Microsoft 365
The new Microsoft 365 prices, line by line
A plain-English breakdown of the July 2026 Microsoft 365 and Office 365 price changes — every plan, in dollars and pounds, with the increases spelled out.
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Practical guidance for SME leaders
Straight-talking advice on IT, cyber security, compliance and communications — published weekly through 2026.
Microsoft 365
The EA 'double whammy': why some Microsoft renewals will jump 20%
The July 2026 price rise lands on top of Microsoft's removal of Enterprise Agreement volume discounts. For larger organisations, the combined effect can top 20% at renewal.
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Microsoft's July 2026 price rise: what it means for UK businesses
From 1 July 2026 Microsoft is raising Microsoft 365 and Office 365 list prices. Here's what's changing, why, and how UK SMEs should prepare.
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IT Management
Why one accountable IT partner beats a patchwork of suppliers
IT support from one company, phones from another, security from a third. The patchwork model is how gaps appear. Here's the case for a single accountable partner.
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Communications
Every call is data: call recording and reporting for SMEs
Your phone calls hold valuable information — for compliance, training and performance. Here's how cloud call recording and live reporting turn conversations into insight.
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Compliance & Governance
Data protection in 2026: getting ready for the DUAA
The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 brings a new duty for every organisation to handle data-protection complaints — live from 19 June 2026. Here's what SMEs need to do.
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Connectivity
Leased line or full fibre? A plain-English guide for SMEs
Confused by business broadband options? A jargon-free comparison of full-fibre (FTTP) and leased lines to help your SME choose the right connectivity.
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Cyber Security
Offboarding done right: closing the security gap when people leave
A former employee's lingering access is one of the most overlooked security risks in any SME. Here's a practical leaver checklist that closes the gap on day one.
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Teams Phone or Webex? Choosing cloud telephony for your SME
With the PSTN switch-off approaching, SMEs are moving to cloud calling. Here's how to choose between Microsoft Teams calling and Cisco Webex — and why you don't have to decide alone.
Read article →Connectivity
Your network is your foundation: why we build on UniFi
Wi-Fi dead spots and flaky networks cost real productivity. Here's why we build SME networks on Ubiquiti UniFi — one cloud-managed platform for Wi-Fi, switching and security.
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Productivity
Email signatures: a branding and compliance win you're missing
Every email your team sends is a branding opportunity — and a compliance risk if signatures are inconsistent. Here's how centrally managed signatures fix both.
Read article →IT Management
Break-fix vs managed IT: why reactive support costs more
Paying for IT only when something breaks feels cheaper. In reality it usually costs more, in downtime and risk. Here's the honest comparison for SMEs.
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The hidden cost of office printing — and how to cut it
Printing is one of the few office costs nobody measures. Here's where the money goes, the security risk you might be ignoring, and how managed print fixes both.
Read article →Compliance & Governance
Cyber Essentials April 2026 update: what's changed
The annual Cyber Essentials refresh lands in April 2026. The five controls stay the same — but the requirements, marking and Cyber Essentials Plus testing have been updated. Here's what SMEs need to know.
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Backup & Resilience
World Backup Day: when did you last test a restore?
World Backup Day falls on 31 March. Use it as your annual prompt to do the one thing most SMEs skip — actually testing that your backups restore.
Read article →Cyber Security
When ransomware hits: lessons from a real SME recovery
A south-coast manufacturer was hit by ransomware on its legacy systems. Here's what the response taught us about backups, loopholes and getting back to work.
Read article →IT Management
Hybrid work, three years on: getting the security basics right
Hybrid working is now permanent for most SMEs. Three years in, here are the device and access controls that keep a distributed team secure without slowing it down.
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Cyber Essentials: the fastest way to prove you're secure
Cyber Essentials is the UK government-backed scheme that proves you have the fundamental controls in place. What it covers, why it wins business, and how to certify.
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Backup isn't recovery: the 3-2-1 rule every SME should follow
Having a backup and being able to recover are not the same thing. The 3-2-1 rule, immutability, and why Microsoft 365 needs backing up too.
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Shadow AI: the risk hiding in your business
Your staff are already using AI tools — whether you've approved them or not. Here's why 'shadow AI' is a growing data-protection risk for SMEs, and how to govern it.
Read article →Microsoft 365
Business Premium or E3? Picking the right Microsoft 365 plan
Microsoft 365 plans can be baffling. A plain-English comparison of Business Premium and E3 for SMEs — and how to avoid paying for licences you don't need.
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Phishing has gone professional — and AI is to blame
The tell-tale signs of a scam email are disappearing. Here's how AI has changed phishing, and the layered defences that protect SMEs against it.
Read article →Connectivity
One year to the PSTN switch-off: is your phone system ready?
The UK's traditional phone network is being retired by January 2027. Here's what the PSTN switch-off means for SMEs — and why the time to move is now, not next year.
Read article →Cyber Security
Cyber insurance in 2026: what underwriters now expect
Cyber-insurance questionnaires have grown teeth. Here are the controls underwriters now expect from SMEs — and how to make sure your renewal goes smoothly.
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MFA is the single best security step you'll take this year
Multi-factor authentication stops most account-takeover attacks dead. Here's why it matters for SMEs, the common mistakes, and how to roll it out without disrupting your team.
Read article →IT Management
Five IT resolutions worth keeping in 2026
Forget the gym. Five practical IT and security resolutions that will genuinely lower risk and cost for your SME this year — and how to make them stick.
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Windows 10 has reached end of life — what your SME must do now
Windows 10 stopped receiving free security updates on 14 October 2025. Here is what UK SMEs still running it need to do in 2026 to stay secure and supported.
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