Fibre internet options for business: FTTC, FTTP, and DIA explained

London’s still the UK’s economic engine and one of the most innovative cities on the planet. But what’s keeping it ahead? And what needs to change to make sure it stays there?

Recorded live at Vorboss HQ during London Tech Week, this panel brought together influential figures from tech, property, and investment to talk recent news, the challenges businesses face, and the biggest opportunities shaping the future of London’s economy.

If you run a business in the UK, you’ve probably heard of 'fibre broadband'. But what does that mean – and are all fibre services the same?

The short answer: no.

Two companies might both be sold ‘fibre’ but get very different results. Speed, reliability, and consistency vary wildly depending on the underlying engineering.

Why? Because some connections still rely on outdated infrastructure. Others are shared with your neighbours, and often with residential customers too. Most don’t come with the guarantees modern businesses need.

Let’s break down the three most common types of connection you might be offered:  

• FTTC
• FTTP
• direct internet access (DIA)  

and why the difference between them matters.

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1) FTTC (fibre to the cabinet): fibre, kind of

FTTC runs fibre from your provider’s network to a street cabinet near you, then uses copper wires to reach your premises (while still selling you ‘fibre’).  

Copper = outdated. Which means slower speeds, interference, and fluctuating performance – especially if the cabinet’s a few blocks away or shared by lots of users. And those cabinets? They’re exposed to weather and vandalism, adding yet another layer of risk.

FTTC might work for casual browsing, but if your business depends on video calls, cloud platforms, or remote collaboration, expect slow uploads, dropped connections, and no guarantees when things go wrong.

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2) FTTP (fibre to the premises): better, but not ideal

Unlike FTTC, FTTP is a fibre connection that runs straight from the exchange to your building. With no copper cabling involved, it offers better speed and stability.

But here’s the catch: while this is often what internet service providers call ‘business broadband’, you still share your connection with up to 30 others. And while the average speed range is typically quoted as 150 to 900Mbps, the reality is, you often won't always experience those speeds, particularly during peak times because you share your bandwidth with others.

For micro businesses or early-stage start-ups, FTTP may provide a half workable solution, especially as a stepping stone. But be prepared for pixelated, laggy video calls or a long wait to download a pitch deck during busy times and sometimes, for no apparent reason at all.  

As we put it in our earlier blog comparing broadband to leased lines: ‘If it’s broadband, it’s shared’. FTTP is still broadband and not something that provides a genuine solution for reliable connectivity.

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What to be aware of if you are considering buying FTTP

FTTP can sound a lot like a high-end business service. It’s full fibre. It promises impressive speeds. And it often comes with confident-sounding terms like ‘uptime guarantee’ or ‘symmetrical speeds’. But these features deserve a closer look, because what they offer in theory isn’t always what they deliver in practice.  

Take ‘symmetrical speeds’. FTTP can technically offer equal upload and download speeds, but only if the network isn’t busy and your plan allows it. Most of the time, upload speeds drop off when everyone’s online.

Then there’s the ‘uptime guarantee’. Sounds great. But without automatic compensation for downtime or real SLAs, they're often just marketing phrases – not a sign of real accountability. Many providers only commit to a response or investigation window, rather than to actual fix times.

Other elements that sound impressive but don’t necessarily reflect business grade standards. Static IP addresses are promoted as a ‘business’ feature, but these are widely available as standard on home broadband. ‘Priority fault handling’ usually just means you’re ahead of domestic users - not first in line for a fix.

So, while FTTP is better than FTTC, it is still very much part of that ‘broadband’ family. It’s a strong consumer-grade product, but not a substitute for a business-grade connection.

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3) Direct internet access (DIA): fibre built for business

DIA, sometimes known as a ‘leased line’ or ‘dedicated internet’, is a full fibre connection exclusively allocated to a single business. Unlike FTTC or FTTP, it isn’t shared with neighbouring offices or homes, and it isn’t affected by the demands of other users on the network.

It’s your own, dedicated connection, built for performance, reliability, and security.

With DIA, you always get ‘actual’ symmetrical speeds, meaning your uploads are just as fast as your downloads. This makes a big difference for real-time communication, file transfers, and cloud tools. You also benefit from 1:1 contention, meaning your bandwidth is always your own and performance doesn’t drop at peak times - because there’s no one else on your line.

Most importantly, DIA comes with robust service-level agreements (SLAs). These go beyond vague promises, offering clear commitments on uptime guarantees, target fix times, and - with a good provider - automatic compensation if things go wrong.

It’s not just about speed; it’s about having trust in the service that underpins your operations.

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DIA is especially valuable in scenarios where reliability directly impacts productivity:

• Cloud-heavy workflows: platforms like Salesforce, Azure, AWS, or cloud CRMs need reliable 24/7 access. Outages or slow speeds mean lost hours and lost business.

• Creative and media teams: agencies and production houses transferring large design files or uploading media to the cloud need fast, stable upload speeds. DIA’s symmetrical performance makes that possible.

• Security-focused organisations: if your business runs VPNs, firewalls, or handles sensitive data, you need a connection that supports uptime and compliance without compromise.

• Hybrid/remote teams: distributed workforces need reliable video calls, collaboration tools, and seamless file sharing. DIA keeps everyone connected – consistently.  

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At a glance: FTTC, FTTP, and direct internet (DIA)

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The right fibre for the right job

FTTC, FTTP and DIA each have their place, but they’re not interchangeable. Unfortunately for many businesses, the differences become visible the moment the connection is put under pressure.

For businesses in this day and age, FTTP and FTTC are not fit for purpose. And being overly reliant on outdated infrastructure costs London businesses billions a year in outages.  

DIA (whether you call it a leased line or dedicated internet) is designed with business in mind. For teams working in the cloud, relying on uptime or collaborating in real time, it offers a level of confidence that shared broadband simply can’t match.

Choose with care. The best internet solution is the one that will support the way your business works not only now, but also as it grows.

If you want to find out if DIA is right for your business, get in touch with our team. We're always happy to chat through your options.

At May's biquarterly Women in Telecoms meetup, hosted at Vorboss HQ, women from across the industry came together to share experiences, reflect on progress, and explore what real inclusion looks like.

The session, led by Natalie Strange, MD of RPS Telecoms and Head of the Women in Telecoms group, included a panel discussion with our colleagues at Vorboss about their experiences in the industry, the steps we’re taking to make telecoms more inclusive, and what's next.

Here’s how the discussion went

Meet the panel

Jade, Team Lead Engineer
Joined Vorboss at 18 as an apprentice. Now leads on-site fibre installation teams across London.

Tamryn, People & Culture Manager
Originally joined as a Training Administrator. Now helps embed inclusive policies and support systems across the organisation.

Taylor, Head of Operations
Leads the teams that connect customers and deliver our service end-to-end.

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Q: What has your journey been like as a woman in telecoms?

Jade shared her positive experience:  

“It’s been amazing. I knew I didn’t want to go down the university route; I wanted to get stuck in and work. Vorboss trained me from the beginning, and now I lead my own team. I genuinely love what I do.”

Tamryn, who recently came back from maternity leave, shared:

“Coming back was a big worry for me – would I still fit in? Would I be supported? The answer’s been yes. We have a parent room, a fridge for milk, and my son’s even visited the office. My son’s even visited the office!”

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Q: What hiring barriers still exist in telecoms, and how are we addressing them?

Tamryn:  

“For engineering roles especially, we had to rethink the language we used. The old versions were unintentionally harsh and often male-coded. Once we made them clearer and more neutral, more women applied”

Some practical changes discussed included:

• Remove industry jargon from job descriptions

• Manually review CVs instead of relying on (often biased) AI-driven filtering

• Eliminate unnecessary degree requirements

• Run diverse interview panels

Q: How can companies like Vorboss foster more inclusive environments that attract, support, and retain women – from technical roles to leadership positions?

Tamryn:  

“We’ve made training fully in-house through the Vorboss Academy, so no previous experience is required. That’s opened doors to people who wouldn’t normally apply. We’ve also built internal career tracks, flexible policies, and training for inclusive management.”

Vorboss has launched these initiatives to retain talent and progress women into leadership roles:

• Internal secondments: opportunities to explore other career options internally.

• Training: manager training on inclusive team management plus annual DE&I and menopause awareness training for all staff.

• Flexibility: accommodating workforce needs, e.g. part-time contracts.

• Internal promotion: fostering internal growth means more women in senior roles, helping us retain talent.

• Listening and acting on feedback: from uniform design to policy, we want to ensure everyone feels seen.

Other policies include paid period days, free sanitary products, IVF and adoption leave, domestic abuse support, free breakfast and welfare vans.

Jade completed a secondment with our data centre team. Though she stayed in her role, she found the experience valuable:  

“It was such a good learning experience. It gave me more context and helped me feel more confident in my role.”

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Q: What barriers have you encountered (or seen others face), and what helped you or your teams overcome them?

Tamryn:  

“Workwear. It seems small, but early on we realised all the uniforms were made for men; gloves, trousers, fireproof kit. We redesigned it all. It took time, but it meant that everyone could work more effectively.”

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Q: What advice would you give to the next generation of women pursuing careers in telecoms?

Taylor had clear advice:  

“Don’t assume the person you’re talking to knows more than you. Say yes to opportunities. If you fail, that’s fine. Ask for help and keep moving.”

Jade:  

“Do it! It’s been life changing for me. I’m so grateful I took the chance.”

Q: What’s next for Vorboss?

We want to keep growing - not just in size, but in diversity, inclusion, and opportunity, and inspire others to follow suit.

We’ve set measurable goals for diversity and inclusion, including:

• Today: more than 1 in 3 of our technical and engineering roles are held by women.

• By 2027: we aim for 50/50 gender parity in technical and engineering roles.

• By 2028: we aim for gender parity company-wide.

We’ve signed Ofcom’s Women in Tech pledge and publish our gender pay gap annually.

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About Women in Telecoms

Women in Telecoms is an initiative by Comms Council UK, created in response to growing demand from its members for regular opportunities to network, share experiences, discuss key industry topics, and exchange ideas.

Vorboss formalises strategic partnership with Roc Technologies to deliver innovative connectivity services to London's local councils.

London, [02.06.2025] – Vorboss, London's leading dedicated connectivity provider, today announces a strategic partnership with Roc Technologies to deliver best-in-class network solutions tailored specifically for local councils across the capital.

This partnership, borne of long standing collaboration between the companies, brings together two organisations committed to leveraging technology to enhance public sector services. The Vorboss high-performance, resilient network, combined with Roc Technologies' highly secure, customer-centred approach, provides local councils with a distinctive and robust solution to address real citizen needs.

Jason O’Malley, Chief of Commercial Operations at Vorboss, said: "We're excited to be partnering with Roc Technologies, whose values and customer-centric approach align closely with our own. This partnership enables us to offer unparalleled connectivity solutions, directly improving service delivery and efficiency for local councils."

Adam Jarvis , CRO at Roc Technologies, added: "Our partnership with Vorboss brings together two businesses that truly differentiate in the way they support their customers, providing highly responsive services designed to enhance their overall experience. Leveraging Vorboss' superior infrastructure and their technical experts located across London allows us to provide a combined service delivery capability that transforms how local councils manage their infrastructure, ultimately benefiting the communities they serve."

The combined expertise of Vorboss and Roc Technologies presents councils across London with an unmatched proposition: cutting-edge connectivity delivered with clarity, reliability, and a shared dedication to customer-driven outcomes.

ENDS

For further information, please contact:
Kirstie Lane
Kirstie.lane@vorboss.com

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About Vorboss:
Vorboss is London’s dedicated enterprise fibre network. We are disrupting the status quo by providing London businesses with access to critical fibre infrastructure with simple, transparent pricing and London-wide coverage.

Since 2019, we've invested over £250 million into our London network. We have deployed over 700km of fibre optic cables to date, setting an unparalleled standard in both scale and quality.

We maintain complete ownership of the network that we built. This gives us the freedom to approach telecommunications differently.

Partners and customers deal directly with the engineers who built the network, and we can deliver installations and bandwidth upgrades within days, not months.

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About Roc Technologies:
Who are Roc?

Roc Technologies delivers transformational IT solutions to public and private sector organisations across the UK. We are a team of brilliant minds, bringing together highly secure infrastructure, advanced cyber security, intelligent automation and modern cloud services, all supported by our 24/7 Managed Services Operations Centre. Our expertise is backed up by some of the UK’s most rigorous data and security accreditations; we’ve earned the trust of the nation’s largest and most complex organisations and have safeguarded their most sensitive data for over a decade. 

This recognition reflects Vorboss’ commitment to the highest standards across the City and its ongoing contribution to making London a better connected, future-ready capital. The scheme challenges engineering teams to exceed legal requirements when working on streets and pavements in the Square Mile, aiming to ensure safety, minimise disruption, and improve conditions for everyone who lives, works, or travels through the area.

Participating companies are assessed on planning and coordination, accountability, responsiveness, and alignment with the City’s business priorities.

Rhod Morgan, Chief Operating Officer at Vorboss, credits the achievement to the company’s investment in its people:

“This award is a direct result of our strategy to train, and support our in-house teams. We’ve hired and built a talented and diverse workforce, and we’re proud that our training academy continues to raise the bar for quality delivery in the City."

Headquartered in the Square Mile, Vorboss remains at the forefront of delivering high-performance, reliable internet to businesses across London. This recognition reinforces Vorboss’ role in shaping the City’s digital infrastructure and supporting its future digital capabilities, with the company investing over £250 million in its dedicated network.

The company’s field technicians are trained at an in-house academy that offers a clear career path into telecoms. More than one-third of the team are women, and Vorboss is proud to be a London Living Wage employer.

Ends

For more information, contact press@vorboss.com

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About Vorboss

Vorboss is a network that is purpose-built for London's most ambitious businesses.

Designed with London’s future in mind, it is providing businesses direct access to critical fibre infrastructure, with simple, transparent pricing.

Vorboss is unique in owning its network and service end-to-end, and offers 10Gbps, 25Gbps and 100Gbps connections.

Gone are the days when SME businesses could view cybersecurity mostly as a concern for big corporations with global exposure and dedicated IT resource. Today, cybercrime is a multi-billion pound ‘industry’, with small and mid-sized businesses most often in its sights.

And the risks are very real. In the past year alone, brands including M&S, Co-op, Harrods, and even major railway stations have made headlines due to cybersecurity incidents. These high-profile cases show that no organisation, regardless of size or sector, is immune. They also serve as reminders of how disruptive and damaging an attack can be.

So, who is it that poses the threat? The answer is highly organised criminal groups, generally based overseas, running lucrative cybercrime business models, all on their own. With ransomware now a billion-pound industry, these groups buy and sell stolen data, lease out attack tools, and target companies whose stolen data indicates their capacity to pay.

According to HMRC, 70% of UK SMEs were hit by cyberattacks last year. Yet half of all UK and US businesses, mostly smaller firms, still don’t have a response plan in place.

So let’s look at why SMEs are at such risk, what today’s most common threats look like, and the practical and affordable steps you can take to protect yourself if you run a business.  

These insights emerged from a fascinating recent panel discussion which our very own Aaron Rice, CIO, hosted at Vorboss HQ, featuring leaders from cybersecurity firms Wavenet and SE LABS. If you’re running an SME and don’t yet have a clear cybersecurity plan, this is the place to start.

Not ‘if’, but when. The case for ‘resilience’

Cybersecurity used to be about trying to build an impenetrable wall around your systems, but as the threat landscape has changed, so has the mindset. Today, it’s less about preventing every attack and more about being ready to respond when something does get through.

This concept - resilience - came up repeatedly as Wavenet’s CISO, Paul Colwell, and SE LABS’ CEO, Simon Edwards, shared their views. Their message for SMEs was clear. It’s not a question of if you’ll be attacked, it’s a matter of when. How well you bounce back may be the difference between a brief disruption and a long-term crisis.

Perhaps the first question to ask in any cyber incident is “Do we have backups?”. If your systems are compromised or locked down, having secure, up-to-date backups can be the difference between getting back to work or being forced to pay a ransom to regain access. Backups don’t stop an attack, but they’ll make recovery easier.

A cyberattack doesn’t just target your systems, it puts your entire business at risk. Downtime, financial loss, and damaged customer trust are all on the table.

The good news is that becoming resilient doesn’t involve making huge investment into high-end technology. With a little planning, it’s entirely possible to build a strong line of defence, and a solid plan for recovery, without excessive cost. In fact, with fewer systems, simpler structures, and the ability to act quickly, smaller businesses often have an advantage over large enterprises when it comes to putting effective measures in place.

The most common cyber threats to SMEs

As most SMEs don’t have the time or budget to keep up with every new cybercrime threat, they make attractive targets for hackers, and though cyberattacks come in all shapes and sizes, certain threats show up again and again.

So, what are the most common cyber threats facing SMEs?

Phishing and identity theft

This is where it usually starts. A staff member receives what looks like a legitimate message, usually impersonating a colleague, a supplier, or even a client. It might ask them to click a link, update some details, or approve a payment.

If they take the bait, attackers can obtain access to login credentials, email accounts, or sensitive data, all without needing to “break in”. In the words of SE LABS’ Simon Edwards, “Hackers don’t break in. They log in.”

Ransomware

Ransomware is a frighteningly effective criminal business model, whose use against SMEs has escalated dramatically. Attackers encrypt your data, lock your systems, and demand payment (usually in Bitcoin) to let you back in. In 2023 alone, ransomware was already estimated to be worth over £1bn a year.  

While paying the ransom may seem to be the quickest way out, it can open your business up to serious legal and ethical risks, especially if you have no visibility on where the money you’re paying over is going to.

Business email compromise (BEC)

BEC attacks are clever, patient and, again, highly lucrative. Hackers gain access to an internal email account and often set up automatic forwarding to an external address, allowing them to silently monitor conversations over time. They gather intel, study genuine correspondence, and then strike, perhaps by sending a fake invoice or redirecting a payment. It’s why fake emails are so convincing: these criminals aren’t guessing, they know exactly what you’re expecting and exploit timing and trust with precision.

Cyber hygiene. Arranging simple, powerful protection

Cybersecurity doesn’t have to start with technology. It starts with behaviour; simple, everyday habits that make it harder for attackers to get in.

Unlike big organisations with complex systems, SME management teams are usually free to set rules, enforce good habits, and make changes without needing to go through layers of approval.

The number one non-technical thing an SME can do to protect itself? Simon Edwards didn’t hesitate: “Easy. Cyber hygiene and the Cyber Essentials programme.”

So, what does good, basic cyber hygiene look like? A good way to think about it is via ‘The 3 Ps’, as the industry refers to them.

Passwords

Make sure everyone in your business is using strong, unique passwords, and that these aren’t shared or reused across different systems.

A strong password should:

• Be at least 12 characters long

• Use a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols

• Avoid personal details or common words

Next, enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever possible. It’s one of the simplest and most effective ways to stop unauthorised access.

Phishing

Your team is your first line of defence. Train your people to recognise suspicious emails, double-check unusual requests, and report anything that doesn’t feel right. Most phishing attacks rely on urgency or familiarity to bypass common sense, so encouraging people to pause and consult with managers or appropriate colleagues before taking any action in response to a suspect email can make all the difference.

Patching

Every piece of software has flaws, and cybercriminals are quick to exploit these. Keep all your systems up to date. That includes operating systems, email tools, cloud platforms, routers, and printers. When a zero-day vulnerability is announced, fast patching is critical. It could be the difference between staying secure or becoming one of the first victims.

None of these steps requires major investment. All that’s needed is a clear policy, regular reminders, and a commitment to taking security seriously.

Certifications that help protect and reassure

Even when you recognise the danger of cyberattacks and have measures like these in place to reduce your exposure, how can you evidence this to clients and customers, as well as your employees?

It doesn’t have to be complex - there are certification schemes built specifically for SMEs.

At a basic level, they help you cover the fundamentals. But they also send a clear signal to clients, partners, insurers, and suppliers that you’re serious about reducing risk.

The three most widely recognised certifications are:

Cyber Essentials

The entry point for most UK organisations, and a great starting place for SMEs. Cyber Essentials is a government-backed scheme that covers the basics: secure configuration, access controls, software updates, and protection against common threats. It’s a self-assessed process and, once certified, you’ll receive a badge that shows you’ve met the standard. Clients like it. Insurers like it. And it’s easier to attain than you think.

Cyber Essentials Plus

This is the next step up. It includes everything in the basic Cyber Essentials scheme but adds an independent audit and technical testing. If your business handles sensitive data, works with regulated industries, or simply wants more assurance, then this is worth considering.

ISO 27001

Recognised internationally, this is the gold standard for information security management. It’s more involved and more expensive than Cyber Essentials, but if your business is growing fast or you’re working with enterprise clients, it can be a significant asset.

Whatever level of certification you feel is appropriate for your business, try not to treat it as a one-off box-ticking exercise. It’s a chance to improve your practices, strengthen your culture, and set a clear security baseline that will protect you as you grow.

What to do if you’re attacked

No matter how well prepared you are, things can still go wrong.

The key is to stay calm and act quickly, following a pre-prepared response plan. A good response plan doesn’t just help you recover faster. It can also limit the damage, protect your customers, and stop the same thing happening again.

If you find yourself under attack, here’s what to do:

1. Find the way in

Your first priority is to understand how the attacker got access. Was it a stolen password? A phishing email? A vulnerability in your software? Until you know, you won’t be able to shut the door properly, and you risk being hit again.

“Your number one priority is to understand the route of attack, and block it,” Simon Edwards advises. “If you don’t, there’s nothing to stop them coming back.”

2. Contain the damage

Isolate affected devices or systems. Lock down compromised accounts. If you work with an IT provider, contact them immediately. The faster you act, the more you can limit the spread.

3. Check your backups

If your systems have been locked by ransomware or wiped by an attacker, check whether your backups are intact and up to date. If so, you may be able to restore your data without paying a ransom and get your business back on its feet faster. Ideally, backups should be stored offline or in a secure cloud service and tested regularly to make sure they work when you need them.

4. Don’t rush to pay

If it’s a ransomware attack, you’ll be asked to pay - usually in Bitcoin. But paying the ransom doesn’t guarantee you’ll get your data back, and it could even put you in legal trouble if the money later turns up in a sanctioned country. Always get expert advice, ideally from a law firm with a cybersecurity team, before taking any action.

5. Inform the right people

Depending on the nature of the breach, you may need to notify regulators, clients, suppliers, or insurers. Transparency is important, and delay can make things worse. If you hold personal data, you may also have a legal duty to report the incident to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

6. Learn from it

An attack is painful, but it’s also an opportunity. Once you’ve recovered, take time to understand what went wrong and how to prevent it in future. Were there warning signs? Was it something that could have been stopped? Use the experience to build better defences.

Penetration testing. Something to know as you grow

As your business grows or handles sensitive data, you’ll likely hear about penetration testing. Pen testing involves hiring ethical hackers to find weak spots in your systems before attackers can exploit them.

For many SMEs, especially early on, this might be overkill. But as your business scales, or you pursue larger clients, ‘pen testing’ can become a requirement. Insurers may also ask about it if you’re looking for more comprehensive cyber cover.

Don’t forget your suppliers

Many SMEs rely on third-party suppliers like cloud software and service providers to handle everything from email and invoicing to customer data and collaboration tools. But if one of those providers gets hacked, your business could be affected.

Don’t hold back. Ask the companies whose systems you engage with a few simple questions:

• "What security measures do you have in place?"

• "Are you certified under schemes like Cyber Essentials or ISO 27001?"

• "If something goes wrong at your end, who’s responsible, and how will we be informed?"

It doesn’t need to be a formal audit. Just showing that you’re aware of the risk and asking for basic reassurances can go a long way. And if a supplier is vague or dismissive about security, treat that as a red flag. In the end, your own cybersecurity is only as strong as the people you trust to help run your business.

Take action today

You don’t need to overhaul your entire business to make meaningful progress on cybersecurity. A few well-chosen actions will dramatically reduce your risk, and set a solid foundation for whatever may happen:

A final thought: resilience beats perfection

Cybersecurity can feel like a complex topic, especially when you’re running a growing business and perhaps no dedicated IT team. But protecting your company doesn’t mean spending a fortune on tech.  

It means being prepared. Putting sensible safeguards in place. Creating a culture of awareness. And knowing how you’ll respond if, or when, something goes wrong.  

That’s resilience, and it’s well within reach for every SME.

Get in touch

If you'd like to discuss building resilience, or how your connectivity can strengthen your security strategy, speak to one of our experts today.

We’ll connect you directly with SE LABS or Wavenet if we believe it’s the right fit for your needs.