Last month I swapped the boardroom for the banks of the Thames, as I joined a group of small business owners on a walk and talk session in London. It was a real pleasure to be invited along to a Netwalk – one of the monthly sessions Small Business Britain and BT organise to bring local businesses together, enjoy some fresh air and talk about the realities of running your own operation. This feels more important than ever when you consider that the vast majority of the UK’s SMEs (small and medium enterprises) are working alone.

Since the creation of BT’s new Business unit, I’ve been on a mission to hear from as many customers as possible. BT works with around a million small firms, and it’s not often I get the chance to spend time face-to-face with a group of so many vibrant people who are building their own business from the ground up. Overall, the Netwalk left me feeling proud and inspired. Even in tough economic times, with the international bar set high, it’s clear to me that the UK’s entrepreneurial spirit is  punching well above its weight. 

As a result I’m energised to bring more of that entrepreneurial spirit to my day-to-day leadership: thinking less like a big corporate and more like a small business.

Being brave enough to take the risk

SMEs make up 99% of the UK’s business population and bring in around half of private sector turnover¹. These entrepreneurs play a major role in carrying the economy – and the Netwalk really brought this to life for me. When I arrived the first thing that struck me was the sheer variety of businesses, from a security specialist to someone building games to keep kids off screens. In just one session I met people working on their own, people providing valued services, people making products, people starting again.

I also got a real sense of the courage of these entrepreneurs. They are putting their heart and soul into making their businesses work – some side-hustling, some literally betting their house on something new – yet there was an overwhelming sense of optimism and camaraderie in the air. In the corporate world, there is definitely something we can learn here: being bold enough to take risks when it feels right.

Zeroing in on the customer

It’s this entrepreneurial mindset that I am taking with me back into BT. At a time when enterprises of all shapes and sizes are under growing economic pressure, SMEs are having to do more with less.

It’s not an easy time for small businesses. What’s clear from speaking to them is that their relationships with the customers and communities around them are the glue that holds their businesses together. They can’t afford to let this slip, and neither can we. We need to keep a laser focus on delivering for customers – giving them what they need now, and in the future.

Connecting people with purpose

Whether it’s major multi-nationals, public service providers, wholesale partners, large corporates or SMEs, meeting more UK customers this year has left me in awe of what people can do with connectivity. And the Netwalk only amplified this for me. People achieving great things for their communities: devoting their time and expertise to give back via their businesses.

This made me think about the ways we further embed purpose into everything we do as a big business, and how we continue to advocate for our smallest customers. We need to do more to equip them with the tools and skills they need to thrive, and to use our platform as one of the UK’s best-known B2B brands to give small business a stronger voice.

It’s humbling to think that more than a million people just like this are building their businesses on BT. On the Netwalk I heard about people building entire sales strategies on social media – or relying solely on their phones to run their day-to-day operations. It’s up to us to build and maintain a rock-solid digital foundation for their success – today and tomorrow. After all, if they can’t rely on our network, how will they reach their customers, their supply chain, their communities? How will they evolve, expand and reinforce their role as the bedrock of the economy?

It’s our responsibility to keep the spirit of entrepreneurship alive by showing SMEs that we’ve got their back – building them up and empowering them to take risks, unlock their potential and play their part in getting Britain back to growth.

[1] UK Small Business Statistics | FSB, The Federation of Small Businesses

We have a vast number of security protections in place to ensure we don’t fall foul of cyber-attacks, but many smaller organisations feel they don’t have the time or resources to place a major focus on cybersecurity. The NCSC is taking clear steps to tackle this with their free tools as part of the Cyber Aware campaign, which BT is proud to support.

All companies are at risk

There is a common misconception that cybercriminals only target big companies where they can secure the greatest impact, and therefore the highest reward. But the reality is that they often go for the easier targets. It’s much more lucrative for them to carry out simpler, quicker and less risky successful attacks against small companies, than it is to try and take on a multinational company with a dedicated security team. And while a major cyber-attack for a big company can have significant reputational and financial impacts, it can cause catastrophic damage for small businesses.

With limited resources, it’s only natural that SMEs want to keep their focus firmly on growing their business. But it’s important they get the basic security protocols right, as failing to do so leaves them open to huge risks. For example, small businesses can reduce the threat of malware, ransomware, and a variety of other cyber threats by ensuring they have antivirus protection in place for all systems and devices, secure back-up of data and regular patching across systems and platforms.

It may seem obvious, but failing to keep passwords secure (or even sharing them) is still the downfall of many businesses when it comes to cyber safety. Security technologies are often undone by human error, which remains the origin of most cyber-attacks. The most visible example of this is phishing, where attackers attempt to trick users into handing over personal data, downloading malware, or directing them to a dangerous website. It’s critical that small businesses have the correct training in place, making sure that all employees know the basics and having clear processes and responsibility for reporting security issues.

On the network front, there are other fundamentals that can help protect SMEs. They should use business-grade WiFi with built-in security and protection as standard. It’s not just computers but phones, tablets and any other smart devices connected to the internet that need to be secured – and a basic part of this is installing all updates from the manufacturer to ensure every piece of kit has the right protection.

The value of partnerships

Working closely with industry and government partners like the NCSC is a critical part of how BT ensures we have the latest intelligence on cybersecurity threats and trends. With the information they share with us, we can continually assess our IT estate and supply chain for vulnerabilities, whilst making sure that all our employees uphold security best practice.

While NCSC offer this level of support for us as a CNI operator with operations across 180 countries, they also offer targeted guidance and tools for smaller companies. Their recently launched Cyber Aware campaign includes a checklist that helps small businesses elevate their online security. It advises businesses on boosting their email security through using stronger passwords and turning on 2-Step Verification. It gives further advice on enhancing security through backing up data and ensuring security updates are downloaded promptly. Businesses can also access their own free, tailored Cyber Action Plan if they complete a short questionnaire around their security protocols, and use the new Check Your Cyber Security tool, which instantly checks for vulnerabilities in web browsers and IP addresses.

We’re calling on small businesses to take advantage of these free services from the NCSC, as well as their broader advice for SMEs, as they can play a critical role in ensuring you’re protecting your business and yourself against the potentially devastating impact of cyber-attacks.

Security is at the heart of everything we do at BT. We know how critical our networks are for the UK, and the repercussions that a cyber-attack could have on consumers, businesses and critical services. That's why apply best-in-class protections across our entire network, to ensure every service we provide is as secure as possible.

Relevant links

Organisations who are keen to find out more about how BT secures its business customers can also visit here

25th October 2022 – BT has today announced Just Eat and Checkatrade as the latest businesses to join its partnership network, aimed at helping the UK’s smallest and fledgling firms grow.

Specifically designed for micro-businesses with up to five employees, BT’s partnership network delivers perks to customers across broadband, mobile, connected devices, and digital marketing, plus other forms of support aimed at helping businesses grow.

BT has partnered with Just Eat to provide high-speed business Wi-Fi and access to a 4G network, designed to suit every restaurant’s business needs. The Checkatrade partnership focuses on business mobile plans, tailored to help businesses operate on the move. While the offers will change regularly, initially they include:

Just Eat

• Just Eat’s partners can enjoy unique deals with plans providing game changing speed options of up to 900Mbps with no set up fees.
• Halo for Business, recommended for Just Eat’s partners, includes BT’s Hybrid back up ‘always connected guarantee’ which switches broadband to 4G if there’s a problem, keeping Just Eat restaurants running smoothly.
• Businesses can enjoy savings of up to £115.95 on broadband¹, all plans are complete with guest WiFi and access to 24/7 enhanced IT support as standard.
• Just Eat’s partners can make and take landline calls on the go from a business number, allowing restaurants to stay connected to their customers from anywhere.
• Partners can also get discounts on mobile business plans.

Checkatrade

• Checkatrade members can get discounts on mobile business plans, complete with uncapped speeds across all mobile business plans, plus benefits such as roaming abroad and easy to claim VAT through invoicing direct to your business.
• Checkatrade members will have access to EE’s range of exclusive Smart Benefits to boost their business. EE’s Roam Abroad Smart Benefit lets members use their EE plan in Europe and more destinations like the US and Australia with no extra charges.
• Other benefits include Apple Music, Video Data Pass, BT Sport Ultimate, Microsoft 365 Personal or 500 international minutes to call Europe and Business Zone countries from the UK.

In addition to the offers announced today, Barclaycard business customers can also claim cashback when they use their card to pay for BT and EE products, as part of a joint commitment to give the UK’s smallest firms the benefits and boosts they need to grow.

Caroline Southall, Director of SoHo (Small office/Home office) at BT said: “As businesses look to navigate the cost-of-living crisis, we are delighted to announce the addition of Just Eat and Checkatrade to our partnership network. Both these companies share our passion for supporting the smallest businesses in the UK to grow, which is why we have partnered with them to give broadband, mobile and connected devices to the enterprises that need them the most.”

Mark Finch, UK Director of Account Management at Just Eat, said: “With an increasingly tough economic climate, it’s important for us that we continue to do what we can to support small businesses. At Just Eat, we’re committed to adding value to our partners’ businesses, so we are delighted to be partnering with BT to provide a variety of deals and discounts to restaurants and grocers using our platform across the UK.”

Andy Harper, Chief Growth Officer at Checkatrade, said: “We’re pleased to provide this benefit from BT to our Checkatrade members. Phone and broadband connectivity are so important, and we know this partnership will make staying connected even easier for tradespeople and their customers.”

The launch of the new partnership network forms part of BT’s recently announced Enterprise Customer Charter. The new Charter is made up of a range of new initiatives from BT aimed at boosting the growth of UK businesses and the public sector and includes a pledge around delivering standout customer experiences.

To find out more about BT’s partnership offers with Just Eat and Checkatrade, contact the BT Sales Team on 0800 012 1245.

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¹ Savings calculation uses standard prices on 1 September 2022. Savings may vary depending on which broadband package the customer chooses. Standard prices may vary. Prices exclude VAT of 20%. 

Combining the latest devices with the UK’s best mobile network and an array of new digital tools, EE’s new Connected Laptop for small businesses product is packed with features to help firms which are just starting out or which are looking to grow.

Available now, EE’s Connected Laptop for small businesses combines the best of both EE and BT’s industry leading products and services and includes the following in one easy-to-use, great value package:

• Extensive choice of laptops from Samsung, Lenovo and Acer, complete with a built-in 4G/5G SIM and flexible mobile data plan to keep small firms connected when on-the-go.
• A choice of Smart Benefits for work and play. Customers can choose from one additional Smart Benefit when taking a Business Smart plan, such as access to the Microsoft Office 365 business collaboration tool; entertainment benefits like Apple Music and BT Sport; or EE’s Roam Abroad Pass.
• Free Digital Marketing Hub campaign for first time customers – an exclusive offer on the new all-in-one advertising platform which gives small firms all the tools and support they need to reach potential new customers.¹
• A free Square digital payment reader – a simple and affordable way for small firms to accept contactless payments, with the first £1000 worth of card transactions provided free from fees.²

Caroline Southall, Director of SoHo (Small office/Home office) said: “EE Connected Laptop combines the best of EE and BT – the UK’s fastest and most reliable mobile network, the best business devices, new digital tools, and entertainment services.

“It’s the latest example of how we’re going the extra mile for sole traders and micro-businesses, by constantly innovating to launch new feature-rich products which are great value, easy to use and save our customers’ time.

“The last few years have shown us that people can work from anywhere. This neat package gives the UK’s smallest firms the speed, reliability, and flexibility they need to get up and running fast, wherever their location. What’s more, they can boost their sales and reach by gaining access to smart business tools like digital marketing and contactless payments.”

EE’s Connected Laptop range offers small businesses a device for any budget and includes the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G which is available from £42 per month, available on 24 month and 36 month plans.

Customers also benefit from a Stay Connected Guarantee, Next Day Device Replacement and an Annual Device MOT – all underpinned by access to the UK’s most reliable mobile network.

The launch of EE’s new range of Connected Laptop’s for small businesses sees BT’s Enterprise business follow through on the latest commitment contained within its recently launched Enterprise Customer Charter. This is a new set of initiatives aimed at boosting the growth of UK businesses and public sector bodies, with the company committing to pioneering a new suite of smart business tools for small firms. These will combine the best of both BT and EE’s industry leading capabilities to help the UK’s smallest businesses thrive and free up time.

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¹ Please refer to Digital Marketing Hub | Your first digital marketing campaign is free (bt.com) for more information and offer T&Cs.

² Please refer to page 59 in the EE Price Guide for Small Business for Square offer T&Cs

BT today announced the launch of a new product that will boost fixed broadband speeds for thousands of UK small businesses which are yet to be upgraded to fibre broadband.

BT’s Hybrid Speed Boost product is the first in the UK to combine a copper broadband line with EE’s leading 4G network to provide an automatic uplift in speeds, by bonding connections from broadband and mobile networks together. Businesses can benefit from an average download speed boost of 20Mbps - more than twice the average download speed for copper broadband connections. Average upload speeds can be uplifted to 10Mbps – which is ten times the average upload speed for copper lines.[1]

Hybrid Speed Boost is included at no extra cost for new BT business broadband customers taking ADSL broadband plans. Existing customers can also benefit when they renew their plan.[2]

BT’s Enterprise business is launching the new product as an interim solution for small firms in those parts of the country which are yet to be upgraded to fibre broadband, as BT Group continues to extend its full fibre network across the country. BT Group is aiming to reach 25 million homes and businesses with full fibre by the end of 2026, working with its infrastructure partner, Openreach, which has already brought the technology to 7.2 million premises. Openreach is currently building full fibre to around 50,000 premises a week, putting it on target to reach 10 million premises by the end of March, 2023.

Chris Sims, BT’s MD for its SoHo (Single/Small Office, Home Office) unit, said: “Using cutting-edge technology, we’re launching the first product in the UK to fuse fixed and mobile connections together to bring faster speeds to small firms which might be struggling on slower copper lines. While the Openreach full fibre network is expanding at pace, week on week, we understand the frustration of small firms who risk being stuck behind as they wait to hear when ultrafast full fibre broadband will come to them. Fast, reliable broadband is vital for the smooth, day to day running of a business, so we’ve taken action today to boost speeds for business taking copper broadband – at no extra cost.

“Hybrid Speed Boost could revolutionise operations for small businesses that may currently be struggling with the required bandwidth to process large files, access cloud services or use HD video.”

Benjy Levey, Director at Eat Me Events based in London, said: “I’m really impressed at the speeds we’re now getting using the new Hybrid Speed Boost solution. On average we’re now getting 30-40Mbps download speeds and 14-15Mbps upload – the uplift in speed is transformative for our business for when we’re meeting with clients and suppliers via video calls. There's no more buffering or dropped connections! Customer data downloads have got so much quicker too.”

The launch of BT’s new Hybrid Speed Boost product sees BT deliver on its first commitment contained within its recently announced  Enterprise Customer Charter. The new charter is made up of a range of new initiatives from BT aimed at boosting the growth of UK businesses and the public sector and includes a pledge to develop inclusive tech to assist those small businesses which are struggling on slower, copper lines.

BT is also introducing a new ‘no-frills’ fibre broadband package for cost-conscious small firms in fibre enabled areas. Fibre 38 is a new landline free fibre broadband package which uses Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC) technology and offers BT’s lowest prices for fibre-based business broadband. BT’s Fibre 38 package delivers guaranteed minimum speeds of up to 38Mbps, unlimited data, built-in business-grade security tools - all without the need for businesses to add a phone line.  

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Notes to Editors

• Customers can find out more about Hybrid Speed Boost here: Help with Hybrid Speed Boost | Help | BT Business (custhelp.com)
• Hybrid Speed Boost from BT is underpinned by MultiPath TCP (MPTCP) technology from Tessares. MultiPath TCP is an enhancement to TCP, and enables the efficient, selective combining of existing network assets. It takes TCP based traffic and is able to split the traffic over multiple paths (such as fixed and mobile networks) to deliver increased speeds to customers.
• Find out more about Tessares here: www.tessares.net/
• Hybrid Speed Boost boosts TCP web traffic, which covers the vast majority of web traffic. Other types of traffic such as UDP are not boosted. This is typically VPN traffic and online gaming.[3]
• Speed boost based on tests showing median uplift of 20Mbps in download speeds (rounded to the nearest whole Mbps) over a 24-hour period.

[1] Average speed boost based on tests showing median uplift of 20Mbps download speed and 10Mbps upload, rounded to the nearest whole Mbps. Uplift in speed is not guaranteed and any uplift will vary depending on your indoor EE 4G Network coverage, the time of day and the number of people using the network. The average download speed on ADSL without Hybrid Speed Boost is significantly lower than 20Mbps, so when adding the average Hybrid Speed Boost uplift of 20Mbps, on average, this is more than double the original speed. The average upload speed on ADSL without Hybrid Speed Boost is below 1Mbps, while the average uplift with Hybrid Speed Boost is 10Mbps. On average this is more than 10 times faster than the original download speed.

[2] Hybrid Speed Boost add-on available to new or re-signing BT Business Broadband customers on ADSL (copper) access lines only. Not available on fibre. Suitable EE 4G network coverage (as advised by BT), Smart Hub 2 router and Hybrid Connect device required.

[3] Through MPTCP, only TCP based traffic will be boosted. UDP or other protocols such as QUIC will not be boosted.

The Coventry-born executive started her career at BT selling analogue mobile to small and medium sized businesses and has worked in a variety of roles during her 22 years with the firm. She will lead BT’s Enterprise unit’s relationships with its business and public sector customers across both regions.

Sarah, who is based in Wirral, has started her new role during a particularly challenging time for the regions, and the entire UK, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We know how tough it has been for our customers, including some who have had to temporarily cease trading and others who are adapting to finding new ways of working,” said Sarah.

“The shutdown of normal activity is having a huge impact on businesses, particularly in the hospitality, leisure, entertainment, travel and education industries. As a critical enabler, we are doing all we can to support our partners in both the public and private sectors.

“We are helping a number of NHS bodies through our Smart Messaging platform to relay COVID-19 related patient communications and appointment reminders, as well as being a key partner for Nightingale hospitals in Birmingham and the North of England, and the invaluable LifeLines – a project providing a secure virtual visiting solution for families whose loved ones are in intensive care units.

“We’re also supporting businesses from sole traders and SMEs, all the way through to large corporates by giving them access to the best technology, flexible options and training to help them navigate through this crisis.”

Sarah’s most recent role was leading the major corporate section within BT Enterprise’s Major & Public Sector division, where she was responsible for managing projects including BT’s strategy to improve passenger connectivity across the UK Rail Network.

BT has invested significantly in the Midlands and North of England with the recent announcement of future workplaces in Birmingham, Manchester and Doncaster and 5G mobile services launching in a number of cities and towns in the Midlands including Wolverhampton, Coventry, Nottingham and Leicester, as well as places such as Newcastle, Sunderland, Leeds and Liverpool in the North of England. BT also recently launched a £20.3 million partnership with Leeds City Council which will make Leeds the largest gigabit and ‘5G capable’ city outside of London.

Sarah said the focus now was to help businesses survive the economic impact of the coronavirus situation, but in the longer term she wanted BT to play a key role in both regions’ future prosperity.

She said: “BT’s values align with the strategic plan for the Midlands and the North of England; with a focus on skills, technology and transport within these regions, we have a great opportunity to support the social and economic growth objectives, bringing our public and private sectors closer than ever using the power of technology to enrich the industries and communities that we serve.”

Sarah added that new research from BT Skills for Tomorrow and Small Business Britain has found that small enterprises across the Midlands and North of England are moving more of their services online for survival as the sector looks to take its first steps towards recovery.

The research – which polled over 1,000 firms in Small Business Britain’s UK community - found many across the sector are actively embracing digital tools to power recovery. Out of the small businesses surveyed, two fifths (42 per cent) have moved online due to the pandemic; over a third (37 per cent) are planning for less face to face contact in the future; and a similar number (39 per cent) now view digital skills and tools as a key focus area.

Sarah said: “The right online presence could make a huge difference to a small business, such as helping them to reach a global audience or a new customer base. It’s important that we continue to support small businesses to develop and enhance their digital skills, so they are in the best position for recovery.

BT is also supporting the growth of its mid-market and larger corporate customers in both regions by helping them to accelerate the adoption of digital technologies such as full fibre, 5G, cloud services and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. These technologies are fueling customers’ digital transformation and will help to boost the performance of their business by making them faster, smarter and more agile.

Welcoming Sarah’s appointment, Dean Terry, MD corporate and public sector of BT’s Enterprise unit, said: “I look forward to working with Sarah in her new role. Her experience of working in senior sales positions within BT and her understanding of the business needs of our corporate and public sector partners in the Midlands and North of England will be a huge asset in her new role.”