How ‘project Gigabit’ impact your rural school internet.

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‘Project Gigabit’ is the government’s national mission to deliver lightning-fast, reliable broadband for everyone in the UK. The government are rolling out lots of investment in rural internet and fibre optics to aim to improve broadband nationwide, and in particular rural areas with current poor internet connection. Today we will be looking at the impact that the scheme will have on rural schools.

The statement from the Government

So far 3 schools have already been connected and a further 52 have signed contracts with work due to being completed in the coming weeks. The project currently looks set to be “delivered under budget” and thus more than 100 schools are ultimately expected to benefit by completion (currently there are said to be “ongoing discussions” with another 72 schools).

Naturally, all of these deployments are focused on communities that are not currently in any commercial roll-out plans for a “full-fibre” (Fibre-to-the-Premises) broadband network, which at present reflects most of England but the specific focus here is on rural areas (i.e. this is all reflective of the Government’s “outside-in” approach to deployment under the Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review).

The obvious benefit here is that the schools end up becoming ultrafast “broadband hubs,” which can, in turn, be used to spread Gigabit connection speeds out to rural homes and businesses in the surrounding areas, often at a lower cost. In fact, that’s a key part of the new pilot but it’s too early to say precisely how many premises will benefit.

Which areas will benefit first?

In the initial pilot of the project, the areas that will benefit are; Cambridgeshire, Cornwall, Cumbria, Dorset, Durham, Essex, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Tees Valley. These are areas from the first phase and if successful it will be implemented throughout more rural areas.

How can unite 6 support your internet needs?

Unite 6 are experts in school internet and are always here to answer your questions however complicated they may be. But the basics of how we can help set you on the right path if you are eligible are here now.

If you are in any of the areas mentioned above and you are a rural school you should get in touch. We at unite 6 may be able to transform your internet. Most rural schools will be used to the sluggish internet and sometimes you simply can’t have a whole class on the internet at once.

Well with this upgrade can transform you onto lightning-quick broadband which will transform your lessons. Enabling you to use tablets and computers in regular lesson time efficiently and engage your class to improve the education that you give them. So if you are in one of these areas it would be silly not to at least enquire as you could transform your school.

For any more information don’t be afraid to get in touch with us at Unite 6.

 

 

Get your quote now.

School Broadband filtering … that works … anywhere!

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The importance of broadband filtering

School broadband filtering is becoming ever more important with accessibility to inappropriate sites and apps becoming ever easier. This is why filtering is so important in a school environment. We need fast and easy access to important and appropriate sites, but we also need high quality sercure filtering. Creating the right balance between an overzealous filtering system, which blocks access to much needed sites, and a filtering system which is sophisticated enough to ensure complete protection is key to modern school broadband services.

Unite 6’s filtering software works on any device it is on regardless of where that device is used. So, for example if a student is given a laptop to take home to work on the filtering will still work at home. This is useful particularly in a post-covid world where remote learning is likely to play and ongoing role in education. Although restrictions are beginning to lift, it is likely that much more learning will be done at home in future.

There are so many added benefits with security, as well the complete online visibility that our service offers, giving you full visibility into students’ online activity whilst monitoring for signs of cyberbullying or troubling behaviour.

Key advantages of Filtering

  • Stay up-to-date with no bulky hardware: software crashes, agents, or network bottlenecks.
  • Available on all devices: Chromebooks, Macs, iPads and Windows. No matter the device the Filter supports any operating system.
  • Seamless authentication: Google, Azure, and Active Directory authentication using G Suite or Office 365.
  • Easy set up: Get set up in 15 minutes. No hardware.
  • Scalable: Filter your traffic to virtually unlimited amounts of bandwidth and concurrent connections.
  • Unlimited data retention
  • 90 days of searchable data bandwidth and concurrent connections and unlimited data retention
  • Live activity feed: know your students’ online activity. Our pioneering visual audit trail makes it easy to see favicons, exact searches, and video thumbnails at a glance.

Features of our broadband filtering

AI-based context analysis

Using AI we are able to filter monitors for signs of cyberbullying, troubling behaviour and inappropriate content across social networking and web searches. If a student is suffering or looking at concerning content, you’ll know.

Selective SSL decryption

Virtually eliminate performance issues and security concerns with our one-of-a-kind approach to web filtering and decrypting secure web traffic.

AI-flagged alerts and granular reporting

Sophisticated AI alerts and activity reports going to the right people

Shared reporting

You will have quickly downloadable reports available and scheduled when required or email reports can be delivered if required.

Flagged alerts

The filter is able to analyse searches and sites visited with the longest-learning AI on the market. Our separate flagged activity feed lets you focus on the concerning trends at your school or district.

Filtering that works from Pupils Homes too

Customisable unparalleled parental control solution. When school laptops and tablets are taken home the same filtering will take place as on school premises.

Take-home and guest policies

In addition to creating your own policies, customizable Take-Home and Guest policies come included with Filter to make sure the right devices and people are filtered and protected on and off campus.

Parental controls

Give parents control over their child’s school device when it goes home so they can view their child’s online activity, “pause” the internet, and set their own filtering rules. When it comes to granting control for parent access, you hold the key.

Policy map and custom groups

The policy map makes it easy to move Organisational Units (OUs) from one policy to another and create custom groups for a pre-set amount of time to allow or deny access — all without needing Google or Microsoft Azure directories.

Secure and reliable broadband

Browse our selection of fibre broadband packages and choose the best for your school. We are always to discuss your wants and needs at Unite 6.

 

Get your quote now.

Rocket Speed Uploads and Downloads for your School

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Are you looking to improve your schools broadband?

Here at Unite 6 we can offer schools the fastest, superior leased line broadband for cheaper than any competitor, we can often even offer leased lines cheaper than your current FTTP or FTTC broadband. This is because we do not rely on spending lots of money on fancy ad campaigns and celebrity endorsements to sell our broadband services. We know how good our product is and we want our services to sell themselves. Why would you pay more to a huge company when you can support smaller local businesses which can offer the same for less.

So, what is a leased line?

A leased line is a private telecommunications circuit between two or more locations provided according to a commercial contract. It is sometimes also known as a private circuit, and as a data line in the UK. A leased line is also the highest grade and most business ready for all connectivity options. The other 3 options, one of which you most likely use already are; Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC), Ethernet over Fibre to the Cabinet (EoFTTC) and Fibre to the Premises (FTTP).

Broadband and leased lines connect to your business premises in different ways. They both still come through a cable, but the difference is to do with how they get to you. With the regular broadband package, you get your internet from the local cabinet, one of those green cabinets that you would see on the side of the road on your street. The green box will have many different cables, copper-wire or fibre that deliver internet to you. The difference comes with how cables are split as the internet gets to you. With regular broadband, the cable gets split between all the premises on your street using that broadband but with leased line, you will get a dedicated circuit that’s only used for you. Enabling for much faster internet as there is no sharing.

Schools face the challenge of large numbers of users which stresses most broadband systems leading to slower speeds. But with a leased line this will not happen. There is no reduced speed with higher numbers of users, and this is because your school is the only premises using that leased line giving you the maximum possible speed for your school.

With a leased line broadband, the upload and download speeds would be pretty much the same, seeing speeds of 100Mb to 1GB per second download speed that is up to 30x faster than other services. The leased line 100 package also allows a school to have the best in what security can offer as it includes: filtering for every device; filtering for pupils at home; reporting; firewall; SLA backed connectivity; and safeguarding training. These are all features directly aimed at schools and keeping pupils safe within the school environment. A great all round package for quality learning and safety.

If you would like anymore information regarding leased line broadband, please get in touch.

Enhanced broadband solutions for your further education college

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The importantance of high quality broadband.

It’s rarely considered but in further education, high-quality broadband is key. As colleges will usually have a higher number of students compared to a school, more pressure gets put on a broadband system. But on top of this, students are also using broadband for non-educational purposes between lectures, increasing pressure on the system further. On top of that, some colleges even have accommodation for students that live on-site due to the distance of travel. This is less common but has to be considered!

Nowadays, there is a huge range of choice for most students when choosing where and how to complete further education. From 6th form to collage, and from A levels to apprenticeship the choice is endless. One of the key factor’s students consider when choosing where to complete their further education is the quality of teaching, they receive. High quality and interactive teaching now relies heavily on internet services and applications which in turn required high quality, fast broadband. Slow broadband leads to periods where students are sat waiting for the buffering wheel of doom to disappear. This creates frustration and boredom which will inevitability lead to lower productivity and lower engagement from the students.

We can help!

This is where we can help. At Unite 6, we specialise in broadband services for education, as we know exactly what you want and need. There is so much more to consider than in a standard commercial or residential situation. This is because you are dealing with students that are under the age of 18 and require far more protection and filtering than in an office with no minors.

The main considerations are; to be able to filter websites so that pupils are unable to get onto inappropriate websites as well as filtering anyone that may try to get onto the system, not in the college, high-quality firewalls to prevent hacking, extremely high-speed connectivity and finally a system that will report pupils on inappropriate sites. At Unite 6 we can cover all of these things with our packages and we can almost all of the time beat your current provider’s price. As we don’t rely on expensive advertising and sponsorships to advertise.

Choose your package

So here are some of the packages that we can offer to colleges. We offer packages ranging from 80Mb/s download speed to 1Gb/s download speed. But as a college, we would recommend one of our top 2 packages due to the high user rate and large number of devices on the system. These 2 packages offer two styles of broadband.

Firstly, our FTTP package, which uses a regular internet connection where you use the normal internet line off of the street with any other broadband users using that line. This option can see lower internet speeds when there is a high user rate but can be appropriate. The second package is our leased line package. This is where you get your internet line and has guaranteed fast download and upload speeds as you will not get interruption from other properties. Leased line internet is a great option for any educational centre as having your independent broadband line reduces all risk of hacking and gives guaranteed high-quality internet. What more would you need?

So, if you would like any more information please get in touch with us at Unite 6, we are always here to help. Find out more about our packages here.

Get your quote now.

The Importance of Quality Broadband in Independent Schools

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In all schools high-quality broadband is of extreme importance but within an independent school setup, the wants and needs of the WIFI may alter due to additional pressures of independent schools.

Independent schools generally have smaller class sizes and fewer pupils. This is a key aspect of the marketing of independent schools as they offer more 1-2-1 time for pupils and teachers compared to state-funded schools. Many independent schools also offer boarding options either full time boarding or weekly boarding. From a broadband perspective, this has a huge impact on the needs of an independent school compared to state-funded schools.

At independent schools, there are likely to be fewer pupils and therefore fewer users in total on the internet. But they are also more likely to be using the broadband at all hours of the day and into the evenings due to boarders needing to access the network to complete homework or for leisure in the evenings.

Boarding also means that there is a wider range of devices and more private devices which can increase the risk of security threats and lead to additional strain on the wider school broadband network. This means that even more protection and filters are required as pupils using broadband in their free time could have the opportunity to visit inappropriate sites if they are not up to scratch. This is where we can help at Unite 6 as we specialise in school broadband packages.

What are the main things an independent school needs from broadband then?

Exceptional speeds, superior security, enhanced filtering and here at Unite 6, we can provide all of this for the best price.

As an independent school, you will also want to stand out from the crowd to be able to attract the best possible pupils to your school. To do this you need to compete with other independent schools on aspects such as results and facilities, and in today modern age those facilities also include having the best possible broadband. This is where we can offer a range of packages to suit!

Unite 6 will create a package that bests suits your school

As specialists in the field of school broadband, we have the perfect solutions to the independent school situation. First of all, our cheapest package starts at just £1,600 per year which gives the basics but would cover the areas required such as filtering all devices, filtering for pupils using the broadband outside of class and reporting if pupils try to access inappropriate sites. Although with this package there is a max of 80Mps Download speed which once shared out isn’t realistically enough.

Therefore, we would suggest a superior package offering the best money can buy and that would be to use a leased line system. Creating a line specifically for the school with no interference as no one else can use your line. All the previously discussed features are included but download speeds can be as high as 1GBps, which is a huge amount! This will ensure all pupils have the best broadband with no buffering and the best teaching experience. A great selling point for the school. This package would cost £3,450 per year which is still significantly cheaper than any equivalent package from other providers. Most importantly this package has the best security, the best filtering and the best broadband speeds. Giving pupils the best learning environment possible whilst keeping safe in classes and in recreation times.

To find out more about our packages please get in touch and we will help however possible.

Secure Broadband for Schools

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Would you leave your front door open to strangers? Then why wouldn’t you have a secure broadband network within a school? It’s basically the same thing, right? Without having a secure broadband network it allows anyone in, anyone. You’re basically giving all of your details out for free. Especially as a school. You can’t afford for some of this incredibly sensitive data to go array.

COVID Increasing risk of attack
Broadband security is a hot topic at the moment with there been a Huge rise in hacking attacks, up 12% in March, and up 60% in May on homeworkers during lockdown (The Guardian, 2020). Which also stretches to schools. The reason for the sudden rise is due to cost-cutting by businesses and schools, having reduced incomes making it even easier for Hackers. As well as hackers increasing the volume of attacks, the attacks have also increased in sophistication, specifically targeting coronavirus-related anxieties rather than the more usual attempts at financial fraud or extortion. This is where we need to be even more vigilant than before.

What damage can a hacker really do?
Firstly, It depends on what ability a hacker has and their equipment. Without you knowing a hacker could hijack your internet connection and use it without your knowledge. But that isn’t it, that’s just the start. If the hacker is of higher skill with access to more sophisticated software they are able to take full control of the Broadband connection and access all of your files and install harmful software onto your device. This allows them to access anything stored on the computer, they could even steal identities. Which when in a school would be horrific. There is a lot at stake and corners should not be cut as this is where hackers gain access. Can you afford to risk it?

How we can secure the network
At Unite 6, we believe security is one of the most important factors of effective school broadband. Our inclusive per-user content filtering screens out internet sites and information sources which are inappropriate for children, so that your students can make the most of the internet’s knowledge in a safe environment.

We provide secure and seamless broadband for schools, designed to maximise speed, safety, and reliability. Many UK schools are moving away from LEA (local education authority) broadband and choosing to opt for improved broadband speeds. Still, broadband security needs to be a priority and not forgotten about. Schools are often surprised at the substantial improvement in connection and reduction in cost we can offer them. Get your quote now.

Seven things to help staff and pupils work securely from home

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If you are a Unite6 customer, our filtering package has the ability to cover all pupil devices whilst outside of the school network, meaning you can filter your pupils online content both at school and from their homes.

Below are Seven quick tips to help staff, pupils and parents work securely from home:-

1, Rename routers and networks
A lot of routers come setup with generic usernames and passwords, which are also on public record making it easy for hackers. Therefore, as soon as you have your router setup they should be changed. After this, the next thing you can do is change your network name, also known as SSID (Service Set Identifier), as once again a generic name is given using the network name and model, which can give a hacker clues into how to hack the network. After this, you are off and rolling!

2, Use strong passwords
As we know these days we get told when setting up an account we need to use Lower case, Upper case letters, numbers, and special characters. But this is very important to make it as hard as possible for a hacker. It’s common knowledge now but still key.

3, Keep everything updated
By having regular updates of routers and passwords it minimises the risk as hackers have much less time to figure out ways of hacking the system. Think about it, if you have a 5 to a 6-year-old router which is outdated, hackers will have had that time to work out how to hack that specific router. With regular updates, it dramatically reduces the time hackers have and the software won’t be outdated.

4, Turn on encryption
These days every router on the market includes encryption. It’s one of the simplest ways to make your internet connection even more secure. If you go onto your router’s settings and find the security options and find WPA2 personal setting if there isn’t a select WPA personal setting (if this is the case, your router may well be out of date. Once you have found this set the encryption type to AES. You then use another password, which is different from the one used on the router, and is used to connect all devices to your Wi-Fi network. Use a strong password as suggested before.

5, Use multiple firewalls
Routers will have built-in firewalls, so it is essential to make sure they are active. To do this Look for SPI (stateful packet inspection) or NAT (network address translation), and make sure the firewall is active. You should also have a second firewall downloaded onto your computer for extra security.

6, Turn off the WPS (Wi-Fi protected setup) setting
WPS is what you would use to automatically connect to Wi-Fi. It’s a simple button on your router that can be switched on and off. It would be advised to switch this off if not using the network, although this can be a pain every time you want to use the internet.

7, Use a VPN (virtual private network)
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is one of the best ways to secure your internet connection. It acts as a middleman between your connected device and the internet. It hides your activity so that no one (even online advertisers) can see what you’re doing online. You can find free browser-based VPNs or subscribe to a monthly VPN service. This tool is a must-have for when you’re on a public network, but it’s also a smart way to add an extra layer of security to your home Wi-Fi.

In Summary

As you can probably tell, we at Unite6 are really passionate about keeping you safe when using a broadband connection, especially at schools. Contact us to find out more on what we do and how we can help secure your network and connectivity further.

Interesting Article:
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/may/24/hacking-attacks-on-home-workers-see-huge-rise-during-lockdown

Leased Lines, The future of online learning?

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With the onset of COVID-19, online learning has come to the forefront of education, enabling students to still access high-quality education while isolating at home. The phenomena of online learning is not a new one, especially at higher education facilities such as universities. For many higher education institutions, the move to online lectures has reduced overhead costs such as maintaining teaching facilities. Even online meetings are increasing in popularity as it reduces travel costs and time lost from travelling while also reducing the carbon footprint of businesses. Due to the increased demand for online learning and virtual meetings, the use of leased lines has also increased significantly.

So, what is a leased line?
Here comes the nerdy answer, a leased line is a private telecommunications circuit between two or more locations provided according to a commercial contract. It is sometimes also known as a private circuit, and as a data line in the UK. Examples of this are Microsoft teams and Google classrooms. A leased-line is also the highest grade and most suited to business use for all connectivity options. The other 3 options, one of which you most likely already use are; Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC), Ethernet over Fibre to the Cabinet (EoFTTC) and Fibre to the Premises (FTTP).

In short, a leased line allows to the have private, secure and high-speed connection throughout your school organisation.

So, what’s the difference between leased lines and broadband?
Broadband and leased lines connect to your school premises in different ways. They both still come through a cable, but the difference is to do with how they get to you. With regular broadband packages, you get your internet from the local cabinet, one of those green cabinets that you would see on the side of the road on your street. The green box will have many different cables, copper-wire or fibre that deliver internet to you. The difference comes with how cables are split as the internet gets to you. With regular broadband, the cable gets split between all the premises on your street using that broadband but with a leased line, you will get a dedicated circuit that’s only used for you. Enabling you to access much faster internet as there is no sharing.

Digital and online learning services require consistent, reliable and fast internet speeds which is why so many schools have been struggling with internet connectivity issues during COVID-19. This issue is made worse by having multiple people using each household internet line, parents working from home, teenagers trying to learn and younger siblings playing computer games all put a huge strain on broadband services. But by using a leased line schools can avoid all these issues hence improving productivity, teaching experience and interactivity. By choosing a leased line your school internet will be much more capable of dealing with a large number of uses and vary demands that schools often face.

How much could a leased line improve our connectivity?
Now let’s get into the nitty-gritty! We’ll compare a leased line against regular broadband. First of all, the cost, one of the only downfalls of a leased line. A leased line will usually cost significantly more per month, however, at Unite 6 our price promise means we promise to find you the best possible value for your school’s specific needs, depending on the number of users and speeds required.

Now looking at speeds, there is simply no comparison, on leased lines, the connection speed can be incredibly high compared to normal broadband. Leased lines can see as high as 2GBps with usual broadband having a UK average of 64Mbps. That’s 30x faster for a leased line! Now that is astonishing!

Are there any disadvantages to using a leased line?
At Unite6 we believe that all schools who regularly use digital teaching tools and cloud services should consider using leased lines. Leased lines do require experienced IT and connectivity support from a provider who understands your specific security needs as a school. But at Unite 6 we specialise in providing telecommunications to schools and have extensive industry experience in the education sector, therefore we can provide expert specialised support for your school.

So, what are you waiting for? If you think a leased line might suit yourselves, why not get in touch?

School filtering; at pupils’ homes

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Of course, the current hot topic is COVID 19, especially when it comes to schools and ensuring students have consistent access to high-quality teaching, even if not at school. This is meaning that schools are having to provide remote learning resources, something that many have rarely done before. Although this may not be so new in universities and colleges, it has not been a common sight in schools until now. With no previous plans for this, schools have had to act fast and develop a plan of doing so.

At the start of the March 2020 lockdown, many schools sent devices home to allow self-isolating or vulnerable students to continue their education remotely. This might sound like an easy fix, but between budget constraints and school digital infrastructure there are still other underlying factors that need to be taken into account such as security.

We are able to apply filtering software to school devices so that wherever they are used inappropriate websites and searches cannot be accessed. If an incident like this takes place then a report can be sent to the school to show which pupil has tried to gain access to an inappropriate site or search. Providing peace of mind for the school that devices given out can’t be used inappropriately.

Find out more on our security page.

Home working and Remote Learning

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Ensuring devices are secure wherever they are being used is of central importance to any modern school. In the current climate, more hacking attacks are taking place than ever before. Hackers see an opportunity to target those working remotely who are likely to have lower security at home compared to at work or in school, because of this so schools really need to be vigilant.

To ensure security home working devices should use either a VPN (virtual private network) or RDS (remote desktop services). A VPN works by routing your device’s internet connection through your chosen VPN’s private server rather than your internet service provider (ISP) so that when your data is transmitted to the internet, it comes from the VPN rather than your computer. The VPN hides your passwords and IP Address as it works as an intermediatory. An RDS work very similarly. Both of these systems rely on a strong, fast and consistent broadband service.

Which is why we offer a leased line option as part of our broadband services. By using a leased line, you can transform your remote working broadband speed and strength, helping your teachers and pupils to be secure and protected when accessing digital school resources.

At Unite6 we want to help you in these uncertain times and help you provide seamless broadband which is protected and for a good price. If you think that’s a good idea, don’t be afraid to get in touch.

Find out more on our packages page.