As is the case when handling nation-wide income during a recession, VAT, taxation and interest rates enter a ‘limbo-like’ pattern of dips and rises in an attempt to balance the books. The UK has seen a fair degree of change over the past couple of years, with VAT falling from the long-standing 17.5% down to 15%, and back up to 17.5% again shortly after. This was intended to boost public spending in an attempt to climb out of the economic slump; a tactic positioned to deal with the problem of recession head on. Interest rates fell to a Bank of England base rate set at 0.5%, which limited the potential gain on saving money, further promoting widespread spending (as well as working towards the protection of a weak banking system).

However, VAT is set to rise yet again from 17.5% to 20% very soon. This has illustrated a shift in the general focus and approach of Government in clawing back funds to rebuild the economy and work towards repaying the UK’s large debts. Increasing VAT will give a guaranteed boost to Governmental cashflow. The major problem here is that it could promote a dip in overall spending (particularly in the luxury item markets) and relies on the British public to make up for the UK’s economic shortfall.

Netwise Hosting will of course have to follow suit and increase VAT on all products and services purchase on or after the 1st of January 2011. Leading on from this, we are currently planning to offer our customers (both new and existing) an exciting new promotion allowing full advantage to be taken of the 17.5% rate still active up until 2011.

We are offering all our clients the opportunity to pay for their services and other related fees in advance and so enjoy savings into the new year. The more you pay in advance, the more you are set to save in the future. To add further value to this offer, we will also give you one month of service absolutely free when taking up this unique opportunity. This applies to renewals, existing contracts and new customers.

We hope this goes some way towards saving you money during this hard time, and adds a greater degree of value to your service. If you would like a complete breakdown of how much this offer can save you, do not hesitate to contact us today. Take advantage of this promotion as quickly as possible to enjoy the largest savings.

All existing customers will be contacted directly with additional information soon.

The ongoing debate surrounding all things ‘net-neutrality’ has been raging for quite some time now. Internet Service Providers became the catalyst for the arguments, with their initial attempts to capitalise more effectively on ever-increasing network speeds and bandwidth availability. Many stood up against this call for action, however it has slowly found its way into our everyday interactions with the internet.

Tarif providers for the iPhone/other smart phones have recently announced plans to remove their unlimited data plans and replace them with bandwidth usage charges. A number of ISP’s now also cap data allowances and charge/throttle back speeds once an agreed limit has been met. The argument on the providers side is that users are now too data-hungry, and are stressing conventional networks to breaking point. The riposte from internet users across the globe is an argument of net-neutrality; essentially the notion that the internet should be free from the boundaries incurred throughout many other activities in society. Of course, this comes within reason, but the basic premise is that people should have a free reign on the internet, and that all users have equal opportunities in accessing the web.

Naturally, this is not always the case. The ‘level playing field’ idea never stands true in the real world, as there are already a number of options when it comes to internet access depending on location and budgetary constraints. Yet recent discussions between a number of key players in the industry could soon push such limitations too far.

The idea drawn up between Google and Verizon is that of a two-tiered internet. This would allow ISP’s to place priorities on traffic and how it is routed to end users, thus removing any idea of a neutral and unbiased level of access to the net. Protests have been underway outside the Google offices in California, voicing the opinions of internet users as a whole.

Google have released a post on their blog with more information regarding where they officially stand on the matter – seen here.

So what does all this mean for users of the internet? Well, not much at this time. It could all be thrown out by Congress regardless of what the corporations have to say, yet the power and leverage of both Google and Verizon could prove effective in pushing this newly proposed legislation through. Yet people do need to step back and realise that a consequence of living in a free-market economy is that total net-neutrality is not possible. Access is already tiered by speed depending on your connection type and payment plan. The danger here is that a ‘pay-to-play’ plan is pushed through, and global network traffic is managed, sorted and even restricted depending on who you are and how you are accessing the internet. This could well lead to massive inequallities across the board – a backward step in anyones book.

Netwise Hosting continue to support the idea of net-neutrality, and will always maintain our networks as equally across the board as is possible.

Outsourcing is a method of business operation undertaken by many of the most successful company’s in the world today. In fact, some organisations employ a 100% outsourcing policy. Nike are one such brand – effectively meaning Nike do not actually make any shoes or clothing. All production is outsourced to factories across the globe. Even aspects of design are outsourced. Nike own the famous ‘swoosh’, and so also own the rights to any material containing their brand identity. This is a highly efficient form of operation, as Nike do not have to worry about the ownership and/or operation of any production facilities.

Of course this form of 100% outsourcing does not benefit all businesses, particularly those with a keen interest in the provision of services. McDonalds, for example, outsource much of there food production to localised farms and processing plants. However, products are manufactured to strict guidelines, with McDonalds then taking control of every further aspect of operation from logistics and preparation right through to sales.

It is highly unlikely that McDonalds would be as large and successful as they are today without reliance on farmers and farming experts to produce the livestock required to fulfill the demand created by its customers. Without outsourcing such areas of production, McDonalds would have to invest billions of dollars in its own farms, as well as the training and resources required to run said farms. It is far more efficient to outsource this aspect of their supply chain to those businesses already proving a success in the field. Even if you are not a fan of McDonalds as a brand, and/or its products, you should well appreciate how effectively they make use of outsourcing in their own success.

How does this translate to the rest of the business world? Well, its very important to look at the benefits gained from outsourcing certain operations. Although handing away total control can seem daunting, it can have enormous cost-saving prowess, as well as the ability to build a better product/service on the back of another parties expertise.

Almost every firm today utilises some form of information technology, be that a single computer right up to entire comms’ rooms full of servers. Yet the truth of the matter is that many business do not have the required knowledge to make the most of this technology. This will often lead to the formation of an IT department within the organisation, which drastically increases staff costs and can make the running of this technology spiral into an expensive financial blackhole.

Many businesses now outsource all of their IT needs, generally with a central IT firm who manage the needs of a number of businesses. This works to a certain degree, but with the technology still housed on the businesses own premised, lead times on remedies can be unacceptable. Distancing the technology from those in posession of the right knowledge regarding how it is operated can prove inefficient.

An entire IT outsourcing plan is likely the best option, especially in todays world of high-speed online connectivity. Dedicated servers and colocation services allow firms to move their business-critical technology out to experts with all the tools and knowledge required to ensure it is running smoothly 24×7. It has never been easier to make this switch, with many affordable solutions on offer here in the UK; with the ever progressing speed of the internet meaning remote access from your business is just as simple as having the machines in-house.

Netwise Hosting offer a range of highly competitive dedicated server packages, colocation services and online backup solutions, perfect for starting your technology outsourcing strategy today. Work with a member of the Netwise Hosting team for a truely tailored solution, and enjoy complete peace of mind – concentrating your efforts on more important core activities. Contact us for a free comprehensive information pack.