With the world on the brink of a fourth industrial revolution, the challenge for modern Irish SMEs is to introduce the digital infrastructure needed for an ever-evolving business world.
Embracing this change is all about introducing more efficient, smarter business models and it will ultimately be driven by emerging technologies like machine learning, the internet of things (IoT) and the internet of systems. This digital revolution may seem a world away for Irish SMEs that are struggling to get broadband in their local area but high-speed connectivity is now coming to even the most remote regions of Ireland.
A new Broadband Anywhere service from Magnet Networks promises to deliver high-speed connectivity virtually anywhere in the country using next-generation 4G IoT technology. If your business is based in an area with mobile phone coverage, you can now get high-speed business broadband from Magnet Networks via a 4G aerial and a wifi-enabled router.
It’s not just businesses in remote or isolated parts of Ireland that have struggled to get high-speed connectivity in Ireland. One such Irish company is Fast Floor Screeds Ltd, a floor screed contractor that is based outside Enfield in Co Kildare.
Karen Kenna is an office manager and director with the company, which was established by Kevin Grehan and Joe Kenna in 2007 and now has 18 employees. She revealed how Magnet Networks’ new Broadband Anywhere offering has made a huge difference to the company.
“We have no internet where we are – we’re actually in an office between Kilcock and Enfield in a townland called Cappagh,” explains Karen. “We are considered to be out in the country so we don’t have internet access through our phonelines here.”
For years, the company had to endure limited internet access using inferior connections but this all changed when they installed Magnet Network’s Broadband Anywhere. It offers businesses flexible monthly data allowances but, more importantly, it can provide Irish businesses throughout the country with high-speed internet that is 5G-ready.
“I’ve always had to deal with the dongle type thing from various different suppliers,” says Karen. “Magnet Networks just seems to work for us. It’s the steadiest service we’ve had so far. It’s been great and that’s very important to us.”
Being able to communicate effectively with their crews on the road and with their customers is essential for the day-to-day running of Fast Floor Screeds Ltd.
“It’s a liquid concrete that we supply. We mix it in the trucks and it’s used over, more often than not, underfloor heating. So it’s a self-levelling concrete that goes in and basically it’s ready then for tilers or wooden floors or anything to go down. It doesn’t need to be sanded. It’s basically self-contained.
“We have three to four crews on the road every day and they could be out there doing six or seven jobs a day all over Ireland.”
Like any modern business, connectivity is at the heart of much of their day-to-day administration. A high-speed internet allows Karen to oversee operations from her office and online tools like Sage make it easier to bill customers and accept online payments for invoices.
“We’re on the internet every single day, from going online to banking online to paying our suppliers – even just emailing the lads’ payslips. Everything is done online nowadays.
“We could have eight or 10 jobs a day that all have to be invoiced out and all our invoices go by email now so we don’t post anymore. Occasionally, we send an invoice in the post but every invoice is emailed. It’s an awful lot of interaction through emails and if you don’t have that, it’s tough.”
Prior to installing Broadband Anywhere, Karen recalls that their internet connection could sometimes go down for a day or two at a time. Magnet Network’s reliability and dedicated support service offers Fast Floor Screeds Ltd what every business needs – connectivity that isn’t going to let them down.
“It just gives us more stability. We’re just able to rely on it now and I suppose we take it for granted.”
Staying competitive in the digital age is all about ensuring that you have the tools you need to succeed. Adopting the right digital infrastructure can make your organisation more flexible and better able to adapt to today’s changing needs. It can also save you time, money and effort.
Connectivity is at the heart of that and Broadband Anywhere’s availability is helping SMEs across Ireland unlock their full potential by giving them the tools they need to access high-speed internet for the first time.
If you want to access high-speed connectivity for your business virtually anywhere in Ireland, it couldn’t be easier. Simply enter your Eircode or service address on the Magnet Networks website to find out if Broadband Anywhere is available in your area.
