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Access control systems for businesses As experienced installers of superior access control systems in Hampshire, we know a thing of two about what systems are available, the pros and cons of them and how to choose the best access control system for your premises.  In this article, you’ll learn five key benefits of installing an access control system in your business premises, and common systems you can choose from.  Four benefits of access control systems for your business Professionally installed access control systems prevent unwanted people accessing your business premises, but the benefits don’t stop there. In addition to enhancing your business premises security, you will also benefit from: Site access monitoring Access control systems allow you to monitor who is accessing your premises, and when. You’ll have records of who’s on and off the premises at any given time - useful for both security and in the event of an emergency. This is equally useful for monitoring staff on the premises at any given time but is also useful if customers use your premises unaccompanied. For example, self-storage facilities, co-working offices and 24-hour gyms.  Staff tracking Worried that your staff are arriving late and/or leaving early?  Or is staff productivity a concern?  Access control systems help you  know when your staff are coming, going and moving around the premises.  Restricting access If you don’t want staff, visitors and customers wandering around unchecked, access control systems make it easy

Is outdated tech holding your business back? The way in which we use our office networks has radically changed over the past decade. And the pandemic brought about further drastic changes to both usage and requirements. Ever-increasing demand and the need to offer a range of working options means your office infrastructure needs to evolve in order to meet demand. Do you suffer from these common tech problems? You’re mid video call and the internet freezes. “Hello? Can you hear me?” “You’ve gone quiet!”  It’s both a familiar and frustrating occurrence for anyone working offices with insufficient infrastructure. Or worse. You’re in the office, in the middle of an important client call. The screen disappears and you realise your internet has dropped out. Is there anything worse than a network that goes down when you need it most? Or maybe you’ve found that since your team is working remotely you are more reliant than ever on uninterrupted internet connection. Whilst you can’t manage their connections, you can do your bit to ensure your office networking infrastructure is as good as it can be. What could be causing these problems? It’s most likely that what you’re experiencing is the hallmarks of an outdated office networking infrastructure. Whether it’s wi-fi, hard-wired connections or a mix of both, older systems struggle to cope with the increased usage being demanded of it. Whilst there are many quick fixes that can offer short-term relief

Whether you, or the kids, were the lucky recipient of new tech this Christmas; you’re planning to treat yourself to a new home entertainment system in the January sales; or have Sky Glass on your wish list for 2022, one thing’s for sure…Nothing disrupts family harmony faster than glitchy home tech.  Every year, from late December through into the January sales, the Netcom team sees an increase in demand from customers all seeking to achieve the holy grail. Home tech that ‘just works’ as it should.  Here are three ways we can help you resolve glitchy home tech troubles.  Boost your broadband capacity More and more devices are designed to operate using your home wifi network. Just a couple of years ago, your wifi usage may have been reserved for the obvious tech items including computers, tablets and phones. But the explosion in popularity of Artificial Intelligence (AI) means that everything from home security systems, your car and even your coffee machine can be connected to the wifi and operated from your phone! Whilst nobody can argue that this is incredibly convenient, the gradual increase of devices connected to your wifi will, in turn, be gradually eating into the capacity of your home wifi network until it eventually grinds to a halt. Think of your wifi like a motorway - the heavier the traffic, the slower it all moves.  But there is good news. Strategically placed network points and

How to deliver exceptional outdoor events in 2022 The pandemic has radically changed the way many of us work, shop and socialise. We are now largely a cashless society, remote working has become the norm for many and, despite the notoriously unpredictable British weather, outdoor events offer a level of confidence that is still wavering when it comes to being in crowded indoor spaces.  Looking ahead to 2022, it’s clear that more and more businesses are looking for outdoor alternatives to large scale events as an alternative to using large exhibitions and conference centres.  But, given the temporary nature of outdoor events - how do you create an experience for your guests that rivals, or even surpasses, that which would be experienced indoors? Be prepared for the British weather! One thing you can be absolutely certain of is that in the UK you are at the mercy of the weather. You might plan your event for the middle of summer only to be hit by the wettest day of the year - you could plan an autumn event and enjoy an unseasonably balmy day with lots of late sunshine.  In order to prevent last minute cancellations or low turnout, it’s advisable to plan for every eventuality.  Increasing reach with remote accessibility The term hybrid working has become a common part of business’ vocabulary and this can also extend to events.  By planning your events to be attended both in

Hands up if this is a familiar scenario. It's raining cats and dogs outside so you decide to stay in and watch a film, or catch up on the latest series that everyone is talking about (Squid Game anyone?) You grab a cuppa, some popcorn, a blanket and get ready for a cosy movie day. You turn on your satellite TV, head to the movie channel, and boom, the signal is awful (or even worse you have the dreaded no signal message appear).  If this has happened to you, we know how frustrating it can be for you and your family!  Severe weather conditions such as gale force winds, heavy snow and even heavy rain can all have an impact on your satellite viewing - but why?  What is satellite TV? To understand more about the impact of weather on satellites, let's look at how they work.  In layman’s terms - TV or radio signals are transmitted from a station on Earth to a set of geostationary communication satellites roughly 23,000 miles above the Earth's equator.  The signals are then bounced back to Earth where they are picked up and translated by your satellite dish into the programmes you watch (or want to watch!)  The benefit of the satellites being geostationary is that they are in a fixed orbit with the Earth This means that your satellite dish antenna (which receives the signal) can be installed to be pointing

If you follow us on socials you’ll recently have seen us sharing footage from one of the UK’s biggest mass sporting events. We are talking, of course, about the Great North Run - part of the Great Run series of races and the biggest half marathon in the world.  Have you ever stopped to wonder how these events operate chip timing systems, runner tracking or even manage to offer wifi in hospitality areas, press boxes and for live TV streaming? The answer is with temporary internet network infrastructure - created by the Netcom team - and it’s more accessible than ever before. The future of events The pandemic led to a seismic shift in the way people think about conferences, events and hospitality. Having become used to cashless transactions, virtual events and apps for just about everything, it has quickly become clear that connectivity at events - whether indoors or outdoors - is a must.  And to ensure that your event keeps up with the demands of your audience, you need to be able to offer reliable connectivity - regardless of whether you are in the middle of the countryside or in a bricks and mortar venue benefitting from high speed internet! Yet across the UK coverage of 3, 4 and 5G technology is such that you can’t let the success of your event rely on this for the connectivity your event requires.  Whether you’re planning a mass-participation sports

Does your home wifi struggle to cope with the demand of your family’s streaming, gaming, and web browsing - not to mention internet reliant household devices including video doorbells, security systems, Alexa/Google Hub/HomePods and heating systems? Before you know it the school holidays will be over and the children will be back to school. Which means one more thing that needs a reliable internet service…homework!  The good news is, improving your home internet coverage is usually a fairly simple job. In next to no time you, and your family, can enjoy high speed internet access throughout your home whether they are streaming, gaming, web browsing or doing their homework! Why is your home wifi slow or patchy? There can be many reasons why your home wifi is slow or patchy.  The internet speed coming into your property is a factor you may have limited control over. For example, your home may not have access to super fast internet speeds or you may not be connected via fibre to the property. If you’re not sure about the internet options for your home, we’d recommend having a conversation with your Internet Service Provider as the first step. Assuming the internet service to your property is good, you then need to think about usage within your property. These days our homes are packed full of devices that rely on access to the internet and, commonly, people opt to connect to the wifi

In this article we look at the question, Does my business need a wired network? And consider how good cable management will increase your business’ productivity. Let’s start by explaining what a wired network is. What is a wired network?  Over the years we have quickly become accustomed to, and even expect, WiFi wherever we go. However, whilst WiFi is undeniably convenient, it’s not always the best means of accessing the internet. A wired network requires a structured network of data cables throughout your premises with a number of access points that you use to plug into the network in order to get online. These access points look like telephone sockets and you connect your computer equipment to them using data cables. This creates your wired network.  What are the benefits of a wired network? There are many benefits to using a wired network and they all improve the internet connection for your business, staff, customers or guests.  Through the use of switches, hubs and Ethernet cables, a wired network gives your workplace more stable and reliable internet. What’s more, the use of a wired network means that your internet signal will not be affected by environmental factors, for example, other devices that might cause interference.  Similarly, if your workspace has internal walls or is located on a number of different floors, a wired network enables you to have reliable internet access everywhere - no more dead spots! In