In the technology industry, we all love an acronym but do you know your SIP from your ISDN and which is best for your business? According to Wikipedia, Integrated Services for Digital Network (ISDN) is a set of communication standards for simultaneous digital transmission of voice, video, data, and other network services over the traditional circuits of the public switched telephone network. ISDN...

Most people associate the beginning of Voice over IP (VoIP) with the introduction of mass-market services in late 2003 / early 2004. In reality, VoIP began a long time before that in the 1970s. Back then it had another acronym, NVP, which stood for Network Voice Protocol. It was first developed in 1973 by Danny Cohen and others in order to carry real time voice over Arpanet, the precursor to...

In many ways, the healthcare industry is leading the way when it comes to innovative uses of technology. You only need to look at the applications of 3D printing to know that. But in other ways the industry has some catching up to do. This is especially true of the NHS, as it is held back with legacy systems and ever-reducing budgets to update its IT. For example, it is only in recent years that...

We looked earlier in the week at the growth of Internet telephony. It is not hard to understand why so many businesses have taken it up given the cost savings involved. In the global economy in which we all now live and work, we have to be able to make international calls at a fraction of the cost they were five years ago. Internet telephony makes this possible. You would think that SMEs would...

The rural broadband debate continues on with David Cameron’s latest promise to deliver superfast broadband to every home and business that wants it by 2020. While the industry continues to debate how, why and where the money comes from it is important to look at what the internet enables and why it is so important for the industry to get it right. If we take something as seemingly simple as...

Some tourist attractions, such as museums and exhibitions have been quick to embrace next-gen technology to help them create memorable experiences. However, technology is also crucial for the smooth running of the organisation behind-the-scenes. In many museums now, visitors can use their smartphones to download the official app. The Natural History Museum, for example, has apps that offer basic...

In 2014, Casio found that 67% of Generation Y respondents were more likely to choose a pub that offered wi-fi connectivity. Millennials (and the current teenagers of Generation Z) are digital natives. They are used to living in a world that allows them to spend as much time online as they want to – whether at work, school, home or in cafes, bars and shopping centres. The pubs and bars of today...

It wasn’t all that long ago that restaurants didn’t need to worry about technology – outside of the latest kitchen innovations anyway – but the internet has become pervasive in recent years. Many of us choose to stay connected almost 24/7 and rely on our ability to check emails and update our social media accounts even when in the middle of a meal. But it’s not only our need to stay connected...

The Government announced the formation of its new independent National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) on 5th October. The commission will analyse the infrastructure needs of the UK, examining how the needs have changed every five years, and projecting future changings for the following 30 years. Lord Adonis, who will lead the commission, said: “Major infrastructure projects like Crossrail and...

Earlier this week, we introduced the Government’s strategy to modernise the construction industry with Building Information Modelling (BIM), in order to achieve a 20% reduction in construction and operating costs of new builds. According to the Government: “Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a collaborative way of working, underpinned by the digital technologies which unlock more efficient...