Be honest now, are you still using Windows XP

For many years now Microsoft have been encouraging their users onto newer Windows versions such as Vista, 7 and 8, but a lot of people are still very happy with Windows XP and are refusing to budge.

The recession is no doubt partly to blame, new computers are expensive and Windows XP works well on older hardware so why change? Another reason is Microsoft’s own variable release quality, Vista was highly criticised, Windows 7 fixed Vista’s issues and became very popular, but Microsoft moved quickly onto Windows 8 with its new touch interface and bold colours that has put many people off.

However, the problem we now face is that on April 8th 2014 Microsoft* will stop supporting Windows XP and many millions of users will be left out in the cold, but what does this mean?

The second Tuesday of the month is marked on many IT professionals calendars as “patch Tuesday“. This is the day when new updates are published to fix bugs and security vulnerabilities recently discovered in Windows operating systems. April 8th 2014 is the last patch Tuesday that will include Windows XP, after this date new vulnerabilities discovered in Windows XP will never be fixed and your computer will be exposed to these vulnerabilities until you upgrade to a newer version of Windows.

What is worse is that black hat hackers watch Microsoft’s movements in the security world with great interest. Often Microsoft are responding to exploits discovered “in the wild”, other times these vulnerabilities are discovered by Microsoft first and so have limited effectiveness against supported operating systems because many will be quickly fixed. However hackers can now look at what is being fixed in Windows Vista/7/8 and you can be guaranteed they will be testing Windows XP to see whether it too is vulnerable.

So what can you do? Ultimately, you will need to upgrade from Windows XP, ideally before April 8th 2014 lands. In some cases this won’t be possible so if you are stuck with Windows XP for the time being then you must be extra vigilant against security threats.

Keep your anti-virus updated, make sure you are using 3rd party anti-virus because Microsoft is also ending support for XP in Windows Security Essentials.

Be extra wary of using software from untrusted sources either via downloads or physical media such as USB pen drives. These can carry viruses exploiting XP’s growing number of unpatched vulnerabilities.

Finally, bear in mind that your computer is now overdue for an upgrade.

* Please note, this article is about Microsoft’s support cycle, Zen Internet will continue to support our customers using Windows XP after this date

Usually my regulatory articles are based upon something that is impacting either the ISP industry such as the draft Communications Data Bill or Government plans to impose change on us and which might not necessarily be for the better.

However, I’m pleased to write about something positive for a change. The Government are offering businesses and those who meet the eligibility criteria a subsidy to improve Internet connectivity under the SuperConnected Cities BDUK Urban Broadband Connection Voucher Scheme.

We were one of the first ISP’s to support this Government funded scheme in 2013 which invites Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Homeworkers to apply for a voucher from one of 22 participating cities in the UK which can then be used to fund or part fund the one off connection cost from £250 to £3000 when purchasing a superfast connectivity service.
The Voucher Scheme covers the following 22 SuperConnected Cities;
Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Bradford, Brighton and Hove, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Coventry, Derby, Derry/Londonderry, Edinburgh, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Newport, Oxford, Perth, Portsmouth, Salford, York.

The voucher is usually enough to pay for most, if not all, of the up-front connection costs and as it is a grant, the recipient won’t have to pay it back, paying only the VAT, any amount over £3,000, and the monthly connection subscription cost.

This funding can only be used for the connection itself; it won’t subsidise or pay for any monthly charges; it will only pay for the installation of a super-fast connectivity service.

The scheme is intended to run until the end of March 2015 is now open to any eligible customer located within one of the local authority areas of the SuperConnected cities as listed above.  Registered charities, social enterprises and sole traders that meet the SME criteria are also able to apply subject to meeting the acceptance criteria.
There has never been a better time to improve your connectivity so if you are looking at a step change in your current connectivity then you should certainly consider the scheme to see if you can apply.

For more information you can contact Zen Internet’s specialist voucher team on 01706 782172 or go to our dedicated super connected web page here where more information and a post code eligibility checker is available.

At the recent Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA) Conference, the Minister for Crime and Security, James Brokenshire MP, delivered the keynote speech, outlining the need for the ISP Industry, Law Enforcement and Government to work together in a partnership.  This would allow robust information and intelligence sharing to take place under strict guidelines and as part of a collaborative approach to maintaining a secure and safe internet based on joint responsibility.

Making a distinction between cyber-dependant and cyber-enabled crime, the Minister announced that a working group of academic experts would be looking to improve the evidence base that underpins cybercrime policy.

Turning to the role of law enforcement agencies, the Minister explained how the newly-established National Crime Agency (NCA) would be taking this forward across four commands: Organised Crime, Border Policing, Economic Crime, and Child Exploitation and Online Protection. The Unit will work across these areas to provide expert support, and its staff will be trained in digital investigations skills with further funding available to train more staff.

Working in partnership with industry was key, the Minister explained, to increased intelligence-sharing, such as through the Cyber Information Sharing Partnership and the establishment of a UK Cyber Emergency Response Team (CERT).

Developments in policing child sexual exploitation were praised with the Minister singling out the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) proactivity remit and efforts to tackle sophisticated offenders by targeting The Onion Router (TOR) anonymity network tool and similar, other tools.  In the future, this will be in conjunction with US law enforcement and a taskforce, including UK ISPs, will meet in December to take this forward.

Questions followed on the Government approach to online radicalisation websites following a recent mention in Parliament by the Prime Minister, whether the role of the intelligence agencies meant that industry collaboration was not needed and the importance of detecting and arresting criminals. In response, the minister said that an announcement on radicalisation websites would be made in due course following the work of a taskforce, that industry support was also needed and he agreed that more evidence on numbers of arrests would be helpful.

The full speech can be found on the gov.uk site here https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/keynote-speech-for-the-internet-service-providers-association-ispa-annual-conference

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• 10 times winner of PC Pro Best ISP
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Truly unlimited usage

• No slowing your connection down
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• Friendly, knowledgeable and dedicated staff
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• Minimum 12 month contract…
• …unlike our competitors who force customers to sign for 18 or 24 month contracts

Do more, faster

• At home: Watch, play, browse & chat on multiple devices at the same time
• At work: Enhance productivity, make the most of cloud computing, innovate & collaborate online and take advantage of flexible working

So why not visit our website and find our more about our award-winning Home Fibre Broadband Packages and Business Fibre Broadband Packages.

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is only going to get bigger, and nobody working in this industry can afford to ignore it. Businesses like its cost efficiencies, scalability and reduced administration. End-users like the convenience and the anywhere, anytime accessibility. In 2013, the Cloud hit the mainstream. In 2014, it’s going to be everywhere. Providers are going to need to develop competencies in Cloud technologies and products that make the most of the advantages. Businesses will need to understand where their customers can best harness the power of the Cloud, and pair the right products and solutions with the right customers. This won’t be easy, and a one-size-fits-all approach won’t work, but with support from clued-in partners there’s a lot of business to be gained.

We are investing heavily in Cloud services with products based on technology from Amazon, VMWare and Microsoft. We’ve already built up considerable expertise, and we’re looking to work with our channel partners on delivering exciting Cloud solutions that help enterprises work at every level.  Access technologies will also have a key role to play. There’s never been so much bandwidth available for so comparatively little, but the ubiquity of Cloud computing will make it vital that businesses take on connectivity products that can give them the security, reliability and bandwidth to do what they want to do now, yet still scale up to provide for the future.

Consolidation and IP VPN

In 2014 business will be more and more about delivering the whole package. A lot of enterprises are now looking for a one-stop shop, and for companies that can handle entire IT systems whether they involve Cloud-based services, network infrastructure, data centres and colocation, backup and disaster recovery, 3G and 4G wireless comms or managed hosting. Businesses are either going to need to build skills in all these areas or develop partnerships with others who can help. That goes right up and down the chain.

There’s also going to be a need to balance stability, efficiency and agility – the three factors that drag business IT in opposite directions. IP VPN technology will be vital here, helping to deliver more secure, more resilient IT systems across companies that might be growing or spreading out across multiple locations. It’s even more important once companies adopt more flexible working practices.  Again, there are big opportunities for channel partners and products that support these trends.

The Changing Shape of Connectivity

The cost of high-bandwidth connectivity is dropping rapidly, and that’s helping to transform the market. Five years ago, the annual cost of a 10MB/sec leased line was somewhere north of £12,000. Now it’s less than half that, and EFM and NGA Ethernet products will drive the costs of high-speed connectivity down even further. With speeds of 100Mbps to 220Mbps, FTTP will be even bigger next year, particularly as it becomes available on demand across a larger area of the UK, and we expect wires-only leased line and competition in the wholesale Ethernet sector to give customers more choice. We’re also going to see more fibre and Ethernet services backed up by 3G, 4G and satellite failover, giving customers more options for resiliency.

Some providers are going to see all of this as a challenge; they won’t want low-cost products competing with established sellers, and they don’t want to see their margins hit by lower pricing. However, we see it as an opportunity to reach new businesses and enable our partners and customers to embrace new technologies without huge, risky investments. If we in the industry play this properly, these developments will drive growth, not inhibit it.

SIP and Unified Communications

SIP Trunking and hosted VoIP services have continued to grow during 2013, and SIP in particular is developing nicely in line with the roll-out of fibre services. It’s a product that resonates with companies looking to drive costs down and streamline, and it’s a product that suits the way companies want to work now, with more flexible working practices and organisations that might not all be working from one place. Connectivity products like EFM, FTTC and FTTP are giving more small to medium enterprises the bandwidth to deploy SIP Trunking and realise the benefits.

Yet we’re really only starting out. The next challenge is integrating SIP and enterprise VoIP with mobile services, so that we can support the drive towards mobile devices and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD). 4G networks will offer better call quality and more resilient connectivity, and we’ll see WiFi as a viable option for hosted VoIP on mobile. Beyond this, there will be big opportunities in Unified Communications. It’s not just about phone, instant messaging or email, but about enabling a more flexible approach, where you can get a voicemail through your smartphone or via email, find out immediately if the sender can be contacted, then reach them through text, voice or video if they are. It’s a smarter way of handling business communications, and it’s going to need networks with resilient, high-bandwidth, new PBX and hosted PBX technologies and partners with the expertise to make it happen. Again, it’s all about the package – creating solutions that pair the right technology with the right connectivity – and we think there’s plenty of potential moving forward.

Firstly, Repetitive Electric Impulse Noise (REIN).  This can cause not only a frequent loss of signal but also means that an Internet connection can perform at speeds below what can reasonably be expected from the line.

Typically, REIN issues start with a faulty electrical device in your area, something as seemingly unrelated as a lift mechanism in a block of flats, for example.  With this as the cause, your ISP is unable to help you in anyway.

Secondly, SIN349.  This refers to the name of a somewhat out-dated document that defines the minimum standard for how well your phone calls will work on your land line.  However, for the last 20 years, it has also been the only documentation concerned with how fast and stable your Internet connection is.

Your Internet connection relies on some quite amazing technology to turn sounds into digital information however these sounds are at an exceptionally high frequency and are easily and often drowned out by background noise.

The standard outlined in the SIN349 document allows us to determine how severe the noise on your line is.  However, as it is an out-dated standard, it cannot detect the type of noise that would adversely impact on your Internet connection.  

So what do we need to do?

We believe our role as an ISP, although unable to directly ‘fix’ these two issues, is to suggest ways in which these untenable situations can be rectified.  We can see two huge changes that our Government and Regulatory bodies could, and indeed should, make.

Currently no one polices or looks after the frequency range that is used to make your connection work.  In the last government reshuffle, this important issue that has the potential to affect every circuit in the country, was essentially parcelled off and responsibility handed over to the BBC who unfortunately have no mandate to sort out Broadband, or reason to do so, quite understandably.

If the government gave regulatory powers to one of its agencies to identify and compel people to fix their broken electrical devices, REIN faults could then be fixed and we would have a solution. Currently people who have these types of faults affecting them and who have exhausted all avenues with their ISP have little option but to complain to their MP and hope their involvement gets the 3^rd party causing the problem to kindly resolve it.

The second major improvement that we think could be made is adding an industry standard called the Access Network Frequency Plan (ANFP) to the SIN349. This would allow all ISPs to measure a line’s capabilities for broadband services and help the national operator, Openreach, fix broken lines in a much more effective and efficient way.

So we intend to tackle this head on with other ISPs by asking our Government to look into these issues; working with us to find a solution to these longstanding problems.

Please feel free to comment on the blog so or e-mail me directly regulatory@zeninternet.co.uk.

At present, there’s no confirmed date from ICANN, for these new Top Level Domains (TLDs) will launch. There’s still a great deal of uncertainty and debate surrounding the introduction of new TLDs and, given recent developments, we expect it to be into 2014 before we see any evident changes.

For now, what is certain is this new naming system will potentially change the way consumers interact with the internet. When the new domains are initially available to purchase, consumers are not going to switch to the new names overnight. Human behaviour means we’ve grown used to visiting .com and .co.uk. However, in the long term, it’s easy to foresee that we’ll most likely adapt to the new names and confusion will disappear as they become the norm.

So, what should you do now?

Whilst the developments from ICANN unfold, we recommend organisations need to maintain their .com and .co.uk presence. From a brand protection perspective, you don’t want anyone else to take your existing names, so make sure you secure them now. Zen offers a complete range of domain names, whereby customers can search for their specific domain and purchase it online.  If you’d like to keep updated on the developments in domain names you can find out more at http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/

It’s only natural that many of these enterprises will choose a data centre within London or its suburbs. London is and may always be a focal point for UK business. It has the highest-speed fibre network in the country, and is the UK terminus for many international cable links. Companies based in and around London and the South East will inevitably look there first, and they won’t find a shortage of choice.

Yet it might be a mistake not to look further afield, particularly for applications like backup and disaster recovery where latency isn’t hyper-critical. If your enterprise is deploying a new disaster recovery solution then there may be advantages to moving outside London, and surprisingly few drawbacks. After all, high-bandwidth connectivity, resilient power and security aren’t only found within the borders of the M25, and a data centre elsewhere may offer a more cost-effective and reliable alternative. What’s more, while you might not have easy physical access to your equipment, remote management tools and remote hands and installation options can make distance a non-issue.

It’s true that London has many advantages, but it’s also party to more risks. With so many data centres and so many large enterprises confined to a fairly limited area, those in London are increasingly struggling for physical space and power. Key power networks are running close to saturation, and energy suppliers are having to work hard to catch up. At the moment, the London data centre market is extremely competitive, keeping prices low, and we’re not in blackout territory yet by any means. However the limited supply of power – along with rising costs for staff and rent – could potentially drive prices up in the mid-term to long-term future.

Meanwhile, London data centres face other risks. In May this year, for example, leading climate scientists warned that there were increased risks of an extreme storm surges overwhelming the Thames Barrier, rising to 1 in 20 during the next ninety years. What’s more, London remains the number one target for terrorist attacks and a focus for unrest, and while it’s unlikely any activity would target data centres, they would undoubtedly be affected should a catastrophe occur.

Comparatively, data centres outside of London have advantages. They don’t face the space or power restrictions of their London equivalents, and they don’t face many of the same risks. And where many data centres within London have to work inside repurposed industrial premises or shared commercial properties, many data centres outside of the capital can operate from state-of-the-art, purpose-built facilities, designed with the needs of security, disaster-proofing, power, connectivity and cooling in mind.

What’s more, by using a data centre outside of London, enterprises can easily comply with the mandatory requirements and guidelines at play in certain industries, where backup data needs to be stored at a minimum distance from the main company systems.

Zen Internet’s Data Centre, opened at our Greater Manchester headquarters last year, is a case in point. The result of a £4million investment, it was built with cutting-edge climate control and fire-detection and suppression systems, and uses an N+1 Power management system with a DRUPS. This ensures clean, conditioned, constantly-available power with a low environmental impact, as befits a provider with ISO14001 accreditation for energy efficiency and environmental responsibility. Zen Internet has also been awarded Participant status in the EU Code of Conduct for data centre energy efficiency.

Meanwhile, security exceeds Tier 2 requirements, with our Data Centre awarded full ISO 27001 accreditation. The data centre connects to Zen’s high-speed network through multiple redundant channels, ensuring that enterprises get the kind of low latency, high-bandwidth connectivity they need for real-time backup and disaster recovery applications. Even if your organisation is situated in the south-west rather than the north-west, latency won’t be a problem in the vast majority of applications.

Neither will access. For many IT managers, using a data centre within easy reach of head office feels like an absolute must. What happens when things go wrong? What do you do if you need to install new hardware or change a hard disk? Yet with the services provided by new data centres, there’s rarely – if ever – any genuine need to have physical access to equipment. After all, the quality of data centre monitoring and support isn’t defined by location, but by the commitment and expertise of the staff and the SLAs at work. Remote hands support can put in-house technicians under your direct guidance, so that they can do the work you want doing as you want it done. Today’s remote management tools mean that servers and network infrastructure can be managed as effectively from two-hundred miles away as they can at 20 metres. With enterprise-grade hosting or colocation, you don’t have to touch your hardware to stay in control.

At Zen’s new Data Centre, for example, we offer 24/7 monitoring, with an on-site technical support team that’s available all day, every day. Colocation customers retain full control over their equipment, with administration and maintenance performed via remote KVM (Keyboard, Video and Mouse) control. We also provide a full remote hands service, ensuring that a technician is available to do exactly what you would do were you physically present. We also have options for hardware installation and tape rotation, and can provide 24 hour site access should you need it. Our colocation SLA guarantees 99.999% network availability, 100% power availability, and a 1 hour at the rack response in case of any trouble. And it’s all backed up by Zen’s award-winning service and the kind of expertise that only comes with over 17 years of experience in the industry. ISO 9001 accreditation demonstrates the quality of our Data Centre processes and procedures.

Zen’s Data Centre might not be five minutes down the road, but you’ll feel like it is nonetheless, and with deep, specialist knowledge of network hardware and infrastructure, we’re equipped to take care of the most complex setups. In short, there are some compelling reasons to look beyond London for a data centre, particularly if you’re looking for robust disaster recovery in partnership with a hosting and colocation provider you can trust – to find out more visit our Data Centre webpage.

The 19^th September saw us launch a new set of products to market.  This was initially communicated to our existing customers via our Customer Newsletters as we wanted our loyal customers to be the first to hear of the new offers.

On the 25^th of September we rolled this communication out to the general public introducing new webpages and online ordering facility.

As with all new products questions are being raised by customers old and new.  We have been listening to your questions posed on Social Media & forums and below we have addressed some of the more recurrent questions.

How can I order Fibre & Phone packages?

You can order online 24hr a day or by calling our Sales team on a dedicated telephone number – 01706 900296.

Who can order online?

Only new customers for Fibre and Phone Packages can order online - Home Fibre and Phone Packages or Business Fibre and Phone Packages.

Existing Broadband customers cannot re-order online at the given time and should call our Sales team on 01706 900296.

We are working to improve the online re-ordering service for existing Broadband customers and will have a new online facility in the near future.  We will keep you posted.

Do I have to be an existing Zen customer to get the new Fibre and Phone Package?

Our new packages are open to everyone – existing and new Zen customers.

Why do business products and residential products have different pricing?

Zen has always provided bespoke products for business and residential customers.  The different pricing reflects the differing needs of the end users.  Prices are also displayed as inclusive of VAT for residential customers and exclusive of VAT for business users.

My phone line is in contract with another provider, can I buy the new Fibre products without taking a Zen phone line?

We appreciate that not everyone has broadband and phone contracts that run in sync, this is why we have made all our new Fibre products available with and without line rental.

There is a premium charge of £4.50 (£5.40 inc VAT) for taking Fibre only but when you are ready you can add your line rental and take advantage of the Fibre and Phones Package pricing.

Do I need a Zen telephone line?

If you wish to get the best pricing available then yes you need to take out a 12 month telephone line rental with Zen.

However should you wish to take our Fibre only products you can choose whichever service provider you like for your line rental.

What number should I call and what are our new extended opening times ?

To make sure you get through to the right people as fast as possible please call Sales on 01706 900296.

We are now open Monday to Friday: 9am – 8pm and on Saturday: 9am – 1pm

I currently have a contract with Zen.  Can I re-order a Fibre and Phone Package and what will it cost me?

Zen contracts vary and early termination fees are dependent and may apply, please call Sales to discuss this on 01706 900296.   Alternatively you can read our Terms and Conditions.

Hopefully we have addressed the majority of your questions. If you do have any other questions please use the comments below.

Ofcom recognised as far back as 2010 that the ease in which a consumer could switch a service or package of services from one ISP to another was at times fraught with difficulty and, on some occasions, left customers with no service at all.

As a result Ofcom undertook a comprehensive consultation with the Communications industry and others over some of their concerns;

• Processes – at best patchy, confusing and difficult for consumers to understand
• Difficulty and unnecessary costs – especially in relation to the losing providers
• Consumers – being left in the dark
• Being slammed – consumers service switched without their consent
• Incorrect lines being switched – process failures

Zen Internet fully supports Ofcom’s commitment to make switching less hassle for the consumer.  Indeed we have been working with our industry colleagues for some time, helping Ofcom with their understanding of how consumers are impacted by switching, the complex processes and infrastructures that affects their overall experience and why a single harmonised process is not as straightforward as it might seem.

Ofcom launched a detailed statement and consultation on the processes in August 2013. The intention being to gather all of the information needed to come to the most appropriate solution for the benefit of the consumer.

Ofcom appeared keen to:

• Introduce a harmonised process that simplified switching
• Reduce hassle for the consumer
• Ensure competition in the Communications market wasn’t compromised by prohibiting reactive save activity (sometimes referred to as ‘retentions’) by the losing provider for a migrating customer

It was toward the end of the 2012 consultation period that an alternative proposal was put forward to Ofcom for consideration.  This was a losing provider proposal (known as the LPL Alt process) put on the table by BT, Sky, Virgin Media and Zen.  We believe this would provide the best overall consumer experience, including:

• Customers receiving a Migration Authorisation Code (MAC) quickly and efficiently, reduced from the current 5 day maximum timescale.  The MAC would also be provided in a format that best suited the customer
• Improved information – Consumer would be fully informed about the implications of switching before an order is placed, resulting in fewer cancellations and greater efficiency
• Reduced lead times for shorter switching that wouldn’t depend on the administrative delays seen with letter generation
• Security of data – the process would seek to minimise any data integrity risks associated with the Third Party Verification approach – validating the consumer’s true identity and preventing slamming
• Reactive Save would be the choice of the consumer
• Short lead times – as this process would be much simpler and quicker to implement, with no need for industry co-operation and co-ordination in any developing hub and database interfaces and standards

After consideration of all of the options available, Ofcom took the decision to move to a single, harmonised switching process called, the Harmonised Gaining Provider Led Notification of Transfer process, or GPL NoT as you’ll now see it commonly referred as.

What this basically means is that in theory the consumer will only ever have to contact their (new) gaining provider to switch.

There are, however, limitations to this new process.  It will initially only cover those consumers who switch fixed or voice line services where their existing provider uses the BT Openreach copper network, this excludes Virgin Media who will be considered later in the planning phases of Ofcom’s work.

The new process also does not consider Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) services either.  Ofcom have said this is because they are yet to see any significant demand for those services. However they do plan to look at other technologies in phase 2 of their planning which should cover this.  We expected to see this from the outset as FTTP is likely to be a major broadband service and take up by consumers is likely to grow in significant numbers over the next 5 years.  In fact it is one of the main drivers for our own recent significant investment in Fibre Optic Broadband services and packages.

Whilst we agree with Ofcom multiple processes can create complications for the provider and the consumer alike, we are yet to be fully convinced that this new process will make much difference. However we will continue to work with Ofcom and our industry to ensure any new processes meet all of our expectations, and those of our consumers.

If you would like to read the full Ofcom consultation document then simply click here but be warned its 418 pages (there is a plain English guide available here).

I will cover more on this subject in future blog posts.  Please feel free to comment on the blog so or e-mail me directly regulatory@zeninternet.co.uk.