Having a Microsoft 365 backup and recovery solution in place is critical to business continuity and protection. It protects your business in a number of ways: 

• Fast recovery from human error such as accidental or deliberate deletion 
• Set longer retention periods than the default 90 days when a subscription ends or is terminated 
• Protect your business data from external threats such as ransomware attacks  
• Ensure compliance and legal requirements are met with the ability to quickly recover lost data 
• Prevent data loss across Microsoft 365 applications such as SharePoint, Teams and Outlook 

• Managing hybrid email deployments and migrations 

1. Recover quickly from data loss due to human error 

Human error comes in many forms including accidental deletion, deliberate deletion by an unhappy employee, or a cyber breach resulting from a threat such as successful phishing. It can take just a couple of clicks and valuable business data is lost. No matter how it happens, ensuring your business has an effective Microsoft 365 backup and recovery solution in place will prevent data loss due to human error. 

2. Set longer retention periods 

When a Microsoft 365 subscription ends, customer data is stored for 90 days. Once this period ends, all data is deleted. Depending which industry you are in, you may be required to have longer retention periods in place. And even if it’s not legally required of you, it’s always a good idea to give yourself more time to retrieve data.  

3. Protect your business against ransomware attacks 

With ransomware on the rise in Australia and around the world, it’s important to have an effective backup and recovery plan in place for your Microsoft 365 data. This plays a crucial role in strengthening your lines of defence. Ransomware usually comes from clicking a malicious link and once it gets into your business it locks or encrypts your files, demanding payment for it to be released. This can cause serious downtime and disruption to your operations.  

4. Meet compliance requirements 

While Microsoft 365 has some built-in features that allow you to collect and copy data, a purpose-built third-party backup solution still plays an important role. It can help your business better meet specific compliance and regulatory needs by allowing you to easily search and bring back data. 

5. Managing hybrid email deployments and migrations 

When adopting Microsoft 365, businesses usually need some time to transition from the legacy system. And some leave elements of the existing systems in place for flexibility and control. An effective Microsoft 365 backup solution will handle this hybrid email deployment, treating all data the same to prevent any data loss. 

Our approach to M365 backup 

At Monocera, we use a third-party application to back up email, OneDrive, SharePoint and Teams sites daily or twice a day. This backs up your data outside of Microsoft so that if something does go wrong, your data is kept safe. This service is included for our managed services clients and is also available in a prepaid model at a small fee per user to gain unlimited retention. 

If you’d like to learn more about Microsoft 365 backup and recovery get in touch! 

The post Why Microsoft 365 Backup and Recovery is Important appeared first on Monocera®.

According to Scamwatch Australia, over $53 million has been lost to scams in Australia already this year. Because of this, it’s more critical than ever to know how to trust a website and when a page is insecure or illegitimate.  

But don’t worry – Monocera is here to help you navigate the dodgy websites.  

How can I tell if a website is secure?

The easiest way to tell if a web page is secure may be simply checking the link. Secure websites should have https at the beginning – if the site is missing an s, this page does not use SSL to encrypt data and is far less secure than an https page.

On certain web browsers, such as Google Chrome, the browser may offer quick identifiers to demonstrate whether the site is deemed secure. In the case of Google Chrome, the web link will have a lock symbol, information symbol, or warning symbol depending on the site’s security: 

Unfortunately, according to the Anti-Phishing Working Group’s report in 2022, up to 84% of scam sites now have an SSL certificate, so this shouldn’t be your sole consideration when looking for a scam site.  

How can I tell if a website is fake? 

There are multiple ways you can assess whether a website may be fraudulent or fake.  

Firstly, and we know this may seem obvious, you can google the page’s URL or name and review the results. Warning signs that the website might be fake? Bad reviews, lots of other people asking if the website is a scam, or lots of copycat websites with different URLs.  

You should also look out for any bad grammar, spelling, or phrasing within the web page’s copy. These can be sure-fire signs of a dodgy website – if not a fake or fraudulent one, then at least one that shouldn’t be trusted to give reputable information.  

Most legitimate websites will have a contact page and information on how to get in touch if you have any questions. An easy way to assess whether a website is likely legitimate is to look for this page and call the number or email the contact. If all seems above board, this is a good sign that the business is legitimate.  

 Finally, looking out for weird or invasive adverts on the web page may help you in determining whether a website is trustworthy. If the site has lots of pop-up ads, invasive ads that cover part or most of the screen, or just a large quantity of ads, these are red flags.  

What do I do if I suspect a website is fake or fraudulent?

If you come across a website that you believe is masquerading as another entity, you can head to the official website, log in to your account, or call their number. This way, you can verify that the alternate website is a fake.  

If you suspect a website is fake, a scam, or fraudulent you can report it to the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) and the Centre will look into it and take action.  You can also report suspected or verified scams to Scamwatch. 

Finally, if you believe a website to be dodgy, never enter any of your personal details, download any files, click on any links or attachments, or reply to requests. Exit the page immediately and contact the relevant authorities if required.  

If you entered your details prior to recognising the website as dodgy, contact your bank immediately and cancel any personal identification that may be compromised.  

Monocera is here to help!

If you are unsure or want further information on potentially harmful, unsecure, or fraudulent websites, talk to our team. Monocera can support you in preventing scams or malware attacks via dodgy websites.  

Contact us today to find out more about how we can help you navigate dodgy websites.  

The post How to Spot a Dodgy Website appeared first on Monocera®.

Many of these businesses are unaware that this rollout can be made easier by utilising the cloud feature for Microsoft Outlook signatures, ensuring that email signatures stay consistently relevant and on-brand across every team member. 

What are Microsoft Outlook Signatures?

We’re sure you know what an email signature looks like – those branded blocks that automatically attach themselves to the bottom of company emails. This saves time and ensures that all emails are consistent and professional. 

Signatures also make it easy for businesses to include important information such as contact details, legal notices, and important links in their email signatures.  

Why Use Cloud-Based Signatures? 

One of the key benefits of using cloud signatures in Outlook is the ability to manage and update signatures centrally. Administrators can create and edit signatures for all users in the organisation, and then push out the updates to all users’ Outlook accounts.  

Cloud signatures eliminate the need for each user to manually create and update their own signatures, saving time and reducing the chance of errors. Additionally, it ensures that all emails sent from the organisation have a consistent and professional look and feel.  

Cloud signatures also allow businesses to create signatures for specific seasonal events, sales, holidays, and more, and push these out across the entire company for a specific time period. For example, if you have a July sales period, a new signature can be designed for July to incorporate relevant information that will automatically switch back on August 1st. This removes any human error from the distribution of time-specific signatures. 

Another benefit of cloud signatures is the ability to track and verify the authenticity of signatures. Each signature is generated with a unique code that can be verified by the recipient, ensuring that the signature is genuine and has not been tampered with. This is particularly useful for businesses that need to comply with particular industry regulations. 

How Monocera can set up your signatures

Monocera can coordinate your cloud-based signatures in Outlook to ensure they’re being correctly distributed to all members of your team, and to quickly update and replace signatures as required. 

Microsoft Outlook cloud signatures are a useful tool for businesses looking to streamline their email communication and improve the professionalism of their emails. With the ability to centrally manage and update signatures, track and verify authenticity, and add branding elements, cloud signatures can help businesses to improve their email communication and ensure compliance with regulations. 

Talk to our team to find out more about implementing cloud-based signatures in your business. 

The post Why You Should Use Microsoft Office Cloud Signatures appeared first on Monocera®.

Their newest version of Chrome (Chrome 110) is set to be released on February 7th. This newest version will be the first to require you running Windows 10 or later to continue receiving Chrome updates. 

This is big news, with Chrome being the leading internet browser in the world – holding a global market share of nearly 66%.  

What does this mean for me? 

If you run these older versions of Windows, you will still be able to use Chrome. However, you will no longer receive security and features updates, or be able to install the latest versions of Chrome.  

This is important, and we’ll explain why.  

Why you should update your operating system

With updates come improvements in security and other Chrome features. The security of your browser and by extension, your device, should not be taken lightly. 

As we’ve discussed in previous articles, cyberattacks are on the rise in Australia and don’t look to be slowing down any time soon.  

For example, a release from the Australian Parliament disclosed a report that estimated an 82% increase in ransomware-related data leaks from 2020 to 2021. Moreover, according to the Australian Cyber Security Centre, there was a cybercrime report every 7 minutes in Australia between July 2021 to July 2022.  

The same report offers a list of recommendations, of which the first is to “update your devices and replace old devices that do not receive updates.” 

What should I do?

The answer is quite simple – update your device to a newer version of Windows.  

While you may be able to use a different browser, our recommendation is to upgrade your operating system.  

If you use an older device that you are concerned will not be able to handle a newer version of Windows – the truth is, it’s probably time to upgrade.  

But – upgrading doesn’t need to be an expensive ordeal. In today’s market, there are countless very affordable devices that can support the latest versions of Windows.  

And believe us – the cost of a new device is far cheaper than dealing with the cost of a ransomware attack or similar security breach.  

The post Chrome Coming to End of Life for Windows 7 & 8 appeared first on Monocera®.

Our guidance, however, is that tag should be kept as its benefits far outweigh the cons. Let’s run through why.

What is the external email warning tag?

Put simply, external email warnings help alert users about malicious links and phishing emails sent from accounts outside your organisation.  

The external warning tag has been rolled out for both Windows 10 and 11, however, whether you have got the update or not depends on your combination of operating system and your Office version.  

These tags appear as a small ‘[External]’ message in the email subject line, or as a pop-up message before you can see the email body.  

Many of our clients find these warnings ugly or intrusive, yet their purpose is to make you pay extra attention to emails from outside your organisation and to be more aware of any potential malicious content.  

Why is the external email warning tag important?

Despite clients being concerned about how their Outlook looks, or getting frustrated by the extra pop ups that appear, the benefits of these tags far outweigh the cons.  

Namely, the majority of email scams begin with messages from outside of your organisation. At an enterprise level, having a clear and prominent deterrent will help reduce scams, as staff are more aware from the outset of the potential phishing attempts and malicious links contained in the email.  

Moreover, external tagging helps prevent individuals and companies from falling into the trap of business email compromise (BEC).  

BEC scams are sophisticated attacks on both businesses and individuals – usually with the intent of conducting unauthorised transfers of funds.  

The majority of BEC attacks come through compromised user accounts. Having external warning tags should reduce compromise through attacks like password sprays, forcing attackers to find and employ new tactics.  

To put it simply, this external tagging helps protect your organisation. 

The cost of business email compromise

In the first half of 2022, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) received over 11,000 reports of business email compromise, costing a total of $12.3 million. 

Furthermore, in 2021, the ACCC reported an 84% increase in cyber-attacks compared to the previous year.  

Every year, cyber criminals become more sophisticated and cyber-attacks are here to stay. Fortunately, prevention methods are also becoming more sophisticated and general awareness around these attacks are increasing as well.  

If you have any questions about external email tags, or how to better protect your business against cyber-attacks, get in contact with Monocera.  

The post Why You Should Keep Outlook’s New External Email Warning Tag appeared first on Monocera®.

Keeping your business data, information and intellectual property secure requires a range of different security software, procedures and protocols to create layers of protection. 

Monocera’s suite of CIO security services ensure your business is protected when the worst happens. However, a problem we encounter relatively often are issues around mismanagement of BitLocker.  

While BitLocker is an incredible protection tool, it does come with complications if it is incorrectly set up or managed. To give you a better understanding of BitLocker, let’s run through some basics.  

What it BitLocker? 

BitLocker, or BitLocker Drive Encryption, is a security feature that comes standard across all Windows 10 and above devices. 

 Essentially, BitLocker encrypts everything on a Windows computer’s drive. This mean every piece of data is protected if a device is stolen, lost or incorrectly decommissioned.  

Only users with the correct encryption key will be able decrypt the drive, and access the files and information stored on it.  

How does BitLocker work?

BitLocker uses a hardware element called Trusted Platform Module – or TPM. Through TPM, BitLocker creates a unique recovery key for your actual device — in other words, the physical computer.   

This is important because the data on a device that is lost or stolen becomes vulnerable to unauthorised access. Someone may try to access the data on your computer by running a software-attack tool, or by transferring the hard disk to a different computer.  

BitLocker helps prevent these breaches from happening by requiring the unique PIN — or a USB drive containing the startup key in a text file — to be provided.  

What can go wrong?

BitLocker provides a high level of security for your device, but can come with a host of complications if the recovery key is lost. This can happen if the person who originally set up BitLocker on the device or across your systems leaves the business, or the recovery key is not stored somewhere correctly.  

If your device goes offline for some reason, or your computer thinks it recognises suspicious activity, you may be required to enter your unique PIN to gain access to your device.  

If you no longer have access to this PIN, you can run into some serious complications. This may include having to: 

• Sending a device technician from the relevant manufacturer to your office or workplace to decrypt the device. The technician may have to physically come on-site, this is generally time consuming and may incur a cost.  
• In the worst cases, your device may have to be factory reset. If your files and information aren’t backed up in the cloud, this has obvious complications for your business. 

In short, losing access to your BitLocker PIN can result in a world of unnecessary headaches, reduced productivity, as well as lost information and reduced productivity. It is therefore essential your BitLocker and cloud storage are set up and managed correctly.

Why Monocera should manage your BitLocker  

Enlisting Monocera’s CIO services ensures your business data and information remains protected in the event of a lost, stolen or compromised device.  

We can assist your business by ensuring: 

• BitLocker is set up correctly, with security keys stored safely and accessible when required.  
• All data and information is securely backed up in cloud storage.  
• Any new or replacement devices are set up and added to the system correctly. 

Monocera will consult with you and your business on how we can strengthen the security of your technology systems.  

Get in contact with us today to find out more.  

The post BitLocker Encryption Explained appeared first on Monocera®.

Before you begin, you will need to download the Microsoft Authenticator App to your mobile phone. Go to the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play Store (Android) and download it.

Just get it downloading for now and we will come back to it.

On your computer, go to the Microsoft 365 Portal.

You will now be prompted to sign in, enter your email address and click “Next”.

Enter your password and click “Sign in”.

Click “Next”

Click “Next”

Click “Next”

Open the Microsoft Authenticator app on your phone that you downloaded earlier.

If prompted in this step, allow notifications and use of camera so you can scan the QR code in the next step. Then add an account, and select ‘Work or School’.

Note: Depending on your phone and app version, this process is slightly different but you should find the option to add an account pretty easily.

Once scanned, click “Next”

Approve the notification that was pushed to your mobile phone and Click “Next”

Once you’ve approved the sign in, click “Next”

Click “Done”

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The post Configure MFA for m365 appeared first on Monocera®.

As you can see, it’s no secret that most of us lead mobile lives and this trend isn’t looking to slow down any time soon. As laptops become almost standard–issue for workers across the country, a new conflict is born — how do you reconcile the trade-off between a laptop’s portability, and the limitations of one, small screen?  

Generally, people bridge this gap by connecting their laptop to other monitors via a docking station or through a USB-C monitor.  

Why is this important? 

Laptops, especially, have become relatively ubiquitous across Australia’s offices. Modern working conditions mean we often need to work remotely or at least have the ability to take our work home with us, making the portability of a laptop a no-brainer.  

Obviously, the major downside to laptops are the small screens and lack of on-screen real estate to multitask and work to your capacity. To remedy this, most employers will provide a monitor or two to hook your laptop into.  

As you know, however, slimmer laptops mean fewer ports. This may result in you having to trade off which devices/displays to connect to, against which you will have to go without. Unless, of course, you opt for a docking station or a USB-C monitor to make connecting easier.  

What is a docking station? 

In the simplest terms, a docking station is a piece of hardware that simplifies the process of plugging your laptop into power and other common devices.  

Docking stations provide a power supply and ports for connecting your devices, as well as ports to connect extra monitors, keyboards, printers, speakers, hard drives and other peripherals.

Docking stations act as an intermediary between a fully mobile laptop and a stationary desktop computer, allowing you to work and collaborate remotely, as well as have a permanent place of work.  

What are the benefits of a docking station?

There are several benefits to purchasing a docking station, including: 

• Able to connect with older devices that lack USB-C 
• Preferred option if you are working on 3 or 4 screens separate to your laptop
• Both Microsoft and Dell make their own stations 
• Newer models let you swap out modules and future proof your dock 
• Allows you to connect several devices and peripheral 
• Docks usually come with 1 year’s warranty 

What are the downsides of a docking station? 

Downsides to purchasing a docking station include: 

• Multiple cables can quickly become cluttered  
• Can be expensive  
• Connections between screens may be compromised if something goes wrong in the station 
• Poor-quality data transfers 

What are USB-C monitors?

New monitors, or USB-C monitors, are becoming increasingly common and readily available. As their name suggests, these monitors are built on USB-C connection, and connect with your laptop via a single USB-C cord, which in–turn connects to other displays. This is known as daisy-chaining. 

What is daisy–chaining?

Daisy–chaining simply refers to connecting a series of monitors or displays to a computer, connecting the monitors in a series via cord, instead of connecting individually to the computer.  

In other words, your laptop connects to your display and transfers video, data and power using one cord.  

What are the benefits of daisy-chaining?

The top benefits for daisy-chaining through a USB-C display include: 

• USB-C port charges and displays simultaneously  
• More reliable transfer of data, video and sound 
• Fewer cables and less clutter on your desk 
• Free up valuable ports 
• 3-year advanced replacement as a Monocera-supplied device.  

What are the downsides of daisy-chaining?

• Does not support connecting to older devices without USB-C 

Monocera’s recommendation – docking station vs. USB-C monitor

Everybody uses their laptop differently, and the nature of your job will also dictate how you use your computer. As a whole, however, we recommend USB-C and daisy-chaining your displays for several reasons.  

First, new monitors and displays are generally trending towards becomingly uniformly USB-C, so it’s only a matter of time before there’s one on your desk.  

Secondly, not only is daisy-chaining simpler, and transfers data, video and sound more reliably between devices, but the price is comparable between the two.  

If you are interested in exploring your USB-C display options, get in contact with Monocera. Not only can we offer qualified advice on your specific situation, but you’ll also get a 3-year advanced replacement warranty unavailable from other retail stores.  

The post Cord Wars: Docking Stations vs USB-C Monitors appeared first on Monocera®.

Our client — let’s call him Paul — had purchased a custom built (whitebox) computer.  

As Paul quickly found out, we vehemently do not recommend purchasing a whitebox computer, even if it is just for gaming and personal use. In our opinion, the cons far outweigh the pros.  

If you’re sitting on the other side of the screen and have absolutely no idea what we’re talking about, or even if you’re thinking of purchasing a whitebox computer yourself, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll explain what a whitebox computer is, the issues they commonly run into it and provide our recommendation.  

What is a whitebox computer? 

A whitebox computer is a brandless computer, built out of common and readily available parts. While a Dell computer will be made from Dell parts, a whitebox computer will be a mash-up of all sorts of different manufacturers.  

Whitebox computers are usually built by computer shop or other IT providers, often with gaming in mind. Generally, whitebox computers are cheaper than their big brand name equivalents. 

Why are they called whitebox computers? 

Imaginatively, the term whitebox comes from the colour of the box that computers usually come in – white. Take away any distinguishing logos from the original brand or manufacturer, and it’s not hard to see why they’re called whitebox.  

You’ve heard of white label or generic products before, right? Whiteboxes are the same. 

Are they worth it? 

In our opinion, the costs of a whitebox computer far outweigh the benefits. Any initial savings will likely be outstripped by the money and time you spend on repairs. 

But – we always recommend you do your own research before making a decision. To give you a place to start, here are some of the initial costs and benefits of purchasing a whitebox computer. 

What are the benefits of whitebox computers? 

Obviously, there are a couple perceived benefits of purchasing a whitebox desktop computer — hence their popularity.  

Here are the most common reasons people purchase these computers: 

Custom 

Whitebox computers are not some one-size-fits-all, home-brand-style set up. They come in a myriad of size, shapes and uses – from smaller, cheap desktops for students looking to save money, to custom-built behemoths used by serious gamers.  

For avid gamers in particular, the ability to upgrade certain parts of the computer (i.e., graphics card or cooling system) may be a very attractive option. In other words, you can build your computer to match the style of games you play. Computer users who are looking to have the best tech as soon as it’s available can also obtain this dream with a whitebox setup.  

As we will explain later, however, this may not always be possible.  

Price 

Whitebox computers are often sold at a lower price than their big-name brand equivalents. Understandably, this is a major factor in any purchasing decision, not just for computers.  

As we mentioned earlier though, any initial savings can quickly be far outstripped by future issues. 

What are the downsides of buying a whitebox computer? 

In our opinion, there are several downsides to buying a whitebox computer. We’ll explain each in their own detail: 

Less choice 

Okay, we know we listed the customisability as a benefit of these computers, so how can less choice be a cost? 

Very often, you may not be able to select the specific parts that go into your computer. For example, if you only wanted more memory and an upgraded power unit, you may be forced to purchase a whole extra level up.   

This means you may end up paying for extra features you do not need, just to get the ones you want.  

Warranty

 This is one of our biggest gripes with whitebox computers – warranty.  

With a Dell or other brand–name computer, every stock piece of the build is covered under warranty – from the motherboard to the memory sticks. 

With a whitebox computer, on the other hand, each different part of the computer will fall under its own warranty and may even void the warranty on other individual parts.   

You don’t need to be tech-whiz to see how this has the potential to become a real problem every time your computer has a hardware issue. 

Compatibility 

Today, all our devices are interconnected; from your phone syncing up to your computer, which then casts to a boardroom screen, which in turn syncs with the webcam.  

Whitebox computers often have major issues when it comes to compatibility and pairing with other devices or programs.  

Remember above when we talked about being at the cutting-edge? While the thought of installing the latest and greatest graphics card in your custom computer case sounds good – it might not fit your current computer case, or motherboard, or provide a better experience if the rest of the computer can’t keep up! 

Repairs 

The issues we encounter when trying to repair a whitebox computer are some of the most frustrating problems for both our clients and us.  

Obviously, repairs are less straightforward when the computer is made up of parts from several different brands. 

This is because new replacement pieces may not be compatible with what’s in your computer. What’s even more frustrating, is the fact that we may not know the replacement piece is incompatible with your computer until after we have ordered it and tried installing.  

This issue alone can turn a relatively straightforward repair job into a major ordeal of trial and error; repeatedly stabbing in the dark trying to find compatible replacement pieces.  

Are whiteboxes still popular? 

Whitebox computer set ups have decreased in popularity over the years. Namely due to the growing popularity of laptop computers and the increased demand for being able to work remotely.  

You only need to look at the statistics for computer sales in 2020. As the pandemic forced many of us to reevaluate the way we work, the total sale of all computers in Australia grew 11.8% in 2020. Despite this, total desktop sales dropped 8.6%, whereas commercial sale of laptops increased by 11% and consumer sale increased by a whopping 29.3%.  

In saying this, whitebox computers still remain a popular option in certain communities – like gamers.  

Our recommendation? 

If you are thinking of purchasing a whitebox computer, our recommendation is to come speak to us first. We’ll be able to walk you through your options properly and let you know whether you’re better off purchasing a whitebox setup or spending a bit extra on a name brand.   

The post Whitebox computers – are they worth it? appeared first on Monocera®.

Whether we like it or not, everyone is on the internet and it can be chaos when it goes down — none more so than for businesses. The thing to note is that the effects of a connection drop-out extend far beyond a temporary inability to communicate with staff and clients. For example, in a network drop out, your ability to transfer critical data is compromised, as is your ability to keep your connected devices secure.

A study by Deloitte on the economic impact of disruptions to internet connectivity found that an average of $23.6 million would be lost per 10 million population.   

Luckily, you can mitigate the impact of these outages on your business by installing or retrofitting cellular network access to your modem. This is known as a 4G or 5G failover.  

While 4G/5G failovers are becoming more common and readily available, we’re still surprised by the number of people who are unaware or do not see the value in this extra layer of backup. All too often, business owners don’t see the point in a 4G/5G failover until it’s too late.  

So, to make things a bit clearer, here’s a quick run through of why you should always order 4G/5G failover.  

What is 4G or 5G failover? 

A failover solution backs up your internet connection in the event of a network cut-out.  

4G and 5G failover solutions, unsurprisingly, uses mobile networks to keep you online. This means your modem will not only be able to connect to the internet but can also connect to the same 4G/5G signal as your phone. 

While this is less important for people streaming Netflix on a Saturday night, it’s obviously a big deal for businesses that rely heavily on their internet connection.  

In fact, we’d argue that nearly every business relies heavily on their internet connection – they may just not know to what extent.  

Why is it important? 

Being able to maintain your connection is essential, especially in an era of remote working and collaboration. Still, however, we hear people say things like, “Oh, if it drops out, I’ll just hotspot it”. 

There are a few things wrong with this.  

Firstly, does the rest of the office have internet? Just because you’re working, do the rest of your colleagues have to get their own phones out and hotspot? 

More specifically, if you’re in the middle of a boardroom meeting and your internet cuts out, your hotspot may be able to get your laptop back online, but if you’re connecting to the screen via Wifi, you’re all going to be huddled around someone’s laptop.  

Not really conducive to sealing that deal, is it? 

Printers are another everyday device that will stop working if you try to hotspot a single device when the network goes down. This is a particular concern if your business offers paper receipts, or you have time-sensitive documents that need to be physically signed or sent off.

Beyond this, if you work in retail and your POS system goes down, you’re essentially bleeding money until the connection resumes. Do you force customers to wait in line patiently? Or do you tell them to come back later and potentially lose out on sales? 

On the other hand, a 4G or 5G failover will automatically and seamlessly switch your connection over. In our clients’ experience, their connection is swapped so quickly there is no noticeable interruption.  

Example

We pitched ordering a 4G or 5G failover for one of our clients in professional services. Predictably, there was some hesitation around the cost and questions around whether it really was worth it.  

So, we broke it down like this:  

Let’s say you’re a professional services firm with a staff of 10 billable workers, earning the company an average rate of $150 an hour.  

That means a 1 hour outage costs your business $1,500. A 4G/5G failover on the other hand, starts from $50 per month.   

You do the maths.  

How does it work?

4G failover works by automatically switching your connection over from Wifi to 4G cellular data if your internet connection drops out. These days, the switch over from Wifi to cellular data is so quick, you may not even know you lost connection in the first place.  

To get this extra layer of protection, you can either install a new modem or have the failover connection retrofitted to your existing modem.  

Our experience 

At Monocera, we’re lucky enough to work with a range of different clients across several different industries. This means we’re able to get a pretty good overview of which technologies can augment and optimise businesses of all shapes and sizes.  

Because of this, we can safely say that you should always order 4G failover, regardless of your business.  

A stable internet connection is never guaranteed. Since so much of today’s economy is moving digitally (and not looking to slow down), it only makes sense to give yourself that extra level of protection.  

If you are thinking of securing your connection with a 4G failover, get in contact and we’ll walk you through your options.  

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