Month: July 2026

How to Switch IT Support Provider Without the Disruption

Posted on by Jake Boase

Switching IT support provider is a job many businesses put off for years, usually out of a fear that the changeover will be painful. In reality, when it is handled properly, moving to a new IT support provider should be almost invisible to your team, with no downtime and no lost data. This guide explains how a good handover works, what can go wrong when it is done badly, how to time the switch around your existing contract, and how to switch IT support provider without disrupting your business.

Why businesses put off switching their IT provider

Most businesses stay with an underperforming IT provider far longer than they should. The reason is rarely that the support is good, it is that switching feels risky. There is a worry that systems will break during the move, that data will be lost, or that the team will be left without support while everything transfers across. Some providers quietly rely on that inertia rather than earning your loyalty. The good news is that these fears are almost always unfounded when you choose a provider who runs a proper onboarding process.

Does switching IT support cause downtime?

No, switching IT support does not cause downtime when it is done well. A competent new provider prepares everything in the background before anything changes for your staff, then times the cut-over to avoid disruption, so your team keeps working and your data stays in place.

Behind the scenes, the new provider documents your systems, deploys their monitoring and security, and coordinates the handover, often over a weekend or overnight. Downtime only tends to happen when a provider rushes the move or skips the groundwork, which is why the onboarding process matters more than almost anything else.

What can go wrong if a switch is handled badly

Most of the horror stories people worry about come from switches that were rushed or under-planned, not from switching itself. The most common problems are:

  • Data or email loss when accounts are moved before backups are confirmed
  • Downtime caused by misconfigured email, DNS or domain records during the cut-over
  • Software licences or Microsoft 365 subscriptions not transferred cleanly, leaving staff locked out
  • Losing administrator access because the outgoing provider held the keys and was not asked to hand them over
  • A support gap where the old provider has stepped back but the new one is not yet fully set up
  • Security holes left open, such as old admin accounts and remote access that are never disabled

A good provider plans around every one of these before touching anything live. When you are comparing providers, ask them exactly how they avoid each one, the answer tells you a lot about how they work.

How a good IT provider onboards you, step by step

A well-run switch follows a clear, low-risk process:

  1. Review and audit. The new provider assesses your systems, security, licences and documentation.
  2. Plan. They agree a clear handover plan and timeline with you, and liaise with your outgoing provider.
  3. Document and secure. They take over documentation, deploy monitoring, and put their security in place.
  4. Transfer support. The helpdesk, accounts and access move across, usually with no downtime.
  5. Support and improve. They run your IT day to day and start fixing the things the last provider left.

Throughout, a good provider keeps you informed and makes sure nothing falls between the two of you.

Timing your switch around your contract notice period

Before you switch, check your current agreement for its notice period and any exit terms, as this usually dictates the timeline. Most IT support contracts require between 30 and 90 days notice, and some renew automatically if you miss the window, so it is worth checking early. The smoothest approach is to line up your new provider so their onboarding overlaps the end of your notice period, rather than leaving a gap between the two. That way documentation and access can be transferred while your outgoing provider is still contactable, and support never lapses. A good new provider will happily work around your notice period and help you time the changeover.

How to know it is time to switch

If you are reading this, you probably already sense that your current support is not good enough. Slow response times, the same problems recurring, poor communication, weak security, or a provider that only ever reacts rather than prevents are all common signs. We have written a fuller guide on the 10 signs it is time to change your IT support provider if you want to sense-check it. If several of those ring true, switching is usually well overdue.

What to look for in a new IT support provider

  • Proactive, managed support rather than reactive break-fix
  • Fast, guaranteed response times in writing
  • Layered cyber security and Cyber Essentials as standard
  • Clear, all-inclusive per-user pricing with no surprise charges
  • A named team you can actually reach, ideally local
  • A structured onboarding process, so the switch is smooth

For more on what good support should include, see our business IT support and fully outsourced IT support pages.

How to switch IT support provider

To switch IT support provider without disruption, follow these steps:

  1. Check your current contract for its notice period and exit terms.
  2. Choose your new provider and agree a start date that fits your notice period.
  3. Let the new provider manage the handover, including liaising with your outgoing one.
  4. Give them access and documentation so they can document and secure your systems.
  5. Confirm the cut-over is complete and support has fully transferred.

You do not need to project-manage this yourself. If you would like to see how straightforward it can be, book a free IT review or get a quote and we will map out exactly how a switch would work for you, with no obligation.

Frequently asked questions

Does switching IT support provider cause downtime?

No. When it is handled properly, switching IT support provider causes no downtime. A good provider prepares everything in the background and times the cut-over to avoid disruption, so your team keeps working and your email, files and systems stay exactly where they are.

How long does it take to change IT support provider?

For most small and medium businesses, changing IT support provider takes a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on the size and complexity of your systems. The disruptive part, if there is any, is usually a single planned cut-over rather than an ongoing project.

Will I lose any data or emails when I switch?

No, you should not lose any data or emails. Your email, files and systems stay in place, and the new provider takes over managing and securing them rather than moving them. A proper handover confirms your backups before anything changes.

How much notice do I need to give my current IT provider?

Most IT support contracts require between 30 and 90 days notice, and some renew automatically if you miss the window. Check your agreement early for the exact notice period and any exit terms, then time your new provider to start as that period ends.

Do I have to deal with my old provider myself?

No. A capable new provider manages the handover for you, including liaising with your outgoing provider to collect documentation, passwords and administrator access. Your involvement is usually limited to approving the plan and granting permission.

What if my current provider will not co-operate?

You can still switch. A good new provider is used to outgoing providers being slow or unhelpful, and can rebuild documentation, reset administrator access and secure your systems independently if needed. It may take a little longer, but it is entirely doable.

How do I choose the right IT support provider?

Look for proactive managed support, fast guaranteed response times, strong cyber security, clear all-inclusive pricing and a structured onboarding process. A short review of your setup is the best way to compare providers properly.

Cyber Essentials Cost in 2026: What You Will Pay and Whether You Need It

Posted on by Jake Boase

The Cyber Essentials cost is lower than most business owners expect. Certification starts at £320 plus VAT, and it comes with £25,000 of cyber liability insurance included. The harder question is not what it costs, but whether you actually need it, and what you will have to fix before you pass.

Here is the honest answer to both. For the full picture of what the scheme involves and how certification works, read our complete guide to Cyber Essentials.

Cyber Essentials cost: the 2026 prices

Cyber Essentials is a UK government backed scheme, run by IASME on behalf of the National Cyber Security Centre. The certification fee is set centrally and tiered by the size of your organisation.

Organisation sizeEmployeesCost (excluding VAT)
Micro0 to 9£320
Small10 to 49£440
Medium50 to 249£500
Large250 or more£600

That fee covers the assessment, the certificate and your listing on the public register. IASME reviews its pricing periodically, so check the current rate before you budget.

What about Cyber Essentials Plus?

Cyber Essentials Plus is the audited version. Rather than reviewing your answers, an assessor tests your systems directly with vulnerability scans and hands on checks of a sample of your devices.

It is priced individually rather than centrally, because the work depends on the size of your setup. Most SMEs pay between £1,500 and £3,000 plus VAT, on top of the basic certification, which you must hold first.

The cost nobody mentions

The certification fee is rarely the whole bill. The real cost is fixing whatever you fail on.

If your systems are already in good order, the fee is genuinely all you pay. If they are not, you may need to budget for:

  • Replacing unsupported software or hardware. This is the big one. Anything out of support is an automatic fail, with no exceptions
  • Turning on multi factor authentication across your accounts
  • Proper endpoint protection on every device
  • Patching brought up to date and kept there
  • Firewall and configuration changes

A business that has been well looked after tends to sail through. A business that has been neglected finds out, in detail, exactly how neglected it was. That is uncomfortable, but it is also the point of the exercise.

What you get for the money

Beyond the certificate itself, the scheme includes something most people miss.

£25,000 of cyber liability insurance, included at no extra cost, for UK organisations with turnover under £20 million that certify their whole business. That includes 24/7 incident response with technical, legal and crisis management support. For many small businesses, the insurance alone is worth more than the fee.

You also get the certificate, the NCSC badge for your website and tender documents, and a listing on the public register that clients and prospects can check.

Do you actually need Cyber Essentials?

Honestly, not every business does. Here is when it stops being optional.

You need it if you bid for public sector work. Most central government contracts require it, and it is mandatory for anything involving sensitive information.

You need it if you supply larger companies. Supply chain requirements are tightening fast. More and more large firms now ask their suppliers to prove certification, and they check the register. Defence supply chain contracts frequently require Cyber Essentials Plus specifically.

You should strongly consider it if you hold sensitive client data. Veterinary practices, solicitors, accountants, healthcare and financial services all sit here. A breach is not just embarrassing, it is a regulatory problem.

It is worth it for most SMEs regardless, because the five controls it enforces are the ones that stop the overwhelming majority of attacks. Most cyber attacks are not sophisticated. They are the digital equivalent of walking down a street trying every door handle.

You probably do not need Cyber Essentials Plus unless a client or contract specifically demands it. Do not pay for the audited version out of vanity.

The five controls you will be assessed on

Cyber Essentials tests five things. Nothing exotic, just the basics done properly.

  1. Firewalls. Controlling what can reach your network from outside
  2. Secure configuration. No default passwords, no unnecessary services running
  3. User access control. People have the access they need and nothing more, with admin rights tightly held
  4. Malware protection. Every device protected, properly
  5. Security update management. Everything patched, and nothing running past its support date

If you already have a good managed IT service, all five should already be in place. If they are not, that tells you something important about your current provider, and it is worth reading the signs it is time to change your IT support provider.

How long does it take?

If your systems are in order, certification can be completed in days. The self assessment is a questionnaire, signed off by a board member and marked by an assessor.

If they are not, the timeline depends entirely on the remediation work. Replacing an unsupported server is a project, not an afternoon.

Realistically, budget four to six weeks from starting to holding the certificate, and start earlier if you have a tender deadline. The certificate is valid for 12 months and must then be renewed.

How to pass first time

The single biggest cause of failure is submitting blind and discovering problems you could have found first.

  1. Do a gap analysis before you submit. Find out what you would fail on while it still costs nothing to fix. Our free IT and cyber benchmark is a quick way to start
  2. Deal with unsupported software immediately. It is the most common automatic fail and the slowest to fix
  3. Turn on multi factor authentication everywhere. Cheap, fast, and it closes the door on the most common attack of all
  4. Scope it sensibly. Certify the whole organisation if you want the free insurance, but understand what is in scope before you answer
  5. Use the free readiness tool. IASME and the NCSC publish one at no cost. Work through it before you spend a penny

Frequently asked questions

How much does Cyber Essentials cost?

Cyber Essentials costs £320 plus VAT for organisations with 0 to 9 employees, £440 for 10 to 49 employees, £500 for 50 to 249, and £600 for 250 or more. The fee is set by IASME and includes the assessment, certificate and £25,000 of cyber liability insurance for eligible UK businesses.

How much does Cyber Essentials Plus cost?

Cyber Essentials Plus is quoted individually because it involves a hands on technical audit. Most UK SMEs pay between £1,500 and £3,000 plus VAT, in addition to the basic Cyber Essentials fee, which must be held first.

Is Cyber Essentials worth it for a small business?

For most small businesses, yes. The five controls it enforces prevent the majority of common cyber attacks, the certificate opens doors with larger clients and public sector buyers, and the included cyber liability insurance is often worth more than the fee itself.

How long is Cyber Essentials valid for?

Twelve months from the date of issue. It must then be renewed, and renewal is assessed against whichever question set is current at the time, so standards do move.

What is the difference between Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus?

Cyber Essentials is a verified self assessment. You answer a questionnaire, a board member signs it off, and an assessor marks it. Cyber Essentials Plus adds an independent technical audit, where an assessor scans your network and tests a sample of your devices to confirm the controls genuinely work in practice.

Can I do Cyber Essentials myself?

Yes. The questionnaire is written for business owners rather than IT specialists, and the NCSC publishes free guidance. Most businesses find it far quicker with help, though, particularly if the assessment uncovers problems that need fixing before you can pass.

What happens if I fail Cyber Essentials?

For the basic certification you get feedback on what fell short and an opportunity to correct it and resubmit within a short window. Cyber Essentials Plus is less forgiving, which is why preparation matters far more at that level.

We are Cyber Essentials certified, and we get our clients certified too

We hold Cyber Essentials ourselves, so we have been through exactly what you are about to go through. We know where businesses trip up and we know what the assessors look for.

We support businesses across Chichester, Worthing, Arundel and West Sussex, and we handle cyber security for veterinary practices, solicitors, accountants, architects and construction firms who hold sensitive client data.

If you want to know where you stand before you spend anything, take our free cyber security audit. We will tell you honestly what you would pass on, what you would fail on, and what it would take to fix. No obligation and no hard sell.

10 Signs It Is Time to Change Your IT Support Provider

Posted on by Jake Boase

Most businesses wait far too long to change their IT support provider. Not because they are happy, but because switching sounds like a hassle, and the devil you know feels safer than the devil you do not.

That instinct is usually wrong. Poor IT support does not stay the same. It quietly gets worse, and the cost of putting up with it compounds.

Here are the signs it is time to move, and what a good provider should look like instead.

1. You only hear from them when something breaks

This is the biggest one. If your IT company only appears when you raise a problem, they are not managing your IT. They are reacting to it.

A proper managed IT service monitors your systems around the clock and fixes most issues before you know they exist. Failing hard drives, backups that have quietly stopped running, machines missing security updates. All of it should be caught in the background. If every problem you have is one you found yourself, you are paying for a service you are not receiving.

2. Nobody knows your business

You explain your setup from scratch every time you call. You speak to a different person each time. Nobody knows which server matters, which member of staff is travelling, or why the Tuesday morning report is critical.

Good support is not just technical. It is knowing the business well enough to prioritise correctly.

3. Response times are vague, or promised but not delivered

“We will look at it as soon as we can” is not a response time. If there is no guaranteed timeframe in your contract, there is no commitment.

Worse is a provider who promised a response time and quietly stopped meeting it. If nobody is measuring, nobody is accountable.

4. The same problems keep coming back

A printer that fails every month. A machine that needs rebooting every week. An email issue that gets patched and then returns.

Recurring problems mean symptoms are being treated, not causes. A good provider fixes it properly the first time and tells you when the real answer is replacing something rather than nursing it along.

5. Your staff have stopped raising issues

This is the most expensive sign, and the hardest to spot, because it looks like everything is fine.

When support is slow, unfriendly or billed by the hour, people simply stop asking. They struggle on with the slow laptop. They work around the broken process. They lose an hour a week each and nobody ever logs a ticket. The support bill looks healthy while productivity quietly bleeds away.

If your team rolls their eyes at the mention of IT, that is your answer.

6. You are not sure your backups actually work

Ask your provider a simple question: when did you last test that our backup restores?

Having a backup and having a backup that works are different things. Plenty of businesses discover, at the worst possible moment, that the backup has been silently failing for months. Proper backup and disaster recovery is tested regularly, and you should be told the result.

7. Nobody has mentioned security in a year

Cyber threats aimed at small businesses have grown sharply, and the tools to defend against them have moved on. If your provider has not talked to you about multi factor authentication, staff training, email security or Cyber Essentials, they are not thinking about your risk.

Silence on security is not a sign that you are safe. It is a sign that nobody is looking. If you are unsure where you stand, a free cyber security audit will tell you.

8. Every invoice is a surprise

You do not know what next month will cost. Small jobs appear as line items you did not expect. You feel a flicker of anxiety before opening the bill.

IT should be a predictable monthly cost you can budget for, not a series of unwelcome surprises. Our guide to how much IT support costs sets out what you should expect to pay and what should be included.

9. They cannot tell you what you have

Ask for an inventory of your devices, your licences, your warranties and your network setup. A good provider produces it within a day, because they maintain it as a matter of course.

If nobody can tell you what you own or how it is configured, nobody is really in control of your IT, and a serious incident will be far harder to recover from.

10. They never suggest anything

You have never had a conversation about where your IT is heading. Nobody has flagged the ageing server, suggested a better way of working, or planned ahead with you.

A provider should bring you ideas, not just fix what you report. If they are purely reactive, you are the one doing the thinking, and you already have a business to run.

What good actually looks like

A provider worth paying should offer all of the following as standard:

  • Proactive monitoring around the clock, so most problems never reach you
  • A guaranteed response time, written into the contract
  • Unlimited support, so nobody hesitates to ask for help
  • Backups tested regularly, with the results reported to you
  • An active security conversation, not silence
  • A predictable monthly cost with no surprises
  • A named team who know your business
  • Regular reviews where they tell you what is coming, not just what broke

But is switching not a nightmare?

This is the fear that keeps businesses stuck, and it is largely unfounded. A competent handover is designed to be invisible to your staff. We have written more about how switching IT provider works in practice.

Here is how it should work:

  1. Audit. Your new provider documents everything you have: devices, licences, servers, network, backups and accounts.
  2. Plan. They agree a switchover date with you and identify anything that needs fixing first.
  3. Deploy. Monitoring, security and support tools are rolled out quietly in the background, usually with no disruption at all.
  4. Handover. Access is transferred from your old provider. A good new provider handles that conversation so you do not have to.
  5. Go live. Your team gets one email telling them who to call. That is usually the only change they notice.

Most businesses are fully switched within two to four weeks, without downtime. The disruption you are imagining is almost always smaller than the disruption you are already living with.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my IT support is bad?

The clearest test is whether your provider is proactive or reactive. If they only contact you when you raise a problem, if the same issues keep recurring, if backups are never tested and security is never discussed, the service is falling short regardless of how pleasant the people are. For a quick, objective read, our free IT and cyber benchmark scores your setup in a few minutes.

How difficult is it to change IT support provider?

Less difficult than most people expect. A proper handover takes two to four weeks and should cause no downtime. Your new provider audits your systems, deploys their tools in the background, handles the transfer of access from the outgoing provider, and switches you over. For most staff, the only change is who they contact.

Am I tied into a contract with my current IT provider?

Many IT contracts run on rolling monthly or annual terms with a notice period, commonly 30 to 90 days. Check your agreement for the notice clause. A new provider can usually begin the audit and preparation during your notice period, so no time is wasted.

Will my current provider make the handover difficult?

Occasionally, but rarely. Most behave professionally. Where they do not, a good incoming provider knows how to work around it and will manage that conversation on your behalf rather than leaving you in the middle of it.

When is the right time to change IT support provider?

Sooner than most businesses do. If several of the signs above sound familiar, the cost of staying is already higher than the cost of moving, and it grows every month. There is no advantage to waiting for a serious incident to force the decision.

Thinking about a change?

We have supported businesses across Chichester, Worthing, Arundel and West Sussex for over 20 years. We are Cyber Essentials certified and a Microsoft Partner, and we look after architects, engineers, hotels, veterinary practices and property firms across the region.

If any of the above sounds like your current setup, book a free IT review. We will look at what you have, tell you honestly what is wrong with it, and you can decide what to do next. No obligation and no hard sell.

The Big Switch Off: What the January 2027 Landline Shutdown Means for Your Business

Posted on by Jake Boase

What Is the Big Switch Off?

The Big Switch Off is the permanent shutdown of the UK’s analogue telephone network, the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), on 31 January 2027.

The PSTN is the copper-wire network that has carried Britain’s phone calls for over a century. Every traditional landline, every fax machine, and every ISDN phone system runs across it. So do many things you might not expect: card payment terminals, fire and burglar alarms, lift emergency lines, CCTV systems and door entry panels.

When the PSTN goes, everything that depends on it stops working. Openreach has confirmed the deadline is fixed and will not move again. Any business still relying on analogue lines needs a migration plan, and with the deadline now under seven months away, that plan needs to happen soon. For the full step-by-step guide, see our PSTN and landline switch-off overview, or get a quote to start your migration.

When Is the Switch Off Happening?

The full PSTN shutdown completes on 31 January 2027, but for many businesses the practical deadline is earlier:

  • September 2023: Openreach stopped selling new analogue lines and ISDN nationwide (the “stop sell”)
  • May 2024: The original December 2025 deadline was extended to January 2027 to allow safe migration of vulnerable users
  • Throughout 2025-2026: Local exchanges are being migrated in phases, so some areas lose analogue service before the national deadline
  • 1 January 2026: Legacy line rental moved to 90-day rolling contracts
  • During 2026: Wholesale prices for legacy lines rise sharply in three stages (more on this below)
  • 31 January 2027: The PSTN is switched off permanently

Openreach has been clear the deadline cannot slip again. Their view is that the ageing copper network is now a bigger risk than the migration itself: major incidents on the PSTN rose 45% in a single year, and a single incident can knock out 500 or more lines at once.

Some communications providers set their own earlier cut-off dates, so don’t assume you have until January 2027. If your provider hasn’t contacted you about migration, that’s a red flag in itself.

Why Is the PSTN Being Switched Off?

The short answer: the network is over 100 years old and falling apart.

The copper PSTN was engineered for a world of rotary dial phones. The parts to maintain it are increasingly difficult to source, the engineers who know how to fix it are retiring, and the failure rate is climbing every year. According to Openreach, the analogue network is now obsolete, harder to maintain, and significantly more expensive to run.

Meanwhile, the replacement, digital voice services running over broadband, is cheaper to operate, more reliable, and far more capable. The UK is following the same path as most developed countries: the Netherlands, Estonia and others have already completed their analogue switch-offs.

This is part of a wider upgrade. Openreach is investing £15 billion in full fibre broadband, and retiring the copper network is a key part of moving the country onto modern digital infrastructure.

What Happens If You Do Nothing?

This is the question that matters most, and the answer is blunt.

If you take no action before your line is migrated or switched off, your provider may default you onto a basic emergency-only fallback service. That means your number can reach 999, and nothing else. No inbound calls from customers. No outbound calls to suppliers. Your business number effectively goes dark.

Before that happens, you’ll be paying steadily more for a service with a confirmed shutdown date, because Openreach is deliberately raising legacy line prices to push the final migrations through.

And it’s not gradual. When your exchange is migrated, analogue service ends. Businesses that leave it until the final weeks risk joining a last-minute rush, with every provider’s installation calendar full, hardware in short supply, and no room for the porting process to run smoothly.

Roughly 2.8 million lines were still on the PSTN at the start of 2026, over half a million of them serving business premises. That’s a lot of businesses competing for engineer availability in the final months. Moving early isn’t just safer, it’s the only way to guarantee a smooth transition on your own timetable.

It’s Not Just Phones: What Else Is Affected

The most dangerous misconception about the Big Switch Off is that it only affects desk phones. In reality, decades of equipment has been quietly wired into analogue lines:

  • Card payment terminals – older PDQ machines that dial out over a phone line
  • Fire and intruder alarms – many alarm panels signal to monitoring centres via PSTN
  • Lift emergency lines – over 12,000 lift lines were still on copper at the start of 2026
  • CCTV systems – legacy setups using phone lines for remote monitoring
  • Door entry and gate systems – intercoms that dial a phone number
  • Fax machines – still common in some industries
  • Franking machines – older models connect via analogue line
  • ISDN phone systems – ISDN2 and ISDN30 run on the same copper network and die with it
  • ADSL and FTTC broadband – older broadband products delivered over the copper network are being withdrawn too

For sectors like construction, hospitality and property management, the alarm, lift and payment terminal issue is often bigger than the phones themselves. A hotel with an analogue fire alarm line or a property firm managing buildings with copper lift lines has a compliance and safety problem, not just a telecoms one.

The fix is an audit: walk through everything in your premises that plugs into a phone socket, and check with your suppliers whether each device has a digital-ready replacement or upgrade path.

Legacy Line Prices Are Rising Right Now

If the deadline alone isn’t persuasive, the pricing should be. Openreach has confirmed a tiered set of wholesale price increases on legacy line rental designed to make staying on copper uneconomic:

DateWholesale price increase
1 April 2026+20%
1 July 2026+40%
1 October 2026Further +40%

By this autumn, the cost of a legacy analogue line will have effectively doubled compared to the start of the year. In many cases it’s already cheaper to be on a modern digital service than to keep paying for the old line.

In other words: doing nothing isn’t the cheap option. It’s the expensive option with a hard stop at the end.

What Replaces Your Landline?

The replacement for analogue phone lines is VoIP, Voice over Internet Protocol. Instead of your calls travelling down a dedicated copper wire, they travel over your broadband connection as data.

For a typical small business, a modern hosted VoIP system means:

  • Desk phones that plug into your network (or softphone apps on computers and mobiles)
  • A cloud phone system managed through a web portal instead of a box on the wall
  • Your existing numbers, ported across so nothing changes for your customers
  • Calls over broadband, ideally full fibre (FTTP) or SoGEA where fibre isn’t available yet

At ATS Connection we provide business VoIP built on the Xelion platform, a fully featured cloud phone system that handles call routing, voicemail-to-email, mobile apps, call recording and hunt groups as standard. It’s the same system we use ourselves, and we’ve migrated businesses across West Sussex from ageing analogue and ISDN setups onto it, including multi-site companies and businesses with complex call-handling needs.

If your broadband also runs on the old copper network (ADSL or FTTC), the switch is the right moment to upgrade connectivity at the same time. One project, one provider, everything future-proofed together.

The Benefits of Switching to VoIP

The Big Switch Off is forcing the move, but for most businesses VoIP is a genuine upgrade rather than a like-for-like swap:

Lower running costs. No line rental on copper pairs, cheaper call rates, and free calls between sites and colleagues. Most businesses save money compared to their old analogue or ISDN bills.

Work from anywhere. Your business number rings on your desk phone, your laptop and your mobile. Staff working from home or on site answer calls exactly as if they were in the office, a game-changer for trades, construction and field-based teams.

Scale up and down instantly. Adding a new user is a few clicks, not an engineer visit and a new line installation. Seasonal businesses can add lines for busy periods and remove them after.

Professional call handling. Auto-attendants (“press 1 for sales…”), hunt groups, call queues, out-of-hours routing and voicemail-to-email. Features that used to require an expensive on-premise phone system come as standard.

Business continuity. If your office loses power or internet, calls automatically divert to mobiles. With an analogue line, a fault means silence until an engineer arrives.

Call insights. See call volumes, missed calls and response times. Useful data you simply never had with analogue lines.

Will You Lose Your Phone Number?

No. This is the most common worry we hear, and it’s the easiest to put to rest.

Your existing numbers, including long-standing local numbers your customers have known for years, can be ported to your new VoIP service. The porting process is handled between providers and typically takes 10-15 working days. There’s no need to reprint stationery, update signage or change your website.

The key is to never cancel your old line before the port completes. Cancelling first can mean losing the number permanently. A competent provider will manage the sequencing for you so there’s no gap in service: your new system goes live, the number ports across, and only then does the old line get ceased.

How to Prepare: A Step-by-Step Checklist

Here’s the practical path from “still on analogue” to “sorted”:

1. Audit everything connected to a phone line. Phones, alarms, lifts, card machines, door entry, fax, CCTV. List every device and every line. This is the step most businesses skip, and it’s where the nasty surprises hide.

2. Check your broadband. VoIP needs a reliable internet connection. If you’re on ADSL or FTTC, plan the broadband upgrade alongside the phone migration. Check full fibre availability for your postcode.

3. Count your users and map your call flows. Who needs a handset? Who’s fine with an app? How should incoming calls route: reception first, then a hunt group? Out-of-hours to a mobile? This shapes the system design.

4. Choose your VoIP provider and system. Look for business-grade platforms, UK support, and a provider who handles number porting and installation end to end.

5. Deal with the non-phone equipment. Contact your alarm company, lift maintainer and payment provider about digital-ready upgrades. Most have well-established migration paths now, but lead times vary.

6. Schedule the migration. Ideally months before the deadline, not weeks. Number porting, hardware delivery and any broadband installation all have lead times that compound if left late.

7. Test everything, then cease the old lines. Only cancel legacy lines once numbers have ported and every dependent device is confirmed working on its new connection.

If that list feels like a lot, that’s what we’re here for. We run this entire process for clients as a single managed project, from audit through to the final line cease.

How Long Does Switching Take?

For a straightforward small business, a handful of users, decent broadband already in place, the switch can be completed in 2-4 weeks, most of which is waiting for number porting.

Add broadband upgrades, multiple sites, or dependent equipment like alarms and lift lines, and a realistic timeline is 1-3 months to do everything properly without disruption.

That’s exactly why the time to start is now, not December. Businesses that begin the process in the second half of 2026 will be competing with hundreds of thousands of others for engineer appointments, hardware and porting slots. Starting now means you choose the timetable; starting late means the timetable chooses you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Big Switch Off in the UK?

The Big Switch Off is the permanent retirement of the UK’s analogue Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) on 31 January 2027. All traditional landlines, ISDN phone systems and services running over the copper phone network will stop working and must be replaced with digital (VoIP) alternatives.

When exactly will my landline stop working?

The national deadline is 31 January 2027, but exchanges are being migrated in phases and some providers have set earlier dates. Your line could be affected before the final deadline, so check with your provider now rather than assuming you have until 2027.

Will the PSTN switch off be delayed again?

No. The deadline was moved once, from December 2025 to January 2027, to protect vulnerable users during migration. Openreach has confirmed that work is complete and the January 2027 date is fixed.

Does the switch off affect broadband too?

Yes, partly. ADSL and FTTC broadband run over the same copper network and are being withdrawn alongside the PSTN. Full fibre (FTTP) and SoGEA connections are unaffected; they’re the replacements.

Can I keep my business phone number when I switch to VoIP?

Yes. Numbers are ported to your new VoIP provider, typically within 10-15 working days. Don’t cancel your old line until the port has completed, or you risk losing the number.

What happens to my card machine and alarm system?

Any device that connects via an analogue phone line, such as card terminals, fire and intruder alarms, lift lines and door entry systems, needs a digital upgrade before the switch off. Contact each supplier about their migration path, and do it early as lead times vary.

Is VoIP more expensive than a landline?

Usually the opposite. Most businesses pay less per user per month for VoIP than they did in line rental and call charges, and legacy line prices are rising steeply through 2026 anyway. VoIP also removes the cost of maintaining an on-premise phone system.

Do I need new phone handsets for VoIP?

Not necessarily. Modern VoIP systems work with dedicated IP desk phones, softphone apps on computers, and mobile apps. Some existing handsets can be reused with adapters, though for most businesses new IP handsets or apps are the cleaner option.

What if my internet goes down? Will I lose my phones?

Calls can automatically divert to mobiles or another site if your connection fails, which is more resilient than analogue ever was: a copper line fault meant no calls at all until an engineer fixed it. A well-designed VoIP setup includes failover from day one.

What should businesses in West Sussex do first?

Start with an audit of every line and every device connected to one. If you’d rather not do that yourself, we offer a free switch-off readiness check for businesses across West Sussex. We’ll identify what’s affected and map out the migration for you.

Get Switched Before the Deadline

The Big Switch Off isn’t a maybe. It’s a fixed deadline with rising costs for anyone who waits. The businesses that come out of it best are the ones treating it as an opportunity: modern phones, better call handling, lower bills and a system that works wherever your team does.

At ATS Connection we’ve been moving West Sussex businesses onto our Xelion-based VoIP platform ahead of the deadline, handling the audit, the number porting, the hardware and the broadband, all as one managed project. We help businesses across Chichester and West Sussex plan the move well ahead of the deadline.

Book your free Big Switch Off readiness check:

We offer:

Don’t wait for the last-minute rush. Get ahead of the deadline while there’s still time to do it properly.

How Much Does Outsourced IT Support Cost in the UK?

Posted on by Jake Boase

How much does outsourced IT support cost in the UK? For most businesses it is charged as a fixed monthly fee, usually per user, and commonly ranges from around £30 to £100 per user per month depending on the level of cover and security you need. That predictable, per-user model is one of the main reasons businesses move away from ad-hoc fixes and expensive in-house hires. In this guide we break down what drives the outsourced IT support cost, what should be included, and how to work out a realistic budget for your business.

What does outsourced IT support cost?

Outsourced IT support, sometimes called managed IT support, is almost always priced as a recurring monthly fee rather than a one-off charge. The most common model is per user, per month, which covers everything a member of staff needs: their devices, accounts, security and support. As a rough guide, UK businesses typically pay somewhere between £30 and £100 per user per month, with the figure depending mainly on how much cover and security is included. A basic helpdesk-only package sits at the lower end, while a fully managed service with layered cyber security, Microsoft 365 management and strategic guidance sits higher. Because it scales with your headcount, the cost stays predictable as you grow. For a wider view of pricing, see our guide on how much IT support costs.

What is included in the cost?

A good outsourced IT support package should be genuinely all-inclusive, so you are not hit with extra charges every time you need help. Typically the monthly fee covers:

  • An unlimited UK helpdesk with fast response times
  • Proactive monitoring and maintenance that prevents issues
  • Managed cyber security and Cyber Essentials support
  • Microsoft 365 management and security
  • Backup and disaster recovery
  • Onboarding and offboarding of staff
  • Strategic guidance, reporting and budgeting

Always check what is and is not included, particularly project work, new hardware and out-of-hours support, which some providers charge for separately.

What affects the price?

Two businesses of the same size can pay quite different amounts. The main factors are:

  • Number of users. The per-user model means cost scales with your team.
  • Level of cover. Helpdesk-only is cheaper than a fully managed, proactive service.
  • Security requirements. Cyber Essentials, compliance and layered protection add value and cost.
  • Response time guarantees. Tighter service level agreements typically cost more.
  • On-site visits. Remote-only support is cheaper than regular on-site cover.
  • Contract length. Longer agreements often come with better monthly rates.

Common pricing models

Outsourced IT support is usually offered in one of a few ways. Per user, per month is the most common and the easiest to budget. Per device suits businesses with shared machines or a high device-to-user ratio. Some providers still sell pay-as-you-go or block hours, which can look cheaper upfront but is unpredictable and reactive by nature, you only get help once something has already gone wrong. For most businesses, an all-inclusive per-user model gives the best value and the fewest surprises.

Is outsourced IT support cheaper than hiring in-house?

Usually, yes. A single in-house IT hire can cost £35,000 to £50,000 a year once you add salary, National Insurance, training and holiday cover, and one person cannot span every discipline. Fully outsourced IT support gives you a whole team across helpdesk, security, cloud and strategy for a fraction of that, with cover built in and no single point of failure. For most small and medium businesses, outsourcing delivers broader expertise and better resilience at a lower total cost. For a full comparison, see our guide to in-house vs outsourced IT support.

How to get an accurate quote

The honest answer is that the only way to get a precise figure is a short review of your current setup, because it depends on your users, systems and security. Book a free IT review or get a quote and we will give you a clear, costed plan with no obligation. You can also learn more about our fully outsourced IT support service.

Frequently asked questions

How much does outsourced IT support cost per user?

As a guide, UK businesses typically pay between £30 and £100 per user per month, depending on the level of cover and security included. A short review is the best way to get an accurate figure for your business.

Is outsourced IT support charged monthly?

Yes. It is almost always a fixed monthly fee, usually per user, which makes it easy to budget and scales up or down as your team changes.

What is included in outsourced IT support?

Typically an unlimited helpdesk, proactive monitoring, cyber security, Microsoft 365 management, backup and strategic guidance. Always check whether project work, hardware and out-of-hours support are included or charged separately.

Is outsourced IT support cheaper than in-house?

For most businesses, yes. You get a whole team of specialists for a fraction of the cost of a single senior hire, with holiday and sickness cover built in and no single point of failure.

Are there setup or onboarding costs?

Some providers charge a one-off onboarding fee to document and take over your systems, while others roll it into the monthly cost. It is always worth asking what onboarding involves and whether it is chargeable.

Can I scale the cost up or down?

Yes. Because most outsourced IT support is priced per user, the cost scales naturally as you add or remove staff, so you only pay for what you use.

Windows 10 End of Life: What UK Businesses Need to Do Now

Posted on by Jake Boase

Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 on 14 October 2025. If your business is still running it, those computers are now unsupported. That means no more security updates, no fixes and no technical support, and the risk grows with every month that passes. The good news is that moving to Windows 11 is straightforward once you have a plan, and it is not too late to do it properly.

To be clear, Windows 10 end of life means Microsoft stopped supporting Windows 10 in October 2025, so the operating system no longer receives security updates. Microsoft sets out the detail on its Windows end of support page.

Windows 10 end of life upgrade for business laptops

This guide explains what Windows 10 end of life means now the date has passed, the real risks of staying on it, how to check whether your PCs can run Windows 11, and how to plan a smooth migration.

Has Windows 10 support ended?

Yes. Windows 10 reached end of life on 14 October 2025. Microsoft no longer issues the monthly security updates that patch newly discovered vulnerabilities. The machines still switch on and work, but they are no longer being protected, and attackers actively look for unsupported systems.

What Windows 10 end of life means for your business

End of life does not mean your computers stop working overnight. It means they have quietly become a growing risk. Here is what has changed:

  • No more security updates. Any vulnerability found since October 2025 stays open on your machines.
  • Compliance and insurance problems. Running an unsupported operating system can breach cyber insurance conditions and fail security standards such as Cyber Essentials.
  • Software vendors dropping support. Applications, browsers and line of business tools are steadily withdrawing support for Windows 10.
  • Slower, less reliable devices. Without updates, small issues accumulate and performance drifts.

Windows 11 hardware requirements: the checklist

The single most important question is which of your machines can take the free Windows 11 upgrade. A PC needs to meet all of the following:

  • A supported 64-bit processor (roughly 8th generation Intel or AMD Ryzen 2000 series and newer)
  • 4GB of RAM or more
  • 64GB of storage or more
  • TPM 2.0 enabled
  • Secure Boot capable and enabled
  • A DirectX 12 compatible graphics card

Plenty of business machines from the last few years qualify, and sometimes the only blocker is TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot being switched off in the BIOS, which is a quick fix. Anything older than that will usually need replacing.

Your options now

1. Upgrade eligible PCs to Windows 11 (free)

If a device meets the requirements above, the upgrade is free and keeps your data and settings in place. This is the best outcome for most machines.

2. Replace older hardware

Older PCs that cannot meet the requirements need replacing. This is a good moment to standardise your fleet, which makes support simpler and cheaper in the long run, and lets you spread the cost sensibly.

3. Extended Security Updates to cover the gap

If you have not migrated yet, Microsoft’s paid Extended Security Updates (ESU) can keep security patches coming for Windows 10 while you complete the move. ESU is priced per device and rises each year, so treat it as a short bridge, not a destination. It does not include feature updates or full support.

What happens if you do nothing?

Unsupported systems are one of the most common ways businesses get breached, because known vulnerabilities never get patched. Beyond the direct security risk, staying on Windows 10 can invalidate your cyber insurance, cost you Cyber Essentials certification that many contracts now require, and leave you unable to run newer software. The longer you wait, the more it costs and the more exposed you are.

How to plan your Windows 10 to 11 migration

  • Audit your devices. List every PC, its age and whether it can run Windows 11.
  • Group by action. Upgrade eligible machines, replace the rest, and use ESU as a short term bridge for anything not yet moved.
  • Roll out in waves. Migrate in planned batches to avoid disruption, with data and settings carried across cleanly.
  • Harden as you go. Use the move to tighten security baselines, backups and access control.

How ATS Connection can help

We manage Windows 10 to 11 migrations for businesses across West Sussex, end to end. We audit your estate, tell you honestly which machines to upgrade and which to replace, then handle the rollout in structured waves with no loss of data and minimal downtime. It is all part of our managed IT support, and we can tie it in with a wider security and setup review.

Still on Windows 10? Book a free IT review and we will assess your devices and give you a clear, costed plan to get secure again. Book your free IT assessment or call 01903 255 159.

Frequently asked questions

Is Windows 10 still safe to use?

No, not for long. Support ended in October 2025, so it no longer receives security updates and becomes less safe every month. For any business handling client or financial data, staying on Windows 10 is a real risk.

Can my PC run Windows 11?

If it has a supported processor, 4GB or more of RAM, 64GB of storage and TPM 2.0 with Secure Boot, then yes, and the upgrade is free. We can check your whole fleet in minutes.

How much does it cost to upgrade to Windows 11?

The Windows 11 upgrade is free on eligible hardware. The only cost is replacing older machines that do not qualify. A device audit tells you exactly what you are looking at.

How much do Extended Security Updates cost?

ESU for Windows 10 is priced per device and increases each year, so it is designed as a short bridge rather than a long term option. For most businesses it is cheaper to plan a proper migration than to keep paying for ESU.

What is TPM 2.0 and does my computer have it?

TPM 2.0 is a security chip Windows 11 requires. Most business PCs made in the last few years have it, sometimes disabled in the BIOS. We can check and enable it as part of an upgrade.

It is already past the deadline. What should I do?

Migrate as a priority. If you cannot move every device at once, Extended Security Updates can keep you patched while you complete the rollout, so you are not left exposed.

Why Outsource Your IT Support? Benefits for UK Businesses

Posted on by Jake Boase

Why outsource your IT support? In short, because it gives your business a whole team of IT specialists, stronger cyber security and predictable costs, without the expense and risk of building an in-house team. For most growing UK businesses, outsourcing means better IT and less hassle for less money. In this guide we look at exactly what outsourcing means, the main benefits, and how to know when it is the right move.

What does it mean to outsource your IT support?

Outsourcing your IT support means handing the running of your technology to a specialist provider, or managed service provider, instead of relying on an internal hire or an unofficial “office IT person”. The provider looks after your helpdesk, security, monitoring, Microsoft 365 and strategy for a fixed monthly fee. It is the model most small and medium businesses now use, because it gives them enterprise-grade IT without an enterprise budget. Our guide to outsourced IT support explains how the service works in full.

Why do businesses outsource IT support?

The reasons vary, but the benefits are consistent. The main ones are:

  • Lower, predictable costs. One monthly fee replaces salaries, training and the cost of downtime, and it is easy to budget.
  • A whole team of specialists. Instead of one person who cannot know everything, you get expertise across helpdesk, security, cloud and strategy.
  • Stronger cyber security. Managed protection, cyber security, Cyber Essentials and staff awareness are built in as standard.
  • Proactive support and less downtime. Problems are prevented and fixed early, rather than after they have already cost you time and money.
  • Scalability. The service grows with you, adding or removing users as your team changes.
  • Focus on your core business. Your team spends time on the work that matters, not wrestling with IT.
  • Resilience. Holiday and sickness cover are built in, with no single point of failure if a key person leaves.

When should you outsource your IT?

Most businesses start thinking about outsourcing when their current arrangement starts to hold them back. Common triggers include the same IT problems recurring without ever being fixed, relying on one person who has become a risk, cyber security and Microsoft 365 not being actively managed, slow staff onboarding, or simply having no clear IT strategy or budget. If any of those sound familiar, it is usually a sign that a proactive, managed approach would pay for itself.

Is outsourcing right for your business?

Outsourcing suits businesses of almost any size, but it is especially valuable for small and medium firms that cannot justify a full in-house IT team. Larger organisations often use a hybrid model, keeping someone in-house for day-to-day needs and outsourcing the specialist, security and out-of-hours work. The right answer depends on your size, sector and how much you rely on technology, which is exactly what a short review will tell you. If cost is your main question, see our guide on how much outsourced IT support costs, and if you are weighing up hiring instead, read our comparison of in-house vs outsourced IT support.

How to choose an outsourced IT provider

Look for a provider that is proactive rather than reactive, security-led and genuinely accountable, with named engineers and clear reporting. Local matters too: a provider on your doorstep can be on site when needed and understands your area. As an example, our IT support in Chichester and across West Sussex is delivered by a local team, backed by Cyber Essentials certification and Microsoft Partner status.

Ready to outsource your IT?

Start with a free, no-obligation review of your current setup, security and support. We will show you exactly where the gaps and opportunities are, with a clear plan. Book a free IT review or get a quote to see what outsourcing could do for your business.

Frequently asked questions

Why do businesses outsource IT support?

To get a whole team of specialists, stronger security and predictable costs without the expense and risk of hiring and managing an in-house IT team.

Is outsourcing IT support cheaper than in-house?

Usually, yes. You get a whole team for less than the cost of a single senior hire, with holiday and sickness cover built in and no single point of failure.

Will I lose control of my IT if I outsource?

No. You keep ownership of your systems, data and decisions. The provider runs the day-to-day work and gives you clear reporting and strategic guidance.

Is outsourced IT support more secure?

A good provider makes your business more secure, not less, with managed protection, Cyber Essentials support and monitoring built in as standard.

When is the right time to outsource IT?

When IT problems keep recurring, you rely on one person, security is not actively managed, staff onboarding is slow, or you have no clear IT strategy or budget.

What size business should outsource IT support?

Any size can benefit, but it is especially valuable for small and medium businesses that cannot justify a full in-house IT team. Larger teams often use a hybrid model.