VoIP Birmingham

As a Birmingham based business, we are committed to helping local businesses achieve success with the latest communications technology. We have helped many businesses switch to IP telephony with our VoIP Birmingham service. VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is the latest telecoms standard that is rapidly replacing traditional business telephone lines. When you switch your business telephone system to a VoIP alternative, your business could save a significant amount of money on the cost of calls.

The benefits of VoIP

The primary reason why so many businesses are switching to VoIP is the cost savings that can be made. All businesses look to reduce operational costs in order to remain competitive. VoIP allows you to do this by delivering significant reductions on the cost of your calls, even to long distance and international numbers. This is because VoIP makes calls over the internet, rather than the traditional charge-per-minute telephone lines.

Another major benefit of VoIP is that is offers a great deal of advanced features at no additional cost including voicemail, call transfer, caller ID, auto attendant, call recording, fax facilities, conference calling and more. Advanced features help to improve efficiency in your workplace and present a positive image of your company to callers. These features are usually only available with high-end telephone systems that are out of the financial reach of many businesses. This makes VoIP a great option for small businesses, providing them with the features they need to compete with larger companies.

VoIP is much quicker and easier to install than conventional business telephone lines, because it doesn’t require the same labour-intensive cabling work. This means that VoIP could save you money on installation costs, whether you are setting up a new office or upgrading.

Our hosted VoIP service

With Midland Networks, you can benefit from VoIP with our hosted telephony service. This means you get all the benefits of VoIP plus the additional benefits of having a hosted telephone system. With our hosted VoIP service, we house all of the equipment and carry out all ongoing maintenance and support work. The means that you don’t have to pay for expensive equipment upfront and you don’t have the additional expense of a maintenance and support contract. Instead, you will pay a regular fixed monthly fee for the service. A hosted VoIP telephone system can free your business from traditional equipment, lines and annual support contracts, enabling you to concentrate on running your business at peak efficiency.

We replace our servers every few years, to ensure that your telephone system is always running at peak performance. We have resilient and failsafe systems with backup and disaster recovery networks of the kind that most business would not be able to support. This means that you get peace of mind that your communications are protected and the chances of downtime are greatly reduced.

If you are still unsure about whether a hosted VoIP solution is right for your business, you can try it for a month for free with our hosted telephony trial. We will supply the system for you to try for 30 days, with absolutely no obligation to buy. We are sure you will like the difference it makes to your business, but if you are unhappy then you can simply return it at the end of the trial period.

If you would like to find out more about VoIP Birmingham, or to take advantage of our hosted telephony trial, contact Midland Networks today on 0800 849 8585. 

NEC Telephone System Support

As a world-leading communications brand, NEC has been delivering cutting-edge solutions to businesses for many years. NEC telephone systems are a popular choice amongst businesses of all sizes because they are scalable, powerful and cost-effective. If your business depends on an NEC telephone system, old or new, then you can benefit from our NEC telephone system support. At Midland Networks, we specialise in NEC telephone systems. Our engineers are fully trained and approved to supply, install, maintain and support the full range of NEC telephone systems.

Our NEC telephone system support services are designed to provide you with all the technical assistance you need to keep your telephone system in great working order. We offer ongoing maintenance and support contracts at highly competitive prices, as well as pay-as-you-go support services.

NEC telephone system maintenance and support contracts

With an NEC telephone system maintenance and support contract you get great value for money. Regular maintenance is essential in order to keep your NEC telephone system in the best possible condition. It can also help to extend the life of your system, saving you money over the long term. We will carry out regular system updates to ensure that your system is always running at optimum performance. You will also have access to expert engineers for both on-site and remote support. Many issues can be resolved quickly and easily with remote support, making it a convenient time-saving service to minimise downtime.

When you have an NEC telephone system support contract with us, you benefit from our same-day emergency engineer service as standard. This will save you a substantial amount of money, should you experience a major fault with your NEC telephone system. We can have an emergency engineer visit you on-site within four working hours to diagnose and repair the fault. We have many parts already in stock, to ensure that we can repair the fault in the shortest possible time because we understand that downtime can be extremely costly. As a support customer, you won’t have to pay the usual call-out charge or the cost of any repairs that need to be done.

Our NEC telephone system support contracts start from as little as a few pounds per month. You will pay a regular fixed monthly fee, which will depend on the size of your business, the system you are using and the level of cover that you require. Having regular payments for all-inclusive maintenance and support work makes it easy to plan your finances, as you won’t have unpredictable costs when things go wrong.

Pay-as-you-go NEC telephone system support

Sometimes business overlook a maintenance and support contract. Perhaps they are deterred by the ongoing cost or maybe they simply don’t get round to it before something goes wrong. If you are not currently a support contract customer with us, you can still benefit from our NEC telephone system support services on a pay-as-you-go basis. We can provide both on-site and remote support, depending on your needs.

If you have experienced a major fault with your NEC telephone system, we can provide a same-day emergency engineer on-site within four working hours. Non-support contract customers will be charged a call out fee + hourly rate + VAT for this service, as well as the cost of any parts and repairs that are needed.

As experts in NEC telephone systems, we have an in-depth knowledge of all NEC systems old and new. This makes us the ideal option for your NEC telephone system support. If you would like more information about any of our NEC telephone system support services, contact Midland Networks today on 0800 849 8585. 

Spread the Cost of Your Communications

Communications are a necessity if you want to run your business effectively. However, they can turn out to be an extremely costly necessity, particularly when you are just starting up. Setting up your office can be a challenge if you have limited capital to invest in expensive equipment. However, there are numerous ways in which you can spread the cost so you don’t have to compromise on vital equipment and services.

A finance plan will enable you to obtain the technology that you need, and spread the cost into affordable fixed monthly instalments. There are many options available to cater for the diverse needs of different businesses. Repayment periods typically range from 1 to 7 years. The great thing about finance is that you will enjoy full ownership of your equipment once you have completed your repayments. Paying in regular fixed monthly instalments makes it much easier to plan your finances.

If finance is not for you, then you could perhaps consider leasing instead. Leasing is similar to finance, in that you will pay regular fixed monthly instalments for your equipment. This eliminates the need for any initial capital outlay and makes for simple budget planning. However, leasing is different because you will never technically own the equipment. Instead, you will essentially rent the equipment from your provider and could benefit from regular equipment upgrades. This way, you can enjoy the latest technology every few years, without the cost of buying it outright. And, subject to approval from an auditor, your lease payments could even be considered as an operating expense. This would make your payments tax-deductible, which is a great accounting advantage.

Another way to spread the cost is to go for a hosted solution. Hosted telephony is becoming an increasingly popular solution amongst businesses. With a hosted solution, your provider will house all of the equipment and carry out all ongoing maintenance and support. There are usually no upfront costs with a hosted system. Instead, you will pay a fixed monthly charge for the service. Hosted solutions are incredibly cost-effective, since you won’t have the additional expense of a maintenance contract or on-site support staff.

At Midland Networks, we go the extra mile to deliver solutions that are affordable to our customers. Whether you are interested in finance, leasing or a hosted solution, we can be of assistance. For more information, contact us today on 0800 849 8585. 

Do You Need a Telephone System Maintenance Contract?

The vast majority of businesses would agree that their telephone system is a critical aspect of their business. A system failure can cause devastating financial loss, internal chaos and long-term damage to your reputation. Despite the risks, some businesses are deterred by the ongoing cost of a telephone system maintenance contract. However, a maintenance contract can turn out to be an extremely wise investment that saves you a fortune over the long term.

With a telephone system maintenance contract, you will pay a fixed monthly cost that can be anything from just a few pounds per month depending on the scale of your operations, the systems you are using and the level of cover you require. It essentially acts as a kind of insurance, to protect your communications in the event of a system failure. Most businesses stand to lose a significant amount of money if their system fails, through loss of business, wasted staff hours and the cost of repairs or replacement. A maintenance contract is, therefore, an economical investment for the vast majority of businesses.

If you don’t have a maintenance contract, you will have to pay a fee for an emergency engineer when your system fails. The call-out charge alone could run into hundreds of pounds before any costs for replacement parts or equipment. On top of this, downtime can be prolonged as a result of difficulties finding an appropriate engineer who is available to do the job immediately. A maintenance contract provides you with assurance of a same-day engineer onsite within a few hours. Because your provider will know your systems, they will be able to provide you with an appropriate specialist to resolve the issue. You can also benefit from remote assistance, where appropriate, to get your systems up and running in the shortest possible time.

You will also benefit from ongoing maintenance and support year-round, with regular system and software updates. This helps to improve the performance of your equipment and reduces the chance of a major system failure from occurring. A maintenance contract also makes business sense as a smart option for financial predictability. Rather than having periods of no cost followed by periods of high cost, paying a regular amount each month can make budget planning much simpler.

At Midland Networks, we offer a full range of maintenance and support services. Our telephone system maintenance contracts start from as little as a few pounds per month, and we have a range of packages to suit the diverse needs of different businesses. If you are interested in protecting your vital communications systems with a maintenance contract, contact us today on 0800 849 8585. 

How to get the best from your android smartphone

At Midland Networks, we offer completely customised business mobile solutions to suit your business, with handsets that fit your businesses requirements perfectly.

Smartphones, the majority of us couldn’t live without them could we? No matter what our thing is in life, there are apps to help from work to hobbies and fun. Android and Apple are the two biggest contenders in the market. The biggest difference between the two is the wide choice of handsets from different manufacturers which run the Android OS, which gives them such a wide appeal. From the ever popular Samsung Galaxy range through to more affordable handsets such as Huawei, a Chinese company offering feature packed handsets for a more reasonable price.

Android is Open Source, which means developers can modify and adapt it to suit their needs. So, while the underlying software may be the same, manufacturers can tweak it to suit their needs. HTC sense, Samsung TouchWiz etc. A recent survey found that Android users were more loyal than iOS users. Is this because of the variety of hardware available? Whilst all the manufacturers have their own version, there are underlying similarities since they are based on the same platform. Let’s take a look at how you can get the best from your android device.

Since Android is a Google product, the first thing we suggest is syncing with your Google account. You can then share your calendars and contacts to be easily accessed through your Gmail account. This is also very handy when you upgrade to a new handset, as you can bring all your contacts and calendar over when you setup and if, for any reason, you have to reset your handset you can easily retrieve everything again. You can also store all your photos and documents in Google Drive to save space and to keep them safe.

To keep everything neat and organised, you can move all of your apps into folders and give them a name to easily find them. We all know how cluttered a phone's screens can become when we fill them with all the things we need and love. Another fantastic thing about Android is the ability to have different home screens. As you swipe left or right, you can access other screens, allowing you to have one for work, one for home and one for games. You can use widgets on these screens such as weather, fitness, maps, apps etc. You can even save frequently used contacts or Whatsapp contacts here for easy access.   

Google now is another helpful feature. Set it up from your Google search bar and whenever you access Google, cards will be displayed about the things you have chosen such as travel times to work, home etc, football scores, news, weather etc. You can use Google voice search to answer queries and make searches for you and take advantage of the talk to type feature to speak messages for the handset to write for you.

Android is extremely customisable allowing you to have your phone, your way. The app store is bursting with apps to suit your lifestyle and make your life easier.  

The Benefits of Cloud Computing

Cloud computing has been revolutionary in the world of business. Many businesses have already switched to the cloud and are enjoying all the benefits it brings. At Midland Networks, we offer a unique hosted desktop service that can bring the maximum benefits of cloud computing to your business.

Cloud computing is an extremely flexible solution. It has the capability to instantly meet the changing demands of your business. Our remote servers have a vast capacity, which allows you to enjoy greater bandwidth and storage whenever it’s needed. Your cloud-based applications can be accessed on virtually any device and at any location, providing there is an internet connection. So, if you need to support a flexible and remote workforce then cloud-computing is the ideal option.

When businesses switch to cloud computing, they tend to notice a huge uplift in performance. With the benefit of much greater bandwidth than the typical on-premises solution, applications are able to run much faster and internet browsing speeds are significantly improved.

Cloud computing also offers robust business protection. Switching to the cloud means that you no longer have to worry about complex disaster recovery plans. Since we host the service for you, we will ensure that all of your files are backed up and replicated and deal with any issues as they arise. Our data centre is monitored around the clock by skilled engineers, ensuring that any issues are detected early and promptly resolved. We carry out all ongoing maintenance work, to ensure the systems continue to deliver the best possible performance. In the event of loss or theft of a device, you will not lose your data. Because it is stored safely in the cloud, you will still be able to access it.

With cloud computing, your employees will be able to sync and access documents and apps simultaneously. This is a great way to promote enhanced collaboration and build team working skills. It can also lead to greater overall productivity and efficiency.

If you’re keen to future-proof your business then cloud computing can help you achieve this. We replace our servers every few years to ensure that you are always running on the latest equipment, and that you always benefit from the best possible performance. This is something that most businesses are not able to do themselves, as it would be financially unviable.

All these benefits make cloud computing an extremely cost-effective solution. Because we take care of all regular software updates as well as ongoing maintenance and support, you will no longer have the cost of maintenance contracts, onsite IT support staff or emergency engineers. You will also save a significant amount of money on the cost of equipment, as this will be housed by us. With fixed monthly payments, you get real value for money and straightforward budget planning.

For more information about cloud computing, contact Midland Networks today on 0800 849 8585.

Telephone Systems Rental in Halesowen, Birmingham & UK

Starting your business can be stressful enough, without having to worry about the cost of your communications equipment. If you are a new business without the adequate credit history to be eligible for finance or a lease agreement, Midland Networks can be of assistance. We offer a telephone systems rental service for start-ups, allowing you to have the telephone system you need without worrying about credit checks or having to buy your equipment upfront.

With our rental service, your business could benefit from an NEC telephone system, fully equipped with an extensive range of advanced features. As a world leading manufacturer, NEC delivers a whole range of solutions to suit the diverse needs of different businesses. An NEC solution is the perfect option for your first business telephone system. Telephone systems from NEC are extremely user-friendly and highly scalable, so they can easily be extended to suit the needs of your business as it grows. NEC also offers a whole suite of call management applications that help to increase efficiency and productivity.

With a rented telephone system from Midland Networks, your businesses will also benefit from a free upgrade every three years. This way, you remain up to date with the latest technology and always benefit from a reliable system. If, at any point, you decide that you would like to own your equipment and have the finances to do so, then that’s fine, as we offer the option to purchase our rental equipment later down the line.

Our telephone system rental service is the simplest way to set up your communications, without the initial capital outlay. This means that new businesses can have the telephone system they need, even on a limited budget. You will have regular, fixed monthly payments and can rent your system for as long as your need, or want to do so.

For more information about our telephone systems rental service, contact Midland Networks today on 0800 849 8585. 

Leased Lines in Birmingham, West Midlands & the UK

These days, most businesses depend, to some degree, on the internet for their everyday functioning. If a reliable internet connection is mission-critical for your business, then you need a leased line. Leased lines are ideal for businesses that have a specific need for high-end connectivity, for internet applications or multi-site networking.

A leased line is a dedicated internet connection that carries voice, data or both. This makes it ideal for businesses using IP telephony, for which a reliable connection is essential. With a leased line, you get a private connection that is not shared with anyone else. This makes it a great option if you’re concerned about security and, hence, leased lines are often used to connect private offices in different locations.

With a leased line, you get the full data bandwidth all of the time because the connection is not shared with other users and businesses in the area. Because a leased line is a dedicated service, the speeds are guaranteed as part of the contract. A leased line connection offers complete peace of mind with a strict Service Level Agreement that guarantees the agreed speeds and covers you against any network issues.

At Midland Networks, we provide leased lines on a bespoke basis, giving you the freedom to choose the bandwidth you need. The upload and download speeds can be adjusted to suit the specific needs of your business, so you will only pay for what you decide you need. As your business grows, or your needs change, you can alter the bandwidth so it always works for you.

If you’re looking for a robust and reliable internet connection, that guarantees speeds and offers enhanced security, then give Midland Networks a call on 0800 849 8585.