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Start looking when your broadband or phone service repeatedly gets in the way of the work, and your provider cannot offer a convincing fix. Before moving, establish what is failing, what a replacement must do and how you will keep calls and essential systems working during the change.
Start with the problem you need to solve
A missed call at a charity reception desk and a video meeting that freezes halfway through need different investigations. Write down what happened, when it happened and who was affected. Keep fault reference numbers and the provider’s replies together.
Try this for a normal working week rather than relying on the worst afternoon you can remember. Ask colleagues to record the task they could not finish, whether other devices were affected and what restored the service. Avoid putting callers’ personal details in the fault log.
Give your existing provider that evidence and ask for a named next step, an owner and a date for an update. Repeated faults without a clear investigation are a sensible reason to compare alternatives.
Check the connection before replacing it
Ask your provider to help you compare a computer connected to the router by Ethernet cable with one using Wi-Fi. Repeat the comparison where the problems occur and at a time when the office is busy. The aim is to narrow down the fault before buying anything.
Ask whether the proposed solution addresses the internet connection, the router, wireless coverage inside the building or the phone system. If a supplier cannot explain which problem their recommendation solves, keep asking. A faster package should not be the automatic answer to every complaint.
Use Ofcom’s broadband availability checker to see what services are listed for your location.[6] Then ask prospective suppliers to confirm availability at your exact address, including any separate office, workshop or outbuilding you need connected.
Make the next service fit the working day
Write a short description of an ordinary busy day. Include the number of people taking calls, whether anyone works remotely and which tasks must carry on if the main connection fails. For a charity, think about volunteer handovers and who answers when reception is unstaffed.
Ask suppliers to demonstrate those situations rather than simply sending a feature sheet. Try transferring a call, setting an absence message and handing an incoming enquiry to another team member. Decide who will manage those settings after installation.
For rural premises, ask how a proposed backup connection will be tested on site. Do not accept a general coverage statement as the whole answer. Request a demonstration of what happens when the main connection is unavailable, including how staff know the backup has started.
Include every device that uses the phone line
The UK’s move from analogue landlines includes business services, and digital alternatives can use an internet connection.[1] GOV.UK advises businesses to review connected equipment, including alarms and card payment systems, and check whether upgrades or adaptors are needed.[1]
Walk around the premises and make an equipment inventory before agreeing a change. Ask the relevant manufacturer or equipment supplier to confirm compatibility in writing. Do not assume the broadband salesperson has assessed a device they have not seen.
Digital phone equipment and routers need power, and will not work during a power cut without a suitable backup power system.[1] Ask what the proposed setup will do during both a broadband outage and a power cut. Those are separate tests, so request answers for each.
Agree the handover before anything is cancelled
Ask the new provider for a written sequence covering installation, testing and any transfer of existing phone numbers. Get confirmation about which numbers can move, who requests the transfer and when callers should expect to reach the new system. Ask both providers what, if anything, you need to cancel yourself.
Keep one person responsible for the change and nominate someone else who can find the account details if they are away. Agree an alternative contact route for the team during the handover. Choose a time when somebody can test incoming and outgoing calls, voicemail and essential online tasks.
Before accepting a proposal, request a plain explanation of the contract length, support hours, equipment responsibilities and all charges. Treat unclear answers as unfinished work, rather than filling in the gaps yourself.
Take one useful step this week
Put your fault log, equipment inventory and essential requirements on one page. Send the same brief to your current provider and any alternatives, then compare how specifically they answer it. Staying can be reasonable if the fault has been identified and fixed; moving deserves a tested plan.
For more information about technology for smaller organisations, explore Mental Health 360’s charities technology page. Keep the conversation focused on the calls, connections and everyday tasks your team needs to rely on.
Sources
[1] https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-transition-from-analogue-to-digital-landlines
