do you need to back up this data? What data-handling regulations do you have to follow, and how will your provider help you do this? 

 

With the use of cloud-based Software as a Service, data protection is critical to avoid fines and penalties as well as maintain customer trust. For further guidance, contact your trusted technology advisor today.

What you need to know about 5G

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Fifth Generation (5G) networks can expand data capacity, bandwidth and boost reliability. Read on to learn more about how the expansion of 5G networks can enhance your business telecommunications and improve user experience, and the role cybersecurity plays.

 

The Evolution of 5G Technology

 

Since its release in 2019, the use (and use cases) of fifth generation (5G) cellular networking has experienced remarkable growth and continues to grow. The market has expanded by trillions of dollars, and 5G has applications across numerous industries. At this time, it has superseded all previous generations, from the first in the 1980s powering analog voice communications to the fourth which ushered in mobile broadband. 

 

And how does 5G surpass previous generations? It offers an increase in internet connection speed, along with increased bandwidth (it can function on low, medium and high bands). It has an even greater capacity for data, and offers low latency so data can travel at even higher speeds. Telecommunications applications will function more quickly and reliably. Video conferencing and telephone calls run smoothly, delighting both workers and customers. Files can be shared quickly, helping you serve customers more efficiently, giving you a competitive edge.

 

Private 5G – A More Secure Choice

 

Another trend to watch is the use of private 5G networks. Though similar to public 5G, private 5G offers a personalized experience that fits your company’s needs. For example, access can be limited to a single entity (your company) and you can control the network and protect your data. Since 5G is cloud-native, the provider handles the infrastructure and saves you capital expense. You can deploy and control your own data, an advantage in this age of increasing cybersecurity risks.

 

Considering Cybersecurity

 

With its capabilities, 5G can present cybersecurity challenges. Along with the potential of 5G, your company needs a plan for handling security challenges. First, the increased capacity for data means considering how to store that data. Second, more data is moving from place to place. Third, with more devices connected, the threat surface increases. Vulnerabilities might be introduced by components of previous generations, and these could threaten data security. Future concerns might be present that are as yet unknown. As always, your company needs to thoughtfully consider 5G and what telecommunications use cases fit with business goals. 

 

The latest generation of wireless technology offers both potential and challenges. For further information and guidance, contact your trusted technology advisor today.

From Chatbots to AI Agents: A New Trend for 2025 and Beyond

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Chatbots, also termed conversational AI (artificial intelligence), have made AI more popular than ever. They can help with simple tasks, though AI agents have greater power and a wider range of use cases. Read on to learn more about the prospective move from chatbots to AI agents to provide a better user experience as well as save time and money. 

 

Just What Are Chatbots? 

 

Chatbots are automated programs that use artificial intelligence to interact with humans via text, graphics, video or voice. They are programmed to help with simple, routine tasks and questions. They can vary  in sophistication to be digital assistants that can handle requests in a more personalized way as well as process information. The more sophisticated chatbots can use data to be more interactive and personalized. 

 

Chatbots bring value through productivity enhancements. They can augment writing, research and graphics to free up workers for more complex and strategic tasks. Where humans can only perform tasks one at a time, chatbots can handle multiple requests simultaneously, or serve multiple customers. Customer research has shown that messaging applications are becoming the preferred method for some transactions, according to an Oracle article. 

 

How an AI Agent Differs From a Chatbot

 

A higher level of sophistication is a key difference between agents and chatbots. Chatbots can certainly elevate performance by automating tasks and workflows, as long as tasks aren’t terribly complex. Agents powered by AI can be even more efficient, acting autonomously based on data, natural language programming, and machine learning.  Human workers can equip agents with algorithms, sensory inputs, data sources and even other agents to perform tasks like perceiving context, taking action (through completion), and using this experience in the future. Agents can be taught to learn, as well as tailored to set goals and act on those goals. Unlike chatbots, agents don’t depend on keywords or scripts.

 

Business Benefits of AI Agents

 

Via continuous training, along with more data, agents can even recognize when they don’t have enough information to make a solid decision, and can gather more data. They can work even outside office hours, allowing businesses to get more work done, since they aren’t prone to downtime. They can complete tasks the same way every time, increasing accuracy, like making sales calls and scheduling meetings. Agents can automate processes and save costs, and even find ways to further optimize processes to eliminate possibly costly errors for the company.

 

Return on Investment in AI Agents

 

How will you know if your use of AI agents is paying off? Are you experiencing more conversions and serving more people? How many more? How much revenue are you bringing in as a result of automation? How many minutes per customer interaction are you saving by using the agent? Spending for AI can be justified if it alters the bottom line, increasing it by at least 3% according to some experts. 

Agents and Chatbots Working Together

 

While perhaps it remains to be seen, agents and chatbots could work together, but for different purposes. Perhaps chatbots could take an initial question and answer it, but if the situation becomes more complex, it could be transferred to an AI agent. 

 

The future of artificial intelligence is exciting. Stay tuned, and keep in touch with your trusted technology advisor. 

 

Building a Culture of Cybersecurity

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Cybersecurity, more than just being about tools, is about people. People can, on the one hand, be a weak link in your company’s cybersecurity chain. On the other hand, if they understand the importance of cybersecurity to your organization, as well as what it means for them personally, they can be an asset. Read on to learn more about making cybersecurity a business decision as well as part of your company culture,

 

The Why of Cybersecurity

 

The need for cybersecurity seems clear, doesn’t it? Cyberattacks are growing in frequency and complexity, with threats like ransomware and the phishing emails that can introduce ransomware into your system. Add to this the possibility of security incidents that can threaten your company’s bottom line and reputation. Compliance with data protection regulations like CMMC and HIPAA needs to be part of your cybersecurity plan, too, in order to keep from having to pay fines and from losing trust. These reasons may seem abstract to the average employee; if your company has best practices, and workers are following these practices, they may not understand clearly why they are doing so. 

 

Establishing a Culture of Cybersecurity

 

If executives and managers understand the importance of cybersecurity (the “why”) they can set the tone for the entire company. Knowing that the entire company values cybersecurity and understands what it takes to make it part of the culture can motivate everyone to participate. Showing every employee that it benefits them may be the key to winning hearts and minds. What is it your employees want? For example, some may want to be efficient and not worry about downtime. Others may especially want the peace of mind of knowing their own employee data is secure. Once everyone is clear about the “why”, your company can move on to specifics of tools and training. 

 

The Role of Tools

 

Once everyone understands the overarching reasons for cybersecurity, your company can then decide which tools to use. Managed detection and response (MDR) and extended detection and response (XDR). Extended detection and response is a more comprehensive, efficient way to protect your network, since it integrates detection, investigation and response capabilities over a wide range of domains–endpoints, cloud applications and workloads, and data stores. Automation enabled by artificial intelligence (AI) can gather information from many different sources, and even stop a cyber attack in its tracks. What’s more, these tools can be a part of your compliance picture should you decide to purchase cybersecurity insurance.

 

Do You Need Cyber Insurance?

 

Do you? Perhaps so. Cyber insurers’ requirements, while strict, can correspond with protections a company may already have in place. For instance, insurance companies assume you’ve already assessed risks and have an incident response plan to address them. Doing so suggests a proactive stance, as does instituting common-sense precautions like multi-factor authentication for everyone in the organization, including for privileged accounts. Depending on needs, cyber insurance may be a good fit for your company.

 

The cybersecurity puzzle can be complex, but having a plan can help you with compliance, incident response and cyber insurance requirements. For additional assistance, contact your trusted technology advisor today.

Boost Telecommunications Performance Using a Software-Defined Wide Area Network

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With web video conferencing, email, internet-based telephony and file sharing everyday activities for businesses of all sizes, your network needs to support your telecommunications offerings (telco) at all times. Read on to learn more about how software-defined wide area networking can keep things moving and provide a seamless user experience

 

Business Operations Require Strong Telecommunications 

 

With people working anywhere and everywhere, remote work is here to stay. Your telecommunications applications need to be up to the task, for collaboration among workers and customers’ interactions with your business. Efficient telecommunications can help enhance collaboration and make communication seamless, improving the user experience and garnering more revenue as well. Software-defined Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN) is the best option for making such things happen.

 

Software Defined Wide Area Networking Improves Efficiency and Security

 

A software-defined wide area network is a cloud-based approach to the management of a wide-area network. SD-WAN brings together multiple networks to make connection seamless, using business class broadband as well as MPLS already used in simple wide-area networking. With the cloud provider maintaining the infrastructure, all that is needed for the users is an Internet connection and an appliance like a laptop computer. Users and devices can easily be added, making this way of networking scalable. What’s more, SD-WAN eliminates the need for data to travel to a data center before reaching its destination, thus making the data less liable to loss, compromise and latency. A built-in firewall and centrally managed security policies protect you from bad actors accessing your network. If something happens and policies need to be changed, the changes can be programmed and easily go out to all devices attached to the network.

 

Considerations in Choosing a Provider

 

What if you are considering SD-WAN to boost your telecom offerings, but aren’t sure where to start? When looking for a provider, ask them if they can work with your current network while getting the new one started. Will they work with you to set security parameters around network traffic? Some key security features to think about are next-generation firewalls and encryption, to prevent bad actors from intercepting and reading data exchanged on the network. Repeated testing is another offering to look for.

 

Software-Defined Wide Area Networks can position your telco offerings to be even more efficient. For further assistance, contact your trusted technology advisor today.

Bring Information Technology Spending in Line with Business Objectives

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We’re headed for 2025, and it’s time to consider technology spending for the next year. How will you know the best allocation of your technology dollars? Read on to learn about how to align your tech budget with your business goals.

 

Getting Started with IT Budget Alignment

A LinkedIn article presents steps to follow in planning your IT budget. A good first step is understanding your overall business goals. What do you want to accomplish in the next year, and beyond? Broad goal categories include upgrading existing systems, reallocating spending to more critical areas, and investing in new technology. How will you use trends in technology–automation using artificial intelligence, for instance–to improve processes? Your company’s goals will be unique to you, and need to be prioritized according to what’s most vital.

 

Artificial intelligence offers great potential for increasing efficiency for your company. On the customer service front, it can automate processes like virtual chat, allowing conversational AI to handle routine questions and free up representatives for more complex tasks. Data analysis is streamlined and can efficiently provide insights. Network monitoring is improved, with automation allowing constant scans and identifying possible problems. Email messages are sorted, hence removing spam and forwarding the most important messages to the proper recipients. 

Assessing Your Current IT Spending

 

What is the state of your current technological ecosystem? Are you overspending on areas you don’t need to, and underspending in more important areas? What does each element of your technology contribute to business objectives? For example, you might need to move some systems and data to the cloud for greater flexibility and reduced costs. Do legacy systems you maintain still add value relative to what you spend? Answering these and other questions gives you a clear picture on where you need to focus technology dollars. 

 

The Role of Cybersecurity in Your Technology Budget

 

According to a LinkedIn article analyzing Forrester’s cybersecurity spending benchmarks, the average percentage of cybersecurity spending is only 5.7% of annual IT spend. Rather than being just a part of the IT department, spending on cybersecurity should be a decision made by the business as a whole. Ideally, spending on cybersecurity will be with a view toward proactive rather than reactive defense. Categories of spending include:

 

  • Processes like audits and cybersecurity measures
  • Technological tools including software purchases and network monitoring, and some outsourcing to third parties for businesses without an in-house IT team
  • Employee cybersecurity training

 

Once you have a clear picture of what you want to change, prioritize according to business objectives, such as improving customer experience, enhancing operational efficiency, or even driving innovation. Perhaps you want to increase efficiency in operations, which could involve using AI for automation of certain processes. 

 

Next Steps to Take

Communicate with Stakeholders

After setting priorities, communicate with and engage your stakeholders. They likely will have valuable input that you may not have thought of. Department heads, executives and end users inside and outside the business can tell you if any current initiatives are not meeting needs.  End users can tell you how technology you’ve adopted makes their job easier and improves experience. Department heads and executives can inform you about what is working and what isn’t. Keeping lines of communication open lets everyone know you value input and will use this input to align the tech budget with their needs.

 

Tracking and Fine-Tuning Your Progress

 

To keep track of your progress in alignment of IT spend, establishing KPIs (key performance indicators) as benchmarks for how IT projects contribute to broad goals will help make these goals measurable. Examples of KPIs include how much a certain IT initiative contributes to growth in revenue or promotes greater operational efficiency. How might adopting AI help automate tasks translate to how many minutes are saved through automation

 

Alignment doesn’t end when an IT budget is drawn up. Rather, it’s a continuous reassessment–obtaining feedback, analyzing it, and acting on it. Having a plan and being able to follow it will help you navigate changes in business priorities, market conditions or technology advancements. Then you can be agile and change spending priorities to drive your business where you want it to go.

 

Any new technology adopted should aid your business strategy and goals. For further guidance, contact your trusted technology advisor today.

Technology Trends for 2025 Provide New Possibilities and Require Consideration

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Gartner has released a tech trends report for 2025, and automation (especially through artificial intelligence) is a keystone. While technology has great potential for companies, depending on goals, it also carries challenges. Such challenges include costs in time, money and effort; legal and ethical considerations and guardrails for use; and adaptation of the workforce to changes. Read on to learn more about upcoming trends and why they matter for your business.

 

The Role of Artificial Intelligence

 

Artificial intelligence has been enabling automation and enhancing creativity for several years, and is a powerful tool. It has potential for numerous industries and every sort of business within those industries. One trend, agentic AI, can help you with automation of processes, which may save costs and time, augmenting or even taking over human tasks when appropriate. Nevertheless, guardrails are needed to ensure that the virtual agents operate according to parameters set up by humans. Not only that, you will need to assess how to harness AI to help meet your business goals, and make sure that its use is in accordance with your goals.

 

Platforms for AI governance will be another trend in technology. These platforms can help companies create and enforce policies for responsible use as well as show users how the AI systems work. For example, how do the systems remain free from harmful bias? And how to avoid disinformation? And what about those “deep fakes” we keep hearing about? You can bet that if you are using AI, so are malicious actors. They can combine pictures and audio to make it seem as though a customer is saying something negative about your brand. Disinformation security is another emerging technology trend that will help assess risk and prevent harmful narratives about your company.

 

Other Trends Making Using of Artificial Intelligence

 

A few other trends make use of artificial intelligence. Ambient invisible intelligence can provide a subtle and seamless customer experience, by the integration of technology into the environment. A business benefit is knowing more about the customer’s purchasing journey and user experience, yet customers might feel surveilled. Consent policies need to be created, so that users can choose what they share, and transparency will be needed.

 

Hybrid computing is set to become more popular, and will provide different mechanisms for computing, storage and networking. While hybrid computing can help artificial intelligence perform beyond present boundaries, it poses challenges. Security risks are created by autonomous models, and the cost of such experimental technology is high. Once again, it is up to you to determine whether this and other trends will align with your business goals and benefit your company and its stakeholders. Setting up guardrails for use of these technologies will require thought, time and effort.

 

While technology moves forward, you will need to evaluate the trends coming up in the next few years, and how you will harness technological innovation while navigating its challenges. For further guidance, contact your trusted technology advisor today.