Best regards,
Scott Fairbairn, President

Microsoft 365 apps and services will no longer support Internet Explorer 11 (IE 11) by this time next year.

• Beginning November 30, 2020, the Microsoft Teams web app will no longer support IE 11.
• Beginning August 17, 2021, the remaining Microsoft 365 apps and services will no longer support IE 11.

This means that after the above dates, customers will have a degraded experience or will be unable to connect to Microsoft 365 apps and services on IE 11. For degraded experiences, new Microsoft 365 features will not be available or certain features may cease to work when accessing the app or service via IE 11. While we know this change will be difficult for some customers, we believe that customers will get the most out of Microsoft 365 when using the new Microsoft Edge. We are committed to helping make this transition as smooth as possible.   [Continue Reading]

Spectrum ‘3 Months Free’ Promotion – Ends October 28th

Businesses can receive 3 months free on any of the qualifying products: FIA, Ethernet (Fiber), Managed WiFi, Managed Router Service (MRS), Managed Security Service (MSS), SIP, PRI, and Unified Communications over DOCSIS. The contract must be signed no later than October 28, 2020. Certain conditions apply so contact us to find out if your company is eligible for this promotion.

In September alone, there has been at least 31 ransomware attacks and most are targeting U.S. based companies. On October 2nd, the FBI issued a Public Service Announcement explaining the attacks, how your company can become infected, and what to do in case of an attack.

Due to Covid-19, many businesses are adopting to remote workforces. This creates a few obstacles…the need for greater Internet bandwidth, Unified Communications that combines Hosted Voice and business applications, and security measures to protect the data that is being received from the remote workforce and other sources.

Businesses must consider adding DDoS and Ransomware protection to their networks. Consider it a form of insurance. The cost of adding security “insurance” far outweighs the cost of downtime, lost data, and potential lawsuits. AmCom Solutions is a solution provider for several of the reputable companies that offer protection for your company. If you are interested in receive a quote, please contact Scott Fairbairn, (512) 342-2226 x104 or submit a quote request.

RECENT ATTACKS: Ransomware hits election infrastructure in Georgia county
A Georgia county is ground zero for what may be the first ransomware attack to hit election infrastructure this political season.

The attack on Hall County — home to Gainesville and located roughly an hour north of Atlanta — was disclosed on Oct. 7, but the impact to election infrastructure is only now coming to light. [Continue Reading]

Universal Health Services Ransomware Attack Impacts Hospitals Nationwide
On September 27, UHS staff from around the country took to Reddit to determine if other sites were experiencing IT troubles. UHS workforce described a massive system outage, with no access to… [Continue Reading]

Last week, Zoom announced they are rolling out a new end-to-end encryption (E2EE) feature next week as phase one of a four-phase security plan. According to the company’s announcement, the E2EE feature will be available as a technical preview for hosts and attendees (for sessions with up to 200 participants).

Earlier this year, Zoom CEO Eric Yuan said the company would offer end-to-end encryption to all users, making the security features available to all, including paying and free customers, a change in policy some observers believe was triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, which forced millions of workers to interact from home.  [Continue Reading]

AmCom Solutions can help your company with Internet upgrades, additional bandwidth, Hosted Voice (VoIP), Data Center connectivity, IoT solutions, Security and more! We work directly with the technology provider so your company can focus on its core business.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at sales@amcomsolutions.com or call (512) 342-2226 x104.

Storms. Fires. Floods. Power outages.

A number of natural and man-made events can affect your ability to keep the lights on and systems running. Internet connectivity in particular is one of the most critical systems needed to maintain business operations and provide good customer experiences. From a hack, to an innocent snip of the wrong line by a utility contractor, to an old-fashioned equipment failure, unforeseen circumstances could knock out your internet, your ability to connect and communicate, and your business. Unless, that is, you’ve planned ahead. [Continue Reading]

AT&T has a special Dedicated Internet (ADI) installation promotion. From now through August 31, 2020, the installation fee is waived for all AT&T (onsite) and customer (tele) installation (a $99 savings). Contact AmCom at sales@amcomsolutions.com or (512) 342-2226 x104 to take advantage of this limited-time offer.

AT&T, which owns CNN, reported that from mid-March to May 1, wireless voice calls peaked at 44% above typical levels and Wi-Fi calling more than doubled.

Other telecom services noticed the same thing.
At the height of the pandemic in March, Verizon was reporting an average of 800 million wireless calls each weekday. That’s nearly double the number of calls made on Mother’s Day, typically the busiest call day of the year. This Mother’s Day, calls were up almost 10% compared to the holiday last year.

Both companies also report that call duration is up, meaning that people are staying on the phone longer… [Continue Reading]

Retailers around the globe are cautiously reopening their doors after facing perhaps the most challenging times in decades, while in some areas of the world the toughest times may still lie ahead. The short-term disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is clear, but its impact on the future of retail operations is yet to be seen. This uncertainty is creating unseen challenges for retailers, who are looking to make smart investments in technology that will not become obsolete once health and safety guidelines and restrictions lift.

• IoT-enabled security cameras can make retail environments more efficient, customer-friendly and most importantly, more secure and safe
• AI applications can assist multiple retail sectors in enhancing customer experience and increasing sales conversions with actionable, intelligent data
• By connecting smart cameras with other systems in IoT, safety processes can be fully automated

[Continue Reading]

This time South Carolina-based Blackbaud, a third-party supplier of database services and customer relationship management (CRM) systems for enterprises, had paid hackers an undisclosed ransom to unlock its own client data.

Blackbaud describes itself as the “world’s leading cloud software company powering social good.” The clients in question reportedly include, homeless charity Crisis, the UK Universities of Aberystwyth and Aberdeen*, each of which has issued apologetic notices to its customers and partners. Other customers listed by the company include the American Diabetes Association, the Universities of London and Oxford, and YWCA Chicago. [Continue Reading]

AmCom Solutions can help your company with Internet upgrades, additional bandwidth, Hosted Voice (VoIP), Data Center connectivity, IoT solutions, Security and more! We work directly with the technology provider so your company can focus on its core business.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at sales@amcomsolutions.com or call (512) 342-2226 x104.