A Bria Softphone from Counterpath offers the flexibility of managing incoming and outgoing voice or video phone calls from your desktop. This softphone with click to call capability compliments or can completely replace your business phone hardware. It integrates with any business VoIP service.
Why We Love The Bria Softphone Solution
We have continuously recommended and supported Bria solutions because they integrate so easily with the hosted business VoIP and SIP phone services we offer. Because we use a privately managed voice network, our VoIP lines never travel over the public Internet. This ensures better call quality. Combined with Bria, this is a very cost efficient business phone service for our clients.
With Bria, users receive voice and video calling, presence, contact management and voicemail support, plus they can save money. No heavy investments in phone handsets or hardware. Get started with our Bria configuration guide.
Updates: Bria 5 for Mac and Windows is now available with MS Office integrations, 1080p video and an improved user experience. Buy the latest Bria solution from CounterPath here for $49.99 USD per license, before prices increase to $59.95 USD on August 1st, 2019.
Bria Video Call (Bria 3 Softphone shown)
Bria Features Available
In addition to click to call / answer capabilities, Bria soft phones include instant messaging (IM), HD voice calls and you can see when all of your contacts are on or offline. The softphone integrates seamlessly with any business VoIP service. The latest version, Bria 4.1, also has add-ons for syncing with your Outlook email, as well as a screen sharing feature. Check out some important Bria Softphone features below.
Bria Video Guides
Our Lead Voice Technician, Matt Smith, has put together these user guide and setup videos on the Bria 4 Softphone. Two videos to watch; (1) an overview of the Bria 4.1 user interface and (2) how to transfer a call / conference using the softphone. Enjoy!
Bria 4 Softphone User Interface Overview Video
How To Transfer & Conference Calls Using Bria 4 Softphones
What Is A Bria Softphone?
The Bria softphone is based on a SIP application built using open standards, which assists you manage your voice and video communications from your desktop.
A Bria softphone can completely replace or complement your desk phone, using our cloud based pbx service. Make voice or video calls, instant message and see when your contacts are available. You can also transfer files using this app.
The latest version of Bria has been enhanced with features for business and enterprise users. It can be deployed manually or by using a server.
Contact Us on voice service with a flexible Bria softphone solution. Save 20% on 10+ voice lines. Save 40% on 20+ lines.
Bria Softphone Features
Available for Windows, Mac, Linux and with the Bria iPhone app.
Enhanced media engine providing significant voice quality improvements.
VP8 video and SILK HD voice codecs.
API enhancements to expand call handling features, support of authentication of the connecting client and remote login and logoff.
New webkit library that provides better content rendering and improved stability within the web tabs in Bria.
Bria Add-In for Outlook that enables calls directly from Microsoft Outlook emails and contacts (Windows only).
About Fastmetrics, Inc. Building & Business ISP
Since 2002, Fastmetrics is the Bay Area’s only dedicated business ISP. We provide telecommunication services in California and the San Francisco Bay Area. Reliable service – backed by better live and local support. From install to 24-7 proactive monitoring, get treated like a VIP customer. Not a number by a faceless call center. We specialize in managed business internet and phones, dedicated high speed business fiber internet, business WiFi, SIP voice solutions / UCaaS and managed network services. We are a Microsoft and Cisco Meraki Partner. Our team are Certified Cisco Specialists, Ubiquiti Enterprise Wireless Accredited and Polycom Authorized Solution Advisors. We take care of your business network, so you can focus on growth.
What Is Cloud Computing? How Does ‘The Cloud’ Work?
What is cloud computing? How does it work? The term “cloud” when talking about technology or computing, is not new. In simple terms, ‘cloud’ is a metaphor for the Internet. In fact, cloud symbols are repeatedly used to depict the Internet on diagrams. If you think of the Internet as a virtual ‘space’ that connects users from all over the globe, it is like a cloud. It shares information by the way of networks.
So, if we go back to the question of what cloud computing actually is, it refers to sharing resources, software and information through a network. In this case, via ‘the Internet’ or more correctly, an Internet connection. Information and data is stored on physical or virtual servers, which are maintained and controlled by a cloud computing provider, such as Amazon and their AWS product. Amazon offer their cloud connect aws which is a great cloud solution. As a personal or business cloud computing user, you access your stored information on the ‘cloud’, via an Internet connection.
What Are The Different Types Of Cloud Computing?
Cloud computing can mean many different things these days, but there’s three main categories of cloud services. You might have heard about these or use them already; Software as a Service (SaaS), for example – Microsoft 365, Platform as a Service (PaaS), example – salesforce.comand Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), example – Rackspace.
‘The Cloud’ Covers Many Different Technologies Today
What Are Popular Examples Of Cloud Computing Services At Work Today?
There has been a significant evolution in the way in which we save, store and access data. You no longer need to save documents on one particular device. You can access personal files and data from anywhere with a solid Internet service connection, at any time. That’s all because of cloud technology. The cloud storage market spoils you for choice too.
A variety of cloud storage providers are available, many of which offer free storage space. Out with file saving on floppy disks, CDs and even USB flash drives, in with cloud storage providers such as Dropbox, Box.com and Backblaze. (Sites like Cloudwards allows you to compare a range of different cloud storage providers in one place).
Physical servers are now virtual via cloud computing
How Does Cloud Storage Work?
Via an Internet service connection, cloud storage works by enabling users access and to download data on any chosen device, such as a laptop, tablet or smartphone. Cloud storage users can also edit documents simultaneously with other users as well, making it easier to work away from the office. Depending on specific needs, prices vary for cloud storage. As an individual user, you can usually get initial amounts of cloud storage for free – such as 5GB with Apple iCloud, which previously dealt with some highly publicized cloud security issues. You have to pay a fee for additional storage. Common price models include monthly or yearly rates, depending on the services you are using.
How Else Does ‘The Cloud’ Make Work Easier?
Other cloud based services include cloud hosting and servers, offered by companies such as Rackspace. You can see PaaS in action with the Fastmetrics cloud phone service, which offers a cloud PBX phone system, hosted securely in the cloud. Another example is this server for free video conference calls, for anyone from anywhere, without the use of software.
How Does Cloud Computing Work?
To understand the workings of a cloud system, it is easier to divide it into two sections: the front end and the back end. They are connected to each other through a network, usually the Internet. The front end is the side of the computer user or client. The back end is ‘the cloud’ section of the system.
The front end consists of the client’s computer or computer network. Also the application essential to access the cloud system. It is not necessary that all cloud computing systems have the same user interface. On the back end of the cloud technology system, there are various computers, servers and data storage systems that make up the cloud. A cloud computing system could potentially include any computer program, from data processing to video games. Generally, each application will have its own dedicated server.
What Are Some Risks Of Cloud Computing Technology?
Large companies often require hundreds of digital storage devices. Cloud computing systems need at least twice the number of devices to keep client information stored. That’s because these devices occasionally break down. A cloud system makes copies of clients’ information, to store it on other devices. This method of making copies of data as a backup is called redundancy. Read the latest cloud security news, updates, how-tos and reviews or watch cloud security videos via Networkworld here. Additionally, here is another useful resource which helps explain some of the considerations of cloud computing security.
How Is Cloud Computing Technology Managed?
A central server manages the cloud system. It’s purpose is to manage traffic and client demands to ensure everything runs smoothly. It pursues a set of rules called protocols and uses a special kind of software known as middle ware. Middle ware permits networked computers to communicate with each other.
How Is Cloud Storage Managed & How Do Cloud Service Providers Store So Much Data?
If the cloud service provider or cloud technology company has multiple clients, there’s likely to be a high demand for storage space. It’s possible to ‘fool’ a physical server into thinking that it’s actually multiple servers, each running it’s own independent operating system. This technique is known as server virtualization, which reduces the need for physical machines. This method maximizes the output of individual servers.
So there we have it – a very short look at what cloud computing involves and how database as a service providers works. Also some use cases and risks for this rapidly growing technology, referred to broadly as ‘the cloud’.
About Fastmetrics, Inc. Building & Business ISP
Since 2002, Fastmetrics is the Bay Area’s only dedicated business ISP. We provide telecommunication services in California and the San Francisco Bay Area. Reliable service – backed by better live and local support. From install to 24-7 proactive monitoring, get treated like a VIP customer. Not a number by a faceless call center. We specialize in managed business internet and phones, dedicated high speed business fiber internet, business WiFi, SIP voice solutions / UCaaS and managed network services. We are a Microsoft and Cisco Meraki Partner. Our team are Certified Cisco Specialists, Ubiquiti Enterprise Wireless Accredited and Polycom Authorized Solution Advisors. We take care of your business network, so you can focus on growth.
Cloud Phone System Benefits & Considerations For Businesses
About 75% of businesses globally have shifted to some kind of cloud based service or platform. Business analysts have predicted that the worldwide market for cloud services will reach a value of about $158.8 billion this year. Cloud phone system benefits cover businesses of all sizes, from startups to large global companies. Many offer advanced unified communication features that businesses need to succeed, in the fast paced business environment of today. In the past, businesses had to rely on the use of physical and on-site equipment, (such as PBX cabinets) for phone systems and applications. Now, with the increasing shift to the cloud, these systems and applications can be stored safely in off-site data centers.
Below you’ll find the top reasons why savvy business owners are joining the shift to cloud hosted voice or phone systems. Also below, an infographic detailing the main cloud phone system benefits. As well as key considerations and questions to ask if weighing up a switch to the cloud from your current phone service.
1. Cloud Phone Systems Cost Less
One of the major cloud phone system benefits is the large cost savings when compared to traditional phone services. Cloud based communications eliminate the need to pay up-front for heavy and expensive installations. Not to mention the regularly occurring maintenance charges of a traditional phone system. When you host your phone system on the Internet, you’ll be charged on a usage basis only. You pay only for hostage space and bandwidth that you require. Cloud phone systems also offer access to high-end features and upgrades for minimal to no cost. Commonly, set monthly fees per phone line or ‘seats’, are offered by cloud phone providers.
A cloud phone service even negates the need for physical phones!
2. Cloud Based Phone Systems Offer Rich Features
Cloud based phone systems provide users with a variety of standard features, as well as voicemail, advanced email and automatic attendants and many more unified communications options. Some more advanced features include traffic shaping such as MPLS, which is useful in preserving bandwidth. It also helps in ensuring call quality and reliability. Some providers such as Fastmetrics, offer cloud voice over privately managed networks, so voice traffic never travel on the public Internet. Cloud phones can also connect with two different on-site Internet circuits, which is useful in providing backup.
3. Cloud Business Phone Systems Are Flexible
Cloud phone systems benefit businesses with access to the latest voice features without any hardware updates. Whether your business is growing or downsizing, a cloud service will provide the flexibility the business needs today and for future growth.
4. Cloud Based Services Are Easily Scaled
It is the aim of any business to scale. So should their phone system. For anyone who has had to expand or move an on-premise phone system, they will surely know the degree of difficulty involved. Lots of equipment, lots of man-power and lots of careful moving, of large hardware. A phone system in the cloud is easily and quickly organized. The only shifting required is of handsets or cables, without any extra burden on your business IT department.
Infographic: Key Cloud Phone Service Benefits
9 extra benefits when moving to a cloud phone service
5. Cloud Telephony: Mobility Apps & Remote Work
What business doesn’t need continuous communication today? A cloud phone system benefits and empowers businesses with off-site work forces and remote employees. Cloud hosted systems provides the ability to communicate with all co-workers and customers, no matter their location.
6. Disaster Recovery With A Cloud Telephony System
Your business phone system should never go down. Ever. It needs to be up 24/7 to support your customers and to receive inbound sales, leads or new business. A cloud phone system benefits by protecting against loss of business voice in case of disasters. Utilizing the cloud ensures a reliable and resilient phone service, always.
7. Cloud Phone Service Expands Uniformity
With cloud phone systems, companies with varying locations can deploy a more unified phone system with remote offices setup efficiently. All users experience the same call quality, plus the same features.
8. A Cloud Phone System Benefits IT Teams
Your business IT department will have many things to focus on, without adding phone system maintenance to their work load. Cloud phone system benefits are possible as a vendor manages your system off-site. Your IT department will be free to focus on issues that have higher priority.
9. Improved Information Security
One of the great advantages of the cloud, especially a private cloud solution, is that there is no fear of sacrificing data security when you allow company data to exist, outside the local firewall. Security is increased when a client uses a cloud phone service for business due to stringent ISO security standards that cloud providers should always adhere to.
10. Decreased Time To Value
Time to value with cloud phone services is quite less than on-site phone services and applications. Not only is implementation time decreased, but the IT resources required to roll out the cloud solution are also significantly less.
For example, if you’re a Silicon Valley startup and you need to get on the phone to cold call prospects or potential investors, a cloud based phone system provides a faster avenue to do this. As you grow and hire another sales team member, their phone system can be setup instantly. There is no need for an IT person. Just a simple call to your cloud business phone system vendor, to have the same phone functionality and features to grow your business.
Considering A Cloud Phone System?
Today, e-mails, texts and instant messaging accounts for a significant portion of daily communications. However, a good old fashion phone call is far from obsolete. That’s particularly true in the business world. Regardless of business size or industry, a reliable phone service is a necessity. As with many business decisions, selecting the right business phone system for your specific needs can be overwhelming. In the past, many businesses were forced to implement a Public Branch Exchange (PBX). A PBX is an on-premise or on-site telephone network. A PBX required bulky hardware, dedicated storage and a significant investment in management and maintenance. As such, a PBX phone system often lacked affordability, flexibility and security.
Take office phone presence with you, via a flexible cloud setup and mobile apps
Thanks to ongoing advancements in networking and digital technology, the traditional PBX is no longer the only option when it comes to business phone systems. Instead, many businesses and organizations are turning to external virtual hosted PBX solutions, also referred to as cloud phone systems. A cloud phone system is managed off-site and accessible anywhere online. These IP powered phone systems make it easier for businesses to tap into enhanced communication features, without investing in on-site management and maintenance.
Not sure if cloud phones are right for you? Below are 5 more reasons why today’s businesses are opting for the convenience, versatility and cost-effectiveness of cloud phone systems.
Cloud Phone System: Less Maintenance & Administrative Requirements
Businesses employing traditional PBXs must train, certify or designate an individual (or multiple) employees or hire external contractors to manage and maintain a PBX phone system. This limitation can create an environment where maintenance and updates are not only disruptive, but inefficient and costly. This can unnecessarily eat away at budget or other critical ITC tasks, preventing business growth and development.
A cloud phone system is hosted off-site. It is managed by a phone service provider. Business owners no longer need to sacrifice excessive financial or human capital to obtain reliable phone service, with enterprise-level features and functionality. Administration of a cloud phone system is also simplified. Simple online access, like this web based metricPHONE dashboard, allow easy control of phone functions and setup. At any time, anywhere. No advanced IT work is required – anyone phone user can do it. Remote workers can be efficiently setup with phone service too. Shifting phone service from on-premise hardware to a cloud based solution, empowers users to make changes efficiently. Adding rules or setting up out of office, can be done with the click of a button.
Improved Security & Disaster Recovery
When businesses rely on an on-premise PBX, they’re typically housing all their equipment in a single location. This leaves a phone service vulnerable to everything from human error to power failures, fires, or natural disasters. Conversely, a cloud hosted PBX utilizes remote data centers to mitigate that risk. Servers are protected by layers of physical and network security. This makes it difficult for outside threats to compromise services and information. Along that same line, many cloud phone systems provide redundancy to keep service secure and accessible.
A Cloud Phone System Provides Global Reach
As the needs of a business, as well as their customers and employees extend beyond the physical boundaries of a single building, the importance of a communication system that can adapt to that need is essential to both scalability and security, not to mention a business’s reputation. Because cloud phone systems can seamlessly integrate with mobile devices, owners and employees alike have access to the phone system regardless of where they are, allowing for seamless productivity. The same is true for companies that have or expect to have multiple locations. A cloud PBX can connect all locations with a unified front (e.g., one phone number can route calls to locations around the globe).
Cloud Flexibility & Remote Workforce Presence
Planning on scaling up business? Opening a new branch and need immediate access to phone based communications? With a cloud phone system, businesses can enjoy increased adaptability without sacrificing their bottom line. This flexibility isn’t limited to phone lines, which can be added and removed as needed. It is also attributed to mobile presence by smart phone apps and features which enable a truly mobile workforce.
Remote workers can be easily setup with business phone service with a cloud based system
Fastmetrics for example, offers customers access to a robust list of included voice features. These include basic business phone service requirements such as call forwarding, conferencing, auto attendants and voicemail to text. Also numerous advanced options, such as click-to-dial CRM integration via the metricCRMconnect Chrome extension.
Service & Phone Call Cost Savings
Cloud business phone systems negate the need for unnecessary hardware maintenance, management and advanced administration. This is typically associated with on-premise PBX systems. In turn, companies can adapt and change as necessary. This brings significant savings to those who make the switch to cloud phone services.
How much can you save? That depends on a variety of factors, such as the number of lines you need. A recent report by Transparency Market Research suggests the cost of phone system ownership can decrease significantly, via a cloud based or virtual PBX. Other reports frequently suggest savings near 60% to 90%, particularly when international calling costs are factored in.
This notion is supported by Fastmetrics business phone service rates. We provide monthly phone service for as little as $20 a line, or ‘seat’. Our metricPHONES are a completely managed service to ensure voice quality. It enables businesses to meet customer needs, whilst maintaining a cost-effective and versatile service. In order to remain competitive in today’s market, business owners must continually strike a balance between affordability and functionality. When it comes to communication, cloud phone services represent a way to achieve that goal. Got questions about a cloud phone system or service benefits? Contact us.
Key Business Questions & Cloud Phone System Considerations
A cloud PBX can change how you do business, increasing flexibility, responsiveness, mobility and efficiency, while aiding you in improving customer service. But all those benefits are only possible if you choose the right system for your business. With so many options to choose from, it is important to have the right information, to make the best decision possible. We have compiled a list of what you need to know before committing to a cloud PBX system.
1. Does A Cloud Phone System Meet Business Needs?
Can the hosted cloud PBX system you are considering support enough users for your business? What about in the future? Can it expand as your business grows? Not all cloud phone systems have the option of adding users easily. A comprehensive cloud PBX can serve many purposes in your business and save you a lot of money, because you don’t have to invest in different office equipment.
Certain cloud based phone systems include / provide functions which allow a user to;
…and more. These and other virtual and unified communication features can save you from the need to purchase additional equipment or software later on. Tip: Before choosing your cloud phones, take the time to make a list of the telephone related needs of your business so you can choose a system that meets those needs.
Fastmetrics hosted cloud PBX uses a private voice network
2. Can This Cloud Phone System Work With Multiple Locations & From Home?
If you have a single location, with no remote employees, you will have greater choice in hosted cloud phone systems. Don’t automatically assume that a system will work for multiple locations. Ensure that the cloud PBX system you are investing in can cover all your locations, and that free local calls and long distance calling between these locations is included in your package. Find out if you can transfer calls between different locations (both local and remote). Getting such information upfront can save you money. Ensure that every location of your business has the same functionality and remains connected.
3. Can I Use The Phone Equipment Our Business Already Has?
While some phone systems require expensive telephone equipment, others work with the equipment you already have on hand – like business VoIP – or without the need to purchase any added hardware. If your business is just starting out, you may not have budget to invest in phones or equipment. If that is the case, be sure to check hardware requirements, as well as any setup and / or installation costs.
4. What Is The Startup Procedure & Cost?
Some cloud phone systems are free of charge to setup and require no special equipment. These hosted PBX systems can typically be up and running within 24 hours. However, this is not the case with every hosted phone service provider. Tip: Ensure that you know what to expect in terms of startup costs and fees, before committing to any hosted business phone system.
5. What Level Of Customer Support Is Provided?
Customer service and responsive technical support is important when your business phone system is cloud based. Tip: If you have problems, you want to ensure that you have timely assistance to minimize any downtime, or loss of important business calls.
6. What Usage Based Fees Are Charged In Addition To The Monthly Rate?
It is important to know exactly how much your new business telephone system will cost you. In addition to monthly rates, some cloud PBX system providers charge for things such as:
Long distance calls
Extra extensions (some providers include these)
Additional users
Number of minutes of telephone use (some providers provide unlimited free calls / minutes)
Voice mail (often included)
Additional inbound numbers (1-800 numbers are usually an extra cost)
Tip: Also factor in any additional fees necessary for your Internet service. (Your business internet service may need to be upgraded, in order to provide enough bandwidth to support voice over IP calls). Adequate internet bandwidth is also necessary to ensure call quality and reduce packet loss. QoS (Quality of Service) is essential for any cloud PBX you are considering.
7. Can This Phone System Be A Disaster Recovery Solution?
Many cloud phone services can be accessed from anywhere. Because setup is all in the cloud, you have exactly what you need at your fingertips. Fast access can be via the Internet from a smartphone app, or even a softphone on a laptop. This means that in case of disaster, your company is more resilient and can get back up and running faster than businesses relying on older phone systems. The benefits of a cloud PBX are many. Save energy, be kinder to the environment, cut costs, and more by making the switch to a virtual or cloud phone system today.
Cloud Business Phone Service Benefits…Continued
The way your business manages internal and external communication, significantly impacts everything from employee productivity and satisfaction, to customer relations and retention. A key element to this communication is your business phone service. In the past, many companies opted for an on-premise Private Branch Exchange (PBX) to connect employees with other employees. As well as facilitate phone conversations with employees and external clients, vendors, etc.
While on-premise PBXs (refers to a PBX installation within the Local Area Network or LAN), do fulfill many communications needs, today’s digital and global world can make it difficult for those systems to adjust. This is due to the increased demands and flexibility required of today’s telecommunications. Fortunately, as cloud server technology becomes a standard in today’s computing world, so does the notion of a cloud business phone service. And today, many of these services – like the Fastmetrics cloud business phone service – offer small businesses an enterprise-level phone service at an affordable price.
Despite the continual growth of cloud-based services, many companies may be hesitant to make the jump. It is assumed that migration, integration and long-term use can be both complex and costly. However, those who do make the switch typically find their decision to boast long-term benefits to their operations and their bottom line. Though the reasons are many, here are a few more major points to consider if you’re thinking of making the move to a cloud-based phone service.
Easy Administration and Maintenance
As a hosted service, cloud business phones negate the need for onsite hardware, maintenance, and management. Without the need to worry about hardware configuration or ongoing maintenance, businesses can take full advantage of a cloud-based phone service (and all its features) without straining internal resources. We find this to be particularly beneficial for companies with a minimal IT staff, as our customer service can work with office managers and administrators to keep things up and running with, negating the need for the strong technical skills often required for on-premise solutions.
Mitigation Of Risks & Easier Disaster Recovery
On-premise PBX solutions operate off hardware housed and managed within your facility; this also makes them uniquely vulnerable to localized fires and power failures, human error, and natural disasters.
Though any location can be vulnerable to those circumstances, a cloud business phone service offers fail-over capabilities, mitigating the risk of potentially disastrous interruptions of service through server redundancy. To put it simply, cloud-based services eliminate reliance on a single piece of equipment by employing multiple servers, meaning mass outages, data interruptions, and ultimately operational and financial loss can be avoided.
A Cloud Business Phone Service Is Easy To Scale
For many organizations, one of the most attractive aspects of a cloud business phone service is the ability for it to grow and adapt as needed, and that flexibility can meet a variety of needs both in the future or throughout a single fiscal year. Businesses that plan to increase their personnel or open another location within the next few years can start small and easily expand without the hassle of on-site updates and configurations. Similarly, companies that rely on a phone service to handle seasonal call volume will find it’s easy to increase and decrease functionality as needed.
Unlimited Remote Solutions
Today, many find the ability to work remotely can increase productivity and accommodate the needs of a global market. For that reason, employees at various levels are often engaging in workplace activities outside of the office.
Though often beneficial, this can lead to gaps in an otherwise unified communication front. This problem, and the price to resolve it, increases substantially if a remote workforce is part of an overarching business strategy. However, cloud-based business phone services can offer an easy and cost-effective solution for remote work by allowing employees to access office phone services through apps installed on their desktop or mobile phones, allowing for easy internal and external communication that upholds both functionality and brand perception.
Significant Phone Bill & Service Savings
Though the benefits and perks may seem indicative of increased spend, the opposite is true. In fact, small businesses that decide to make the switch to VoIP services can save up to 45% on their monthly phone bill. Long distance calling, maintenance and technical oversight, migration or employee line changes, and equipment can all be costly. But cloud business phone servers can eliminate or decrease the amount spent on those common needs.
Additionally, because the use of cloud-based phone systems is becoming more frequent in today’s business world, top providers, including Fastmetrics, offer feature-rich packages and other perks, such as free phone upgrades as part their basic services, which can increase efficiency and internal organization without tacking on additional fees and charges. Cloud business phone services can provide organizations with the flexibility and functionality they need at a cost that is typically lower – in both direct and indirect expenses – than alternative business phone services.
About Fastmetrics, Inc. Building & Business ISP
Since 2002, Fastmetrics is the Bay Area’s only dedicated business ISP. We provide telecommunication services in California and the San Francisco Bay Area. Reliable service – backed by better live and local support. From install to 24-7 proactive monitoring, get treated like a VIP customer. Not a number by a faceless call center. We specialize in managed business internet and phones, dedicated high speed business fiber internet, business WiFi, SIP voice solutions / UCaaS and managed network services. We are a Microsoft and Cisco Meraki Partner. Our team are Certified Cisco Specialists, Ubiquiti Enterprise Wireless Accredited and Polycom Authorized Solution Advisors. We take care of your business network, so you can focus on growth.
In light of the recent iCloud celebrity hacking controversy, there’s no better time to ensure you have the latest iPhone security apps to protect your personal data and cloud access. Flawed security or not, this has not slowed iPhone sales down. The release of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus overshadowed news that in the last few weeks, Apple sold it’s 500 millionth iPhone.
Best iPhone Security Apps Available Today
The iCloud hack targeted and exploited Apple’s Find My iPhone app. It has been written this flaw was reported to Apple as early as March 26th. There might be some security apps you are missing out on and the below apps are carefully selected on the basis of ratings, user comments and user-friendliness.
PocketCloud Remote Access App by Wyse Technology ($14.99)
The PocketCloud app for iPhone is the most expensive security app on this list. However, it delivers a secure and quick way to remotely connect, access pictures, videos, games and files with a simple installation.
The Wickr app is designed by a team of privacy and security experts who believe that “private communication is the right of every human”, so they made this iPhone security application free. Recently, the DNC launched a tech marketplace for Democrat candidates. Wickr is the recommended secure messaging app on this new Democrat platform. (Disclosure: Wickr is also a Fastmetrics customer).
Wickr sends messages, tells you who sees it, shows the duration of the message and location. It has military grade encryption and is fully integrated to send images, PDF files from Box and Google Drive.
SplashID – Safe Password Manager (Free)
SplashID allows you to lock usernames, credit card data, registration codes etc without any fear of breach of privacy. This app also allows the creation of customized categories and records.
Snap “Simple Network Area Prober” by 9 Bit Labs ($1.99)
The Snap app scans the network around you to discovering nearby routers, other iPhones, servers etc and display any name information available and also IP addresses. It’s handy to discover open ports.
WISeID “Password Manager & Secure Wallet” (Free)
This is an easy to use iPhone security app. WISeID safely encrypts and stores data such as PIN numbers, passwords, credit card info, photos etc. WISeID also gives the option of face recognition, password and dot patterns for enhanced security.
mSecure Password Manager App by mSeven Software ($9.99)
The mSecure app is like an insurance policy for any iPhone. It secures various types of personal data such as credit card info, social security numbers, logins etc and has 256 bit blowfish encryption, with a free backup utility.
Secure Folder PRO by iDevMobile ($2.99)
The Secure Folder PRO app is similar to the mSecure app but at a lower price. It has a keypad code lock along with pattern lock for securing your pictures, videos, text messages and passwords etc. It identifies intruders with photo and GPS tracking. You also get a secret website, private navigation system and bookmarks without any tracking history.
Hotspot Shield VPN by AnchorFree (Free)
Hotspot Shield VPN is a free iPhone security app that is actually a great way to save money. Especially if you are on a data plan while enjoying protection when using WiFi hotspots. The VPN encrypts all kinds of traffic for protecting your identity, to stop unnecessary tracking and to protect your IP address. You are also notified and saved from spam, phishing and other rogue sites with protection from Malware. It does all this without blowing out data usage with the use of bandwidth compression. You also have the ability to unlock any blocked content or websites. Enjoy Facebook on your iPhone even when your boss has blocked it in your office.
Alarm.com Monitor & Control Security System App (Free)
This app is truly amazing and provides interactive remote security from a distance. This is a free app that requires a compatible system with an interactive service plan from alarm.com. It allows users to monitor their home or business in real time, while the iPhone user can be anywhere on earth.
Watch live video and also record videos from your security cameras and turn lights off or on, change the temperature of thermostat and you can even search the history of a complete system. You can also text, email and setup push notifications for when employees arrive, when a garage door is left open or if someone has changed the temperature on a thermostat. With this iPhone security app you can spy (monitor) on your business and home at anytime from anywhere in the world and do it absolutely free.
If you’re installing new iPhone security apps or other applications in general, be sure you are also maintaining optimal iPhone battery life.
About Fastmetrics, Inc. Building & Business ISP
Since 2002, Fastmetrics is the Bay Area’s only dedicated business ISP. We provide telecommunication services in California and the San Francisco Bay Area. Reliable service – backed by better live and local support. From install to 24-7 proactive monitoring, get treated like a VIP customer. Not a number by a faceless call center. We specialize in managed business internet and phones, dedicated high speed business fiber internet, business WiFi, SIP voice solutions / UCaaS and managed network services. We are a Microsoft and Cisco Meraki Partner. Our team are Certified Cisco Specialists, Ubiquiti Enterprise Wireless Accredited and Polycom Authorized Solution Advisors. We take care of your business network, so you can focus on growth.
Here’s How To Make Your iPhone Battery Last Longer
Anyone who’s used an iPhone will have discovered that this powerful, intuitive and fun smartphone also has some pitfalls that come with it’s many benefits. The biggest disadvantage and inconvenience of owning any type of iPhone, is that of iPhone battery life. It is well documented that average use of an iPhone creates a need to charge it every day. “Heavy” users have confessed to needing to charge their Apple iPhone multiple times a day or simply keep it plugged in throughout a 24 hour period.
Has iPhone Battery Life Improved With The Latest iPhones?
Historically, iPhone battery life has been poor compared to other smartphones. Apple has somewhat addressed the issue of battery life with some of the newer iPhone releases. For those of us with an older iPhone, the battery struggle is very real. Looking back at the older iPhone 6, even Apple advocates did not expect the iPhone 6 / iPhone 6 Plus battery life to break any battery life records. In fact, testing shows they are not even rated in the top 3 for this spec. Way back at the release of the iPhone 6, Apple iPhones trailed behind other smartphone offerings such as Sony’s Xperia X3, Huawei’s Ascend Mate7, Samsung’s Galaxy S5 and HTC’s One (M8) when it came to smartphone battery life.
The iPhone 6 is now ancient history, so what’s changed since?
At the new iPhone XR release, Apple’s Senior VP Of Worldwide Marketing, Phil Schiller, said on stage; “the XR will get 1.5 hours more of battery life than the iPhone 8 Plus”. The iPhone XR specs list talk time of up to 25 hours, internet use of up to 15 hours, wireless video playback of 16 hours and wireless audio playback of up to 65 hours.
Unfortunately, there have been reports from pro Apple publications that the latest iOS 12 update is a battery drainer. So, if you don’t have the latest and greatest iPhone, here’s some practical ways to extend the battery time of your iPhone.
Make iPhone Battery Last Longer: 10 Ways
If you’ve searched, “How to make my iPhone battery last longer”, you’re in the right place. There are many, simple and practical ways to determine how to make your battery last longer. We have named just ten ideas to improve iPhone battery life in this post. Following these tips will help conserve battery life and lessen the inconvenience of carrying a charger around with you.
1. Hot and cold temperatures Affect iPhone Battery Life
The iPhone is designed to function in a range of temperatures, between 62° to 72° F (room temperature), being the ideal comfort zone. It is very important to avoid exposing the device to temperatures higher than 95° F, which can permanently damage battery capacity.
Charging your iPhone in high temperatures can reduce battery life further. Hot temperatures are a hidden drain on your iPhone battery effectiveness. The same applies to very cold environments, where you might notice decreases in battery life.
2. Disable iOS Dynamic Backgrounds
If you are using iOS you might be familiar with the dynamic wallpapers feature, that changes behind your app icons. These dynamic backgrounds may look cool, but they also drain more power than a simple static background image. To disable dynamic backgrounds, go to; Wallpapers & Brightness > Choose a New Wallpaper > select a background from your ‘Stills’ or from your Camera Roll options instead.
Image courtesy of; iphonehacks.com
3. Remove Your iPhone Case
Charging your iPhone when it’s inside certain types of cases, definitely generates excess heat which effects battery capacity. Even when you are not charging, try to avoid keeping your cell in a case as this also increases iPhone temperature, draining battery power faster.
uNu iPhone cases include a built in battery
4. Turn Bluetooth OFF
We can’t deny that Bluetooth networking is useful for cell phone users with wireless headsets or earpieces. But sending out data through Bluetooth drains battery life fast. Leaving Bluetooth on to accept incoming data at all times requires even more battery. Turn off Bluetooth when you’re not using it.
Turn off Bluetooth by navigating to the following on your iPhone;
Settings
Bluetooth
Move slider to off / white
5. Auto Adjust iPhone Screen Brightness
Turning Auto-Brightness on helps save battery life. The iPhone has a sensor that adjusts the brightness of your phone screen, based on the light of it’s surroundings. For example, screen brightness is darker in dark places and brighter when around ambient light. This feature is to save battery life and make it easier to see.
Turn on auto brightness by tapping;
Settings
Wallpapers & Brightness
Move the Auto-Brightness slider to on / green
6. Make Use Of Battery Usage Information
iOS 8 was considered to be the most battery efficient iOS ever….battery life on the latest iOS for iPhones has improved even more. iOS now gives iPhone users more precise and accurate ways to manage the device’s battery life. It will show you the exact proportion of your battery used by each app.
To view iPhone battery usage go to;
Settings
General
Usage
Battery Usage
7. Manage App Background Activity
Battery power is needed by apps that are running or updating in the background. To turn off the feature that allows applications to refresh or update automatically in the background, go to;
Settings
General
Background App Refresh and set the switch to off
8. Turn WiFi OFF When Not Using It
Keeping WiFi turned on at all times is a sure way to drain your battery life, fast. Unless you’re using it, keep WiFi turned off by tapping;
Settings
Wi-Fi
Slide to off / white
You can also turn off WiFi on your iPhone through the Control Center.
9. Optimize and Control iPhone Settings
Keeping control of the settings and apps on your iPhone is another way to preserve battery power. Apps that are opened or running unexpectedly in the background, or apps that are no longer being used, drain battery life.
10. Turn OFF iPhone Location Settings
To turn OFF iPhone location settings go to;
Settings
Privacy
Location Services
>> Then turn off iPhone system services. Scroll down and find ‘System Services’ Turn off the following features;
Diagnostics & Usage
Location-Based iAds
Popular Near Me
Setting Time Zone
How to Make Your Phone Battery Last Longer: Tips For Any iPhone
By now, you’ve likely determined the answer to the query, “how to make iPhone battery last longer”. For added information and viewing, below is a video guide from Nick Ackerman (plus a transcript to reference if required). Nick’s video shows steps on how to improve the battery life of any iPhone. Whether that be the iPhone SE, iPhone X, iPhone 7, 7 Plus, whichever iPhone model you currently have.
Video: How I get AMAZING battery life on any iPhone?
Video transcript: So what is up guys? Nick here helping you to master your technology. How do I get amazing battery life on any iPhone? Well, it doesn’t matter which iPhone you’re using, iPhone SE, iPhone X, 7, 7 Plus, whatever. It all applies. Let’s take a dive into how exactly I do this.
So the first thing when getting any iPhone, I do is I go into the “Settings” and I go to “Battery Life” and now since Apple introduced this new Battery Health Beta, I will now check the maximum capacity of my battery because you can’t blame the phone for being bad battery if your capacity is low. That just means the physical battery needs a replacement. (By the way, you can get it at a discount for $30 until the end of 2018 at any Apple store).
Next up, I don’t use my iPhone in any temperatures that are below 32 degrees or above 95 degrees because that’s what Apple has claimed will actually degrade the battery performance and this is pretty true of any lithium ion technology with any product. Lithium ion technology just doesn’t play well with extreme temperatures. That is just the case in anything. I personally ride an e-bike which is an electric bike and that thing gets worse range when it’s colder or extremely hot. So definitely this is a problem if you’re in extreme temperatures. So just stay out of those and you will get great battery life.
Next thing and first and foremost that I do is I go into “Settings”. I go into “General” and then I go into “Background App Refresh” and I make sure that this thing is turned off. Now I have some of it on. I turn some of these features back on just to show you how to disable them and stuff like that in this video. But “Background App Refresh” is one of the first things I always do because I really personally don’t like when “Background App Refresh” is on.
Next thing I do is disable auto brightness. Now unfortunately, Apple didn’t give us an easy way to disable the auto brightness in display settings. So what I have to do is I got to go into “General”. I go into “Accessibility” and I turn on “Auto Brightness” here, often on here in “Display Accommodations”. So I hope this is fixed in iOS 12. But for now, that’s how you do it and that’s one of the things I also do to save battery life.
Next up, I manage location services. So I go into “Privacy” and I go into “Location Services” and I turn off all of the ones that I don’t think I will ever use. Now you’re going to go ahead and see that only a few applications will use these services. But the more applications you do have on your phone, the more there’s going to be. So I have that off altogether most of the time unless I absolutely need to use the GPS for whatever the case may be.
Next tip is to use WiFi whenever possible. Most of us know this is a pretty basic battery tip. But I do that and I just had to mention it there. That’s how I always get good battery life as well. I try to stay off LTE as much as possible on any iPhone that I do use.
Next up, I keep my apps to the minimum, which means that I use the applications I’m going to actually use and download. Don’t download more than you need. Now I do have quite a few. But each one of these apps I do actually use quite consistently. So just keep the apps that you’re going to use and don’t have extra apps. It just builds cache in the background and it’s just not a good thing to do is have extra apps that you don’t need if you’re looking to get better battery life.
So next up, I turn off automatic downloads and updates in iTunes App Store location and settings. So go there. When you’re in there, you’re going to see automatic downloads. Make sure these are checked off and remember that you do have to update your apps manually if you do this. So once a week, maybe go into the App Store and just hit “Update All” and update your applications because you’re going to be disabling it here.
Next thing I do is make sure that I always have a static wallpaper on the iPhone. I never use dynamic wallpapers because they do eat their battery life, just as live wallpapers would do on Android.
Next thing I do is I watch that tricky Bluetooth setting in the iOS. So I’m going to go ahead – iOS 11 specifically. When you turn off Bluetooth, it’s not really off here from the control center. You actually have to go in to your Bluetooth settings and turn it off manually right there.
So that’s the next thing I do to get great battery life on any iPhone. The next thing I do is I go into “Settings” and then I go back to “Display” and I make sure that this auto lock time is at a lower one minute. Now I’m going to keep it at “Never” here just because we’re trying to keep the screen on for this video. But I will put this at the lowest auto lock time possible so I never forget to leave my phone. I want to put it in my pocket and I get amazing battery life that way.
Another hidden one is actually located in “Privacy”. Every iPhone out of the box has motion and fitness tracking turned on in the Apple Health settings and this thing always is tracking you wherever you’re walking for fitness and if you’re not a fitness guru or you’re not using the fitness apps at all, this is eating battery life that you probably had no idea was eating. So you just go into your privacy settings, locate “Motion and Fitness” and disable that.
Now the next thing I do is I limit ad tracking. So how do we do this? Let’s go back into “Privacy”. We’re going to scroll all the way down to the bottom and go to “Advertising”. Now I left this on to show you how to disable it. Just click that little toggle and this will save some battery life as well. No more ad tracking here on your iPhone.
Next thing I do is I make sure that AirDrop is disabled. AirDrop is very useful and I do recommend using it. But when you’re done using it, make sure it’s turned off because this can be a serious battery drain if you leave it on all day.
Next thing I do is I go into my sound settings and I go ahead and I turn off “Vibrate on Ring” and “Vibrate on Silent” as well because vibration is not always necessary. All I need to hear is the sound. I don’t need vibration to eat through my battery life if I’m trying to get through a long day.
I also will clear applications that are running in the background pretty frequently to make sure that they’re not using any precious battery life in the background. I know a lot of people don’t agree with this. They think that leaving apps open doesn’t do anything to battery life. But personally I’ve just been doing it for a long time and I’ve seen tremendous battery results doing that. So that’s just my experience on iPhone.
Lastly if I’m in a pinch, I will use the low battery power mode. This one is right in your face. Everybody knows what this is, low power mode. But just utilize that if you don’t want to do a bunch of settings and you want to save battery in a pinch and you haven’t got time to think about what can I disable right now to get through the rest of this day.
Anyway, that’s it. That’s how I get amazing battery life on any iPhone. I do all of these settings anytime I get any new iPhone and pretty much all my iPhones get me through most of the day with an exception of when I’m running betas. When I am running a beta version of iOS, then I do definitely see a little bit of a drop. But that’s because it’s in a beta process. Once we get on the official versions, the battery starts picking back up.
If you guys found this video helpful, enjoyable, do me a favor. Click that like button for me. Share any of your awesome battery tips on how you’re getting amazing battery life on your iPhone down below in the comments section of this video. Nick here helping you to master your technology. Be sure to be well. I will catch you all in the next episode and peace.
About Fastmetrics, Inc. Building & Business ISP
Since 2002, Fastmetrics is the Bay Area’s only dedicated business ISP. We provide telecommunication services in California and the San Francisco Bay Area. Reliable service – backed by better live and local support. From install to 24-7 proactive monitoring, get treated like a VIP customer. Not a number by a faceless call center. We specialize in managed business internet and phones, dedicated high speed business fiber internet, business WiFi, SIP voice solutions / UCaaS and managed network services. We are a Microsoft and Cisco Meraki Partner. Our team are Certified Cisco Specialists, Ubiquiti Enterprise Wireless Accredited and Polycom Authorized Solution Advisors. We take care of your business network, so you can focus on growth.
Mac users will be well aware of the “spinning wheel of death” or the “rainbow wheel”. That damn frustrating, continuous spinning, caused when you open too many programs or when your network or Internet connection is lagging. PC users will know this as a spinning cursor – the dead time when you wait for a program to load or page to open.
That spinning wheel means much more than a slow response from your computer, the program or web page you are trying to open. It’s eating away at your business profits. It should be sending alarm bells to every business.
Spinning Wheel Of Leaking Profits
Not just frustrating for any employee trying to get work done, that spinning wheel effects businesses from office desktops right up to the next board meeting on profits. It should be a danger sign to any business owner or CEO, because it means downtime.
This downtime might be milliseconds at a time, seconds every hour or worse, minutes a day. These precious seconds and minutes ultimately add up to loss of workplace productivity, output and crucially, profits. As the age old saying goes; “time is money” and computer, network or Internet lag, is time that an employee can not perform the services they are paid for.
Spinning Wheels Hurt Silicon Valley Businesses More
This couldn’t be more important for Silicon Valley companies, the most expensive area in the United States to rent commercial office space (even more than Manhattan). Silicon Valley companies and businesses also put a working roof over the heads of some of the highest paid employees in the world.
Image courtesy of catherinehendricks.com
How much is it costing Silicon Valley companies?
Likely, more than you think. Here is a very basic example; let’s say our Data Scientist, (we’ll call him Bob), earns the average salary of a Silicon Valley Data Scientist of $200,000 a year. Data is a hot commodity now as companies need people to manage and make decisions from user data.
On average, Bob works 45 hours a week for fifty weeks of the year…..which is 2250 hours (135,000 minutes) in the workplace, equalling an hourly rate of $88.88. Note: this is an estimate on average working hours for this position. We found a wealth of information on salaries in Silicon Valley, however information on average working hours was difficult to find).
Bobs hates when he sees that spinning wheel on his Mac. What an unwelcome distraction from his data management software, not to mention a delay on his data backup service. His company has a very solid business grade Internet connection usually, but the growing amount of data that Bob deals with on a day to day basis is slowing things down.
Bob decides to tally all the time his wheel spins in a day;
3 minutes total over his 9 hour working day =
15 minutes a week =
750 minutes in his fifty week working year = 12.5 hours a year Bob spends waiting to work while….at work. Zero productivity.
These 12.5 hours a year (longer if Bob works more hours) for which Bob is compensated for, at his average hourly rate of $88.88 = $1,111 per year, for a 0% return to the business.
Nothing against Bob – he is an expert in his trade and this is what he signed up for. But as a business owner, CEO, CTO or IT Director, the overall financial impact and effect on efficiency is much larger. That’s only Bob who’s waiting to get back to work. Think about the size of your work force 10? 20? 50? 100? 1,000? 10,000? That spinning wheel adds up to a big time cost and a sink hole of productivity.
Learn About Latency At Your Business
Lessening spinning wheels and these small increments of “downtime” across a business network is achieved with lower latency. Latencycan apply to both networks, fiber optics and computers. Go ahead and read the exact definition, here.
Image courtesy of soundonsound.com
What’s a good level of latency? It depends. Generally, the lower the better. It means less downtime and less spinning wheels. As a benchmark, we have achieved a 4ms latency for a large business customer with our fiber optic internet service.
Go ahead and ask your IT department about latency the next time Mr Spinny Wheel pops up. Remember to always report or raise a ticket with your IT Department if you’re experiencing slow responses or this sort of downtime multiple times a day.
About Fastmetrics, Inc. Building & Business ISP
Since 2002, Fastmetrics is the Bay Area’s only dedicated business ISP. We provide telecommunication services in California and the San Francisco Bay Area. Reliable service – backed by better live and local support. From install to 24-7 proactive monitoring, get treated like a VIP customer. Not a number by a faceless call center. We specialize in managed business internet and phones, dedicated high speed business fiber internet, business WiFi, SIP voice solutions / UCaaS and managed network services. We are a Microsoft and Cisco Meraki Partner. Our team are Certified Cisco Specialists, Ubiquiti Enterprise Wireless Accredited and Polycom Authorized Solution Advisors. We take care of your business network, so you can focus on growth.
At Fastmetrics, we love improving workplace productivity and efficiency. 2 ways to do this from your inbox are by speeding up Microsoft Outlook email and by managing your email time well. Yes – emails. We all get them, some more than others. What do you do with the endless barrage that greets your inbox 24-7? Too many emails can lead to the reduced performance of Microsoft Outlook. If you’re one of many businesses or users still using MS Outlook, one way of ensuring your account is not lagging, is to archive Microsoft Outlook email.
Calendar & E-mail Pops Can Disrupt Focus On Important Work
Why Archive Outlook Email?
To maintain optimal performance in Microsoft Outlook 2010 (many businesses have not upgraded to Outlook 2013), it’s important to not let your email account grow and keep growing, beyond control. Some old emails that are months or even years old must be kept. Basically, the more emails you get, the larger your Outlook account gets. That means it also slows down.
Benefits of Auto Archiving Outlook Email
Archiving allows you to store a compressed file of emails locally on your computer’s hard drive. (A back up is always recommended).
Auto archiving removes emails from your email server which improves MS Outlook speed and performance. (Click on the link underlined for step by step instructions on how to archive Outlook 2010 email from the Fastmetrics online support portal).
Email Efficiency: Improve Your Entire Office’s Workplace Productivity
Spending too much time checking and / or replying to emails is certainly counter productive to your workplace productivity. Reading or sending email does not always make best use of your or your employees’ time. It’s often an unwelcome distraction from other priority jobs, daily tasks or projects. This post from 2012 by software and collaboration experts Atlassian, discovers the actual time people and teams spend on e-mail. On average, it takes 16 minutes for a person to completely refocus on a task after replying to an email.
If you’re struggling to pull yourself away from your inbox and the email reply trap, add up how much time you spend checking or replying to your emails throughout the day. Far more than you expected? There are a few ways to increase your workplace productivity, right now;
1. TURN OFF DESKTOP MAIL ALERTS.
Do those Outlook email pop-ups instantly grab your attention from the task at hand? TURN THEM OFF for an instant productivity boost! This way you won’t be encouraged to click on the pop-up and go to your inbox and get distracted.
2. SET ASIDE THREE 20 MINUTE BLOCKS FOR DEDICATED ‘EMAIL TIME’.
One in the morning, one before lunch, one block in the afternoon. Allocating dedicated time to check and answer emails ensures you are managing your time well, and not getting behind schedule from your other pressing deadlines. Unless it’s a ‘high priority’ or an emergency email, most of the time, it can wait.
3. REDUCE SPAM.
With emails, comes spam. Spam is another fact of life unfortunately. Everybody gets it, but there is something you can do about it to ensure it’s not a) wasting your time and b) clogging up your inbox and reducing performance.
If you truly aren’t interested in that ‘men’s assistance’ or that ‘make money online fast’ offer, you can block these types of emails easily with most email spam and virus filtering software. Most spam filters are automatically set up to do so. If you are after some custom email protection, some can be manually tweaked. Customized email spam filters can be set from lenient to aggressive, if you find you are still getting emails you don’t want.
About Fastmetrics, Inc. Building & Business ISP
Since 2002, Fastmetrics is the Bay Area’s only dedicated business ISP. We provide telecommunication services in California and the San Francisco Bay Area. Reliable service – backed by better live and local support. From install to 24-7 proactive monitoring, get treated like a VIP customer. Not a number by a faceless call center. We specialize in managed business internet and phones, dedicated high speed business fiber internet, business WiFi, SIP voice solutions / UCaaS and managed network services. We are a Microsoft and Cisco Meraki Partner. Our team are Certified Cisco Specialists, Ubiquiti Enterprise Wireless Accredited and Polycom Authorized Solution Advisors. We take care of your business network, so you can focus on growth.
46 Tech Terms & ISP Abbreviations In Alphabetical Order
Common tech terms and abbreviations to cut through the technical jargon and expand acronyms. Understand what your IT department or Internet Service Provider is talking about – that’s ISP for short.
aDSL – Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. A data communications technology that uses copper based telephone lines for transmission. It’s a distance sensitive service, meaning your Internet speed will depend on your location from a central telephone exchange.
ARIN – American Registry For Internet Numbers. A non-profit organization which manages and controls the allocations of IP addresses in America and Canada.
ASP – Application Service Provider. A company that provides software applications to customers over the Internet.
Also known as Active Server Page. This is a page on a website that might contain scripts as well as standard HTML.
ASP.NET – A set of website development tools built and offered by Microsoft. Built with the .NET framework, it uses programs such as Visual Studio.
AWS – Amazon Web Services. A cloud services platform offered by the company Amazon. 165 different service offerings available. Connected from data centers all over the world. Check more AWS FAQs.
B2B – Business To Business. Marketing term used to describe sales or transactions or service exchanges that are focussed on businesses only.
B2C – Business To Consumer. Marketing term used to describe sales or transactions or service exchanges that are focussed on consumers only.
B2G – Business To Government. Marketing term used to describe sales or transactions or service exchanges that are focussed on governments only.
CRM – Customer Relationship Management. A system or service to manage current and future customers of a business. For example; Salesforce.com.
DNS – Domain Name System. This system allows the association of a website name to an IP (Internet Protocol) address, so we don’t have to remember an IP address all the time.
EFM – Ethernet In The First Mile. A computer networking protocol between a telecommunications provider and a customer’s location.
EoC – Ethernet Over Copper. A form of Ethernet connection that uses twisted copper telephone wire for transmission of data packets.
FCC – Federal Communications Commission. Government authority which regulates all national and international communications over radio, TV, internet and more.
FTTB – Fiber To The Business / Basement / Building. A type of fiber optic cable installation that connects to a single point on a shared property or building. The fiber can then be shared via other cables to individual offices or homes. We offer this service and call it fiberIVY.
FTTC – Fiber To The Curb / Closet / Cabinet. Seen as an interim solution prior to a full scale roll-out of Fiber To The Home. Can be used to deliver multiple services such as voice and cable TV.
FTTD – Fiber To The Desktop. A fiber optic connection which originates in a main computer room and terminates at or near a user’s desktop, via a terminal or converter.
FTTH – Fiber To The Home. A fiber optic connection which reaches a home user, (meaning a box on the outside wall). Can be used to deliver TV, data and voice services.
FTTN – Fiber To The Node / Neighborhood. A fiber connection which finishes on a street cabinet, with the final connection to a user being over copper. Sometimes used as an interim solution prior to FTTH roll-out.
FTTP – Fiber To The Premises. Used as a term to describe both FTTH and FTTB. Basically, fiber connections to home and / or fiber optic connections for businesses. We offer this service to businesses and call it metricFIBER.
Gbps – Gigabit Per Second. Bit rate or data rate measurement of a computer network. A 1Gbps fiber Internet connection = 1000Mbps (Megabits Per Second).
Gig – Gigabit. In data communications, a Gigabit is equal to one billion bits.
HTML – Hypertext Markup Language. A type of system used to markup text files to add fonts, color, graphics, links etc. Commonly used by web designers.
HTTP – Hypertext Transfer Protocol. An application protocol for information systems and the data communication foundation for the web.
IaaS – Infrastructure As A Service. A cloud computing service model which may cover virtual machines, servers, storage, load balances and networks.
IoT – Internet Of Things. A network of devices or physical objects connected via the Internet.
IP – Internet Protocol. Often used with IP address. An IP address is a number assigned to any device which connects to the Internet. Check your IP address and find out more about IP addresses by clicking on the link.
ISP – Internet Service Provider. A company that provides Internet and often telephone services as well.
Kbps – Kilobits Per Second. A measurement of data transfer speed. Often associated with modems or Internet connections. 1Kbps = 1000 bits per second.
LAN – Local Area Network. A computer network that connects computers within a certain area, such as an office, school, lab or home.
MAN – Metropolitan Area Network. Larger than a LAN, a MAN is a computer network that may cover part of a city, a city or even designated areas around a city.
Mbps – Megabits Per Second. A measurement of data transfer speed. 1Mbps = 1000 kilobits.
Meg – Megabyte. A unit of information (often data) which is roughly equal to 1 million bytes.
NAP – Network Access Point. A network facility where ISPs could connect with one another to ‘peer’ For example, this organization; https://sfmix.org/
NSP – Network Service provider. A business or company that sells Internet access – very similar to an ISP.
PaaS – Platform As A Service. A cloud computing service model which may cover execution runtime, database, web server and development tools.
PBX – Private Branch Exchange. A phone system used to make both internal employee to employee calls and external phone calls.
RAM – Random Access Memory. A form of computer data storage. Not to be confused with the Daft Punk Album, ‘Random Access Memories’.
Image courtesy of Wikipedia.
SaaS – Software As A Service. A cloud computing model which may cover CRM, email, virtual desktops, phone communication systems and games.
SIP – Session Initiation Protocol. A communication protocol which allows video and voice communications to be controlled over the Internet. For example, SIP Trunks allows end users to send / receive video, voice and other multi-media.
SSL – Secure Sockets Layer. Security technology which encrypts links commonly between web servers and browsers.
LTE – Long Term Evolution. A 4G mobile / wireless communications standard, that is faster than 3G, but not as fast as the 5G mobile standard. LTE provides faster connection speeds than 3G and 4G over devices such as smartphones and tablets.
VoIP – Voice Over Internet Protocol. A method and technology used to deliver voice communications using an Internet connection. For example, Skype, or Viber.
VoFM – Voice Over Fasmetrics. Our privately hosted voice network, which uses VoIP protocol, but does not travel over the public Internet. This allows enhanced voice quality.
VPN – Virtual Private Network. A secure private network, which uses a public network such as the Internet to connect users.
WAN – Wide Area Network. A network that covers a large area. For example, a telecommunications network that may cover a metro, national or even international area.
Wi-Fi / WiFi / Wifi / Wi-fi – Wireless Fidelity. Local wireless technology that allows devices to exchange data. Read more about our customer Wi-Fi Alliance and what they do, here; https://www.wi-fi.org/
3G – (3rd generation). A collection of 3rd generation cellular data technologies.
4G – (4th generation). A collection of 4th generation cellular data technologies, which succeeded 3G.
5G – (5th generation). A collection of 5th generation cellular data technologies, which succeeded 4G. The current mobile standard available, as of 2019 and beyond in many nations.
About Fastmetrics, Inc. Building & Business ISP
Since 2002, Fastmetrics is the Bay Area’s only dedicated business ISP. We provide telecommunication services in California and the San Francisco Bay Area. Reliable service – backed by better live and local support. From install to 24-7 proactive monitoring, get treated like a VIP customer. Not a number by a faceless call center. We specialize in managed business internet and phones, dedicated high speed business fiber internet, business WiFi, SIP voice solutions / UCaaS and managed network services. We are a Microsoft and Cisco Meraki Partner. Our team are Certified Cisco Specialists, Ubiquiti Enterprise Wireless Accredited and Polycom Authorized Solution Advisors. We take care of your business network, so you can focus on growth.
