Five of the largest Internet service providers in the U.S. plan to start charging businesses for guaranteed delivery of their e-mails, in a bid to combat spam.
Goodmail Systems, which provides a service called CertifiedEmail, announced Thursday that it had signed up Comcast, Cox Communications, Time Warner Cable's Road Runner and Verizon as customers. E-mails certified using the system will be marked with a blue ribbon to show they come from a trusted source, thus bypassing spam filters--a privilege that will cost the sender a quarter of a U.S. cent per e-mail.
The voluntary plan is aimed at large corporations and financial institutions whose mass mailings are most likely to be caught in spam filters. Nonprofit groups will be able to use the service for roughly a tenth of the commercial rate.
"With spam and phishing hitting historic highs even in the last six months, we have seen the limits of technologies which attempt to filter out the bad e-mail," Goodmail's chief executive, Richard Gingras, said in a statement. "Consumers want their e-mail system to let them know which e-mail is real and safe to open and act on."
Peter Castleton, director of Verizon's consumer broadband services, acknowledged that phishing and fraud were eroding trust in e-mail as a medium. "A certification service, such as CertifiedEmail, enables us to help restore that trust and makes it easier for consumers to identify legitimate e-mail messages," he said in a statement.
According to Goodmail, seven U.S. ISPs now use CertifedEmail, accounting for 60 percent of the U.S. population. Goodmail--which takes up to 50 percent of the revenue generated by the plan--will for now approve only mail sent by companies and organizations that have been operational for a year or more. Ordinary users can still apply to be white-listed by individual ISPs, which effectively provides the same trusted status.
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6189298.html
Monday, July 2, 2007
DoCoMo calls off mobile internet deal with Hutch
Denying access to the Internet and e-mail, would probably top the list of cruel punishments for professionals these days. With dependence on information growing and e-mail becoming an integral part of the one’s life, constant access to data, even while on the move has become mandatory.
Parallely, mobile phones are witnessing an exploding user base. To keep subscribers happy, mobile service providers are using attractive value added options as a bait. Popular among them is easy access to the Internet.
Service providers say that there is a marked increase in customers accessing the Internet via mobile phones. Each claims that they are better than the competition when it comes to providing a smooth surfing experience.
Executives at Hutch say that their network allows easy access to Internet, irrespective of the end device — desktop, laptop or the mobile phone, that subscribers use.
Hutch offers ‘Hutch Access’ a service that allows subscribers to connect to the net. The subscriber can either connect the phone to a personal computer or laptop or use the HTML browser — provided the phone has it — to hook up to the Internet. Hutch like a few of its rivals, offers EDGE (Enhanced Data Rate for Global Evolution), which allows subscribers speedier file downloads and provides better quality audio, video and multimedia content
http://infotech.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2019260.cms
Parallely, mobile phones are witnessing an exploding user base. To keep subscribers happy, mobile service providers are using attractive value added options as a bait. Popular among them is easy access to the Internet.
Service providers say that there is a marked increase in customers accessing the Internet via mobile phones. Each claims that they are better than the competition when it comes to providing a smooth surfing experience.
Executives at Hutch say that their network allows easy access to Internet, irrespective of the end device — desktop, laptop or the mobile phone, that subscribers use.
Hutch offers ‘Hutch Access’ a service that allows subscribers to connect to the net. The subscriber can either connect the phone to a personal computer or laptop or use the HTML browser — provided the phone has it — to hook up to the Internet. Hutch like a few of its rivals, offers EDGE (Enhanced Data Rate for Global Evolution), which allows subscribers speedier file downloads and provides better quality audio, video and multimedia content
http://infotech.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2019260.cms
Virtual Private Networks
If your agency has multiple offices that need to be connected to a computer network, or staff who need access to the network from home or other locations, then a virtual private network (VPN) could be the answer. But what is a VPN? Here we explain the basics.
What is a VPN?
A VPN provides a way to connect a private network (such as a LAN in an office) to other computers over a public network such as the Internet. For example a VPN can be used to allow:
* Offices in separate locations to connect their networks together
* Remote access - e.g. staff working from home can connect their computers to the office network
Because the Internet is available globally, a VPN can be used to give staff access to the office network from any location in the world. Since a user would typically be using a local call to a local Internet Service Provider (ISP) rather than dialling into the office network directly, the cost of long distance phone calls or expensive dedicated leased lines is eliminated. VPNs have the added advantage that they can allow a Local Area Network (LAN) in an office to be managed and supported remotely. This means that many problems can be resolved without the network support provider having to physically visit the office.
Is a VPN safe?
Because information travelling across the Internet can potentially be intercepted, VPNs use a number of security features to help keep your data safe. These features include:
* Encryption
* Authentication
* Tunnelling
Encryption
A major concern for information passing over the Internet is that an unauthorised person may gain access to it. This problem can be solved by encrypting or encoding the data before putting it on the Internet. The information is then decrypted or decoded once it reaches its destination. This way, if the information is intercepted by an unauthorised user, it cannot be read.
Authentication
Authentication provides a means for authorised users only to access your office network. It is usually achieved by implementing a user name and password system.
Strong Passwords
It is important to enforce strong passwords and frequent password changes to maintain security as passwords can be guessed. Strong passwords contain at least 8 characters, with a mixture of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters. This makes them much harder to guess. If a very high level of security is needed, one time password systems are available which use electronic gadgets that generate a new password very frequently (every minute or so). The authentication system in the office does the same so it recognises which password to accept.
Of course any authentication system can potentially be compromised if access details are revealed to unauthorised users. For example because a password is written down, easily guessed, or someone is looking over your shoulder as you login to your office network from your laptop in a public place.Once an authorised user has access to the network, you still want to restrict them only to the bits of the network they require so it is important to make sure user logins for the VPN restrict access to the network appropriatly. This means if a user's account is compromised by an unauthorised person, the amount of the network available to the intruder is also restricted.
Tunnelling
Tunnelling is a way of bundling up the packets of data at the sender's end, transporting them over the Internet using IP, and unwrapping them at the destination. Tunnelling allows the Internet, a public network, to convey data on behalf of a private network. Tunnelling gets round the problem that different networks may use a different set of protocols to allow machines on the network to talk to each other. With a VPN you are connecting to an Internet Protocol (IP) network whereas the machines on your office network may be using a different protocol.
VPN Systems
2 main categories of VPN products are commonly used:
* Hardware systems
* Firewall-based systems
Hardware systems
Hardware systems typically use a device called a router to encrypt data. A router is a device (or sometimes a piece of software in a computer), that determines the next network point to which a unit of data should be forwarded toward its destination. Some hardware VPNs need special cards to be installed on each PC on the network.
Firewall-based systems
Firewall based systems use the firewall's existing security mechanisms including restriction of access to the internal network. A firewall is a piece of hardware (or software) that protects a private network from unauthorised access by users of other networks such as the Internet. If you have a broadband connection to the Internet it is advisable to use a firewall. Your existing firewall product may well have VPN capability.
For more information on firewalls, see the knowledgebase article Firewalls.
Typical VPN setups
An example VPN setup
Office A, the main office houses the mail server and main file server. Users at all locations can access their emails and other resources on the network such as calendars and files. Backing up files is also easier for all the users on the network. Office A needs access to the databases at offices B and C as well as these offices needing access the network at office A. Since this two way access is needed, offices A, B and C each need to have a firewall and a broadband connection to the Internet.
Another typical VPN setup
D and E are other remote users e.g. mobile workers needing only access to office A's network. Office A does not need access to computers at D and E. Since only one-way access is needed from D and E to office A, only VPN software needs to be installed at D and E. Locations D and E also do not need to have a broadband connection (if they do however, it would be advisable to install a firewall at D and E).
Performance issues
If two or more offices in separate locations are to be connected, broadband access such as ADSL in all the offices is likely to be the only feasible option when using a VPN. This is because it is likely that large amounts of data will need to be transferred between the locations and several people may be trying to access the network at the same time - anything other than broadband would be too slow. However, for individual staff accessing the network from home for example, a 56k modem connection may be adequate. As with any service, the Internet may not be available a hundred percent of the time. For example:
* Your ISP's equipment may break down, making their services unavailable for a period
* From time to time the Internet gets very busy and slows to a crawl (as on September 11th 2001) affecting access to the main office network from remote locations
* Very occasionally problems occur with the handful of servers that are at the heart of the Internet, causing system wide availability problems.
Obviously if your Internet connection is unavailable, then your network will be unavailable to remote users. However, these days, many ISPs are trying hard to improve the reliability of their networks and many now also offer VPN services.
Summary
VPNs provide the potential to create a safe, cheap and quick communication between locations. You should of course get a VPN installed professionally unless you have the appropriate expertise in house.
Your network support provider or ISP should be able to advise on the most suitable system and security based on what you want to use your VPN for.
About the author
Lasa Information Systems Team
Lasa Information Systems Team provides a range of services to community and voluntary organisations including ICT Health Checks and consulting on the best application of technology in your organisation. Lasa IST is responsible for maintaining the ICT Hub Knowledgebase.
What is a VPN?
A VPN provides a way to connect a private network (such as a LAN in an office) to other computers over a public network such as the Internet. For example a VPN can be used to allow:
* Offices in separate locations to connect their networks together
* Remote access - e.g. staff working from home can connect their computers to the office network
Because the Internet is available globally, a VPN can be used to give staff access to the office network from any location in the world. Since a user would typically be using a local call to a local Internet Service Provider (ISP) rather than dialling into the office network directly, the cost of long distance phone calls or expensive dedicated leased lines is eliminated. VPNs have the added advantage that they can allow a Local Area Network (LAN) in an office to be managed and supported remotely. This means that many problems can be resolved without the network support provider having to physically visit the office.
Is a VPN safe?
Because information travelling across the Internet can potentially be intercepted, VPNs use a number of security features to help keep your data safe. These features include:
* Encryption
* Authentication
* Tunnelling
Encryption
A major concern for information passing over the Internet is that an unauthorised person may gain access to it. This problem can be solved by encrypting or encoding the data before putting it on the Internet. The information is then decrypted or decoded once it reaches its destination. This way, if the information is intercepted by an unauthorised user, it cannot be read.
Authentication
Authentication provides a means for authorised users only to access your office network. It is usually achieved by implementing a user name and password system.
Strong Passwords
It is important to enforce strong passwords and frequent password changes to maintain security as passwords can be guessed. Strong passwords contain at least 8 characters, with a mixture of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters. This makes them much harder to guess. If a very high level of security is needed, one time password systems are available which use electronic gadgets that generate a new password very frequently (every minute or so). The authentication system in the office does the same so it recognises which password to accept.
Of course any authentication system can potentially be compromised if access details are revealed to unauthorised users. For example because a password is written down, easily guessed, or someone is looking over your shoulder as you login to your office network from your laptop in a public place.Once an authorised user has access to the network, you still want to restrict them only to the bits of the network they require so it is important to make sure user logins for the VPN restrict access to the network appropriatly. This means if a user's account is compromised by an unauthorised person, the amount of the network available to the intruder is also restricted.
Tunnelling
Tunnelling is a way of bundling up the packets of data at the sender's end, transporting them over the Internet using IP, and unwrapping them at the destination. Tunnelling allows the Internet, a public network, to convey data on behalf of a private network. Tunnelling gets round the problem that different networks may use a different set of protocols to allow machines on the network to talk to each other. With a VPN you are connecting to an Internet Protocol (IP) network whereas the machines on your office network may be using a different protocol.
VPN Systems
2 main categories of VPN products are commonly used:
* Hardware systems
* Firewall-based systems
Hardware systems
Hardware systems typically use a device called a router to encrypt data. A router is a device (or sometimes a piece of software in a computer), that determines the next network point to which a unit of data should be forwarded toward its destination. Some hardware VPNs need special cards to be installed on each PC on the network.
Firewall-based systems
Firewall based systems use the firewall's existing security mechanisms including restriction of access to the internal network. A firewall is a piece of hardware (or software) that protects a private network from unauthorised access by users of other networks such as the Internet. If you have a broadband connection to the Internet it is advisable to use a firewall. Your existing firewall product may well have VPN capability.
For more information on firewalls, see the knowledgebase article Firewalls.
Typical VPN setups
An example VPN setup
Office A, the main office houses the mail server and main file server. Users at all locations can access their emails and other resources on the network such as calendars and files. Backing up files is also easier for all the users on the network. Office A needs access to the databases at offices B and C as well as these offices needing access the network at office A. Since this two way access is needed, offices A, B and C each need to have a firewall and a broadband connection to the Internet.
Another typical VPN setup
D and E are other remote users e.g. mobile workers needing only access to office A's network. Office A does not need access to computers at D and E. Since only one-way access is needed from D and E to office A, only VPN software needs to be installed at D and E. Locations D and E also do not need to have a broadband connection (if they do however, it would be advisable to install a firewall at D and E).
Performance issues
If two or more offices in separate locations are to be connected, broadband access such as ADSL in all the offices is likely to be the only feasible option when using a VPN. This is because it is likely that large amounts of data will need to be transferred between the locations and several people may be trying to access the network at the same time - anything other than broadband would be too slow. However, for individual staff accessing the network from home for example, a 56k modem connection may be adequate. As with any service, the Internet may not be available a hundred percent of the time. For example:
* Your ISP's equipment may break down, making their services unavailable for a period
* From time to time the Internet gets very busy and slows to a crawl (as on September 11th 2001) affecting access to the main office network from remote locations
* Very occasionally problems occur with the handful of servers that are at the heart of the Internet, causing system wide availability problems.
Obviously if your Internet connection is unavailable, then your network will be unavailable to remote users. However, these days, many ISPs are trying hard to improve the reliability of their networks and many now also offer VPN services.
Summary
VPNs provide the potential to create a safe, cheap and quick communication between locations. You should of course get a VPN installed professionally unless you have the appropriate expertise in house.
Your network support provider or ISP should be able to advise on the most suitable system and security based on what you want to use your VPN for.
About the author
Lasa Information Systems Team
Lasa Information Systems Team provides a range of services to community and voluntary organisations including ICT Health Checks and consulting on the best application of technology in your organisation. Lasa IST is responsible for maintaining the ICT Hub Knowledgebase.
Web Accessibility and the Law
If your Web site is not accessible to disabled people you could be breaking the law - this article explains the main issues, and provides sources of help to enable you to make your site more inclusive.
It's fair to say that the Internet has made a difference to the lives of many people. For disabled people in particular, the Internet has the potential to make a very significant difference. For example people with mobility problems can access information, goods and services from their homes by visiting relevant Web sites; blind people can get independent access to up to date news and sports results available online by using special software to read out information on Web sites.
However, the potential of the Internet to enrich the lives of disabled people will only be reached if Web sites are designed with the needs of disabled people in mind. Inflexible text and colour schemes on Web sites, or reliance on newer technologies can make it difficult or impossible for users to adjust their view of a Web site to suit their needs.
Why you should be concerned about making your Web site accessible
Because you could be breaking the law…
… and you could potentially be sued!
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) makes it unlawful for a service provider to discriminate against a disabled person (more on this later).
The European Union (EU) is also drafting legislation that will obligate public and private organisations to deliver their online services in an accessible format. If passed, it is planned that these rules will be brought in by the end of 2003, along with enforcement procedures that will allow disabled people to take cases to court in any EU member state. More information on EU policy in this area can be found on the website of the European Disability Forum (EDF).
In August 2000, in Australia, Mr Bruce Maguire, who is blind, successfully made a complaint against the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games. Mr Maguire took action under the provisions of Australia's disability discrimination legislation, claiming that he was unlawfully discriminated against on several grounds, including that the Organising Committee had failed to provide a Web site that he could access. He was eventually awarded compensation of A$20,000. Although there has not yet been any similar action against website owners in the UK in relation to poor website design, the RNIB (Royal National Institute for the Blind) has considered action under the Disability Discrimination Act. So far when RNIB has raised website accessibility issues with the companies concerned, the companies have tended to alter their websites rather than face potentially costly legal action. This illustrates how easy it can be to make changes needed to make a website accessible.
The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) is an independent body with the aim of eliminating discrimination against disabled people and promoting equality of opportunity. The DRC has a number of functions, including helping disabled people secure their rights under the DDA. This includes enforcing the obligations that website owners have to make their sites accessible under the terms of the DDA. Although initially the Commission has no plans to sue the owners of inaccessible Web sites, it does not rule out taking such action in the future.
However compelling, the existence of anti discrimination legislation is not the only reason for making your site accessible.
It is good practice
An accessible Web site is one that can be visited by anybody. Designing sites with accessibility in mind benefits everyone - not only people with disabilities.
It makes good business sense
Disabled people may well be users or potential users of your services, or potential customers for products you make available on your site.
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995
In the UK, under the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA), any organisation that offers goods or services via their Web site is under a legal obligation to make their sites accessible. Section 19 of the DDA states that it is unlawful for a service provider discriminate against a disabled person by:
* Refusing to provide, or deliberately not providing, to the disabled person, any service which he provides, or is prepared to provide to members of the public; or
* Providing services of a lower standard or in a worse manner; or
* Providing services on worse terms.
Since 1999, providers offering services to the public have been legally required to take such steps as are reasonable them to take, (considering all the circumstances of a case), to enable a disabled person to use the service. Many people are unaware that this obligation can apply Web sites in the same way as it applies to the quality of service provided in a physical environment such as a building. A disabled person can take legal action against a service provider that fails to comply with a duty to make these "reasonable adjustments", unless the service provider can show that such a failure is justified. In relation to Web sites, a provider may be required to:
* Make changes to apractice( what the service provider does) policy (what the service provider intends to do) or procedure (how the service provider goes about its activities)which makes it impossible or unreasonably difficult for a disabled person to use its service, and
* Provide an auxiliary aid or service if it would enable (or make it easier for) disabled people to make use of the service provided by the service provider.
Accompanying the DDA is a code of practice (Access to Goods and Facilities and Premises) (Word doc). The code includes a list of factors that might be taken into account when considering what is reasonable. For example:
* whether taking any particular steps would be effective in overcoming the difficulty that disabled people face in accessing the services in question;
* the extent to which it is practicable for the service provider to take the steps;
* the financial and other costs of making the adjustment;
* the availability of financial or other assistance.
More information on the DDA and code of practice.
Web site design and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (Word Doc), an article written by Stephen Mason and Catherine Casserley Legal Officer, Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB), with additional material provided by Julie Howell, Campaigns Officer (Accessible Internet) RNIB. It provides a more detailed analysis of Web site design and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (see under "getting help" below).
Getting help
Organisations can get information and advice on their duties under the DDA via the Disability Rights Commission helpline. The Disability Rights Commission's website also has useful information to help site owners and developers make their sites more inclusive. For further information and resources on making your Web site accessible see the following:
* Make your website accessible to visually impaired people
* Web Accessibility Resources
* UK Resources for Web Accessibility and the Law
* Web site design and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 by Stephen Mason (197Kb PDF file)
* RNIB Campaign for Good Web Design
* AbilityNet
* World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative Guidelines
You can get free basic advice on Web accessibility issues via the ICT Hub's help desk provided on 0800 652 4737.
For more on commissioning accessible websites see the ICT Hub Publication How To Commission and Design Accessible Websites (1.69 Mb PDF document. Requires Adobe Reader if you don't already have already have this, download it from Adobe).
Lasa's Information Systems Team, and other organisations including AbilityNet and RNIB also provide fee-based consultancy services on making your Web site accessible. Various tools are available to help you check your site for accessibility problems including the Cynthia Says accessibility test. You can check your pages online one at a time for free or buy software that allows you to check whole sites easily.
Conclusion
It is important to make sure whoever is creating your website is aware of accessibility issues and knows how to avoid potential problems and/or fix them. With all the help and guidance available on making websites accessible, organisations will be hard pressed to claim that they are justified in neglecting to provide disabled visitors access to their sites. This will be particularly true for organisations getting their existing sites redeveloped, or those getting a new site built from scratch.
About the author
Lasa Information Systems Team
Lasa Information Systems Team provides a range of services to community and voluntary organisations including ICT Health Checks and consulting on the best application of technology in your organisation. Lasa IST is responsible for maintaining the ICT Hub Knowledgebase.
It's fair to say that the Internet has made a difference to the lives of many people. For disabled people in particular, the Internet has the potential to make a very significant difference. For example people with mobility problems can access information, goods and services from their homes by visiting relevant Web sites; blind people can get independent access to up to date news and sports results available online by using special software to read out information on Web sites.
However, the potential of the Internet to enrich the lives of disabled people will only be reached if Web sites are designed with the needs of disabled people in mind. Inflexible text and colour schemes on Web sites, or reliance on newer technologies can make it difficult or impossible for users to adjust their view of a Web site to suit their needs.
Why you should be concerned about making your Web site accessible
Because you could be breaking the law…
… and you could potentially be sued!
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) makes it unlawful for a service provider to discriminate against a disabled person (more on this later).
The European Union (EU) is also drafting legislation that will obligate public and private organisations to deliver their online services in an accessible format. If passed, it is planned that these rules will be brought in by the end of 2003, along with enforcement procedures that will allow disabled people to take cases to court in any EU member state. More information on EU policy in this area can be found on the website of the European Disability Forum (EDF).
In August 2000, in Australia, Mr Bruce Maguire, who is blind, successfully made a complaint against the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games. Mr Maguire took action under the provisions of Australia's disability discrimination legislation, claiming that he was unlawfully discriminated against on several grounds, including that the Organising Committee had failed to provide a Web site that he could access. He was eventually awarded compensation of A$20,000. Although there has not yet been any similar action against website owners in the UK in relation to poor website design, the RNIB (Royal National Institute for the Blind) has considered action under the Disability Discrimination Act. So far when RNIB has raised website accessibility issues with the companies concerned, the companies have tended to alter their websites rather than face potentially costly legal action. This illustrates how easy it can be to make changes needed to make a website accessible.
The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) is an independent body with the aim of eliminating discrimination against disabled people and promoting equality of opportunity. The DRC has a number of functions, including helping disabled people secure their rights under the DDA. This includes enforcing the obligations that website owners have to make their sites accessible under the terms of the DDA. Although initially the Commission has no plans to sue the owners of inaccessible Web sites, it does not rule out taking such action in the future.
However compelling, the existence of anti discrimination legislation is not the only reason for making your site accessible.
It is good practice
An accessible Web site is one that can be visited by anybody. Designing sites with accessibility in mind benefits everyone - not only people with disabilities.
It makes good business sense
Disabled people may well be users or potential users of your services, or potential customers for products you make available on your site.
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995
In the UK, under the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA), any organisation that offers goods or services via their Web site is under a legal obligation to make their sites accessible. Section 19 of the DDA states that it is unlawful for a service provider discriminate against a disabled person by:
* Refusing to provide, or deliberately not providing, to the disabled person, any service which he provides, or is prepared to provide to members of the public; or
* Providing services of a lower standard or in a worse manner; or
* Providing services on worse terms.
Since 1999, providers offering services to the public have been legally required to take such steps as are reasonable them to take, (considering all the circumstances of a case), to enable a disabled person to use the service. Many people are unaware that this obligation can apply Web sites in the same way as it applies to the quality of service provided in a physical environment such as a building. A disabled person can take legal action against a service provider that fails to comply with a duty to make these "reasonable adjustments", unless the service provider can show that such a failure is justified. In relation to Web sites, a provider may be required to:
* Make changes to apractice( what the service provider does) policy (what the service provider intends to do) or procedure (how the service provider goes about its activities)which makes it impossible or unreasonably difficult for a disabled person to use its service, and
* Provide an auxiliary aid or service if it would enable (or make it easier for) disabled people to make use of the service provided by the service provider.
Accompanying the DDA is a code of practice (Access to Goods and Facilities and Premises) (Word doc). The code includes a list of factors that might be taken into account when considering what is reasonable. For example:
* whether taking any particular steps would be effective in overcoming the difficulty that disabled people face in accessing the services in question;
* the extent to which it is practicable for the service provider to take the steps;
* the financial and other costs of making the adjustment;
* the availability of financial or other assistance.
More information on the DDA and code of practice.
Web site design and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (Word Doc), an article written by Stephen Mason and Catherine Casserley Legal Officer, Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB), with additional material provided by Julie Howell, Campaigns Officer (Accessible Internet) RNIB. It provides a more detailed analysis of Web site design and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (see under "getting help" below).
Getting help
Organisations can get information and advice on their duties under the DDA via the Disability Rights Commission helpline. The Disability Rights Commission's website also has useful information to help site owners and developers make their sites more inclusive. For further information and resources on making your Web site accessible see the following:
* Make your website accessible to visually impaired people
* Web Accessibility Resources
* UK Resources for Web Accessibility and the Law
* Web site design and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 by Stephen Mason (197Kb PDF file)
* RNIB Campaign for Good Web Design
* AbilityNet
* World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative Guidelines
You can get free basic advice on Web accessibility issues via the ICT Hub's help desk provided on 0800 652 4737.
For more on commissioning accessible websites see the ICT Hub Publication How To Commission and Design Accessible Websites (1.69 Mb PDF document. Requires Adobe Reader if you don't already have already have this, download it from Adobe).
Lasa's Information Systems Team, and other organisations including AbilityNet and RNIB also provide fee-based consultancy services on making your Web site accessible. Various tools are available to help you check your site for accessibility problems including the Cynthia Says accessibility test. You can check your pages online one at a time for free or buy software that allows you to check whole sites easily.
Conclusion
It is important to make sure whoever is creating your website is aware of accessibility issues and knows how to avoid potential problems and/or fix them. With all the help and guidance available on making websites accessible, organisations will be hard pressed to claim that they are justified in neglecting to provide disabled visitors access to their sites. This will be particularly true for organisations getting their existing sites redeveloped, or those getting a new site built from scratch.
About the author
Lasa Information Systems Team
Lasa Information Systems Team provides a range of services to community and voluntary organisations including ICT Health Checks and consulting on the best application of technology in your organisation. Lasa IST is responsible for maintaining the ICT Hub Knowledgebase.
Fundraising and the Internet
This article provides tips on developing your fundraising skills, carrying out online research and raising money through the Internet
Introduction
Fundraising is the lifeblood of the community and voluntary sector. The Internet provides a great way of honing your fundraising skills; a source of information about funds and data to support your bids; and a way of asking for and receiving money from donors.
Fundraising is a subtle blend of hard work, good research and perseverance. The internet can help with fundraising by offering useful information, teach you how to do fundraising, access to online directories, help with research, downloadable application forms and a way of people giving you money. Email can be used to connect with others in your field, to be kept up to date with useful news, receive updates from funders and to make contact at your convenience, not just when the phones are being staffed.
The main problem is not that there isn’t any information out there. You can generate piles of possible leads and visit thousands of funders’ websites without finding what you want. The key is starting in the right place, to be focused on relevant information, and disciplined about recording what you find so you can easily return to it.
Making money from your website is also possible, but also this needs to be well-planned if it’s going to deliver worthwhile benefits in terms of income. Or you could just use eBay to sell items which people give you.
1. Develop your fundraising skills
Whether you are a professional fundraiser in a large charity or an accidental fundraiser volunteering for a small community group your skills need to be finely honed to make best use of the time you have available. The internet can help to be an effective fundraiser, with access to a large body of professional fundraising expertise, both through web pages and email.
You can download fact sheets, print out checklists, gather top tips and sign up for email newsletters and discussion lists. This selection of useful sites gives a flavour of what’s out there:
Funders Online
Funders Online is a European fundraising portal which covers a wide range of information. The Project Proposal template is a great format for gathering and sharing your initial ideas.
Funderfinder
You have to pay for online access to the popular CD-based funding directory, but there are some excellent fact sheets on fundraising skills in their advice section.
Charities Information Bureau
Charities Information Bureau is a community-based service from Yorkshire which is useful for smaller organisations. Lots of useful information sheets and a monthly email newsletter with funding details [which you have to pay for].
Amazon books
There are lots of books about fundraising, so use Amazon to see what comments have been left by other readers before you buy one.
2. Research that supports your fundraising
Local information – where’s the money?
Your local council may offer online funding information that it is tailored to your area. Here are some examples:
Hammersmith and Fulham
Many councils have signed up for an Open4Community site. Searches are drawn from a large national database but filtered to be relevant to a particular area. You have to register but they are usually free to use.
East Sussex County Council
Fantastically comprehensive view of funds available. The website also has Regular updates on sources of funding in their monthly bidding bulletin.
Useful to everyone, not just local groups.
Or it may be a voluntary sector resource such as this:
Resource Centre
A good example of how local community services can provide fundraising support to local organisations. This excellent website lists their ‘favourite funders’, which are funders who have funded local activities – great for filtering out a long list of possible sources.
National Information Resources
There are subscription-based online services from funding information providers, such as FunderFinder, but the sites listed here were free to use at the time of publication:
Government Funding
The Government Funding website is a one-stop shop for information about all Government funding available to the community and voluntary sector.
UK Fundraising
UK Fundraising is a well-established site with lots of useful links and lists. Better for professional fundraisers than multi-taskers from small organisations.
CafOnline
Managed by the Charities Aid Foundation, Cafonline has lots of useful information about what other charities are doing. Generally better for medium to larger charities but offers access to many different online services.
Government Statistics
Government Statistics is a fantastic source of information to help you with planning and add credibility to your bid. The neighbourhood information collates the most recent Census Data with other public data into an easy to use format. Download data and graphs and drop them into your next application to demonstrate need.
Google
Because every search for information starts with Google. Try putting in “UK fundraising [my specific interest]” e.g. young people, mental health, etc. You’ll find out who’s doing what in your field with latest trends, ideas, contacts and inspiration.
3. Raise funds through the net
The Internet provides a means of communicating with a huge global audience, any number of whom may be willing to support your cause. Any successful fundraising plans must consider what support you’re looking for and how your web site and email could help you in your efforts.
Large-scale fundraising online is typically the preserve of those charities which have traditionally received a lot of money from individual donors – Comic Relief generates millions through its site for example. These charities have large teams of web developers and professional fundraisers working on their plans, so what can smaller charities and voluntary organisations do?
Raise awareness
Having a web site, no matter how basic, helps people find out more about what you do, how you do it, how to contact you. Make sure yours is clear, up-to-date and provides plenty of straightforward information about how people can help you – whether it’s cash or in-kind support that you’re after.
Recruit support
Whether it’s volunteers signing up to help, or making sure that supporters have information about you to pass on to others.
Raise funds
If you don’t ask you don’t get and by using online payment systems like PayPal your website can easily be open to donations 24 hours a day. This is a relatively risk-free way to gauge how much you may be able to raise, but keep your eye on the cut they take and be prepared to switch if you need to.
Further research is needed to really make this work for you – there are many different charges to take account of and you need to be confident of receiving enough funds to cover your set up costs. You also need to integrate this with your fundraising and marketing strategies to maximise the returns.
Registered charities can access easy to use services such as Justgiving or the services provided by Charities Aid Foundation through Cafonline. Although there are set up costs these have the advantage of addling Gift Aid to what you receive.
Buy and sell goods:
Whether you already have a charity shop or simply get the occasional donated item which could be sold online eBay is a serious option compared to the limitations of the local car boot sale or newspaper classifieds, especially for specialist items. This is also an ideal role for an enthusiastic volunteer who can use their eBay knowledge to get the most money coming in.
eBay also has a special charities section that enables people to donate a proportion of their sales to a nominated charity.
http://www.icthubknowledgebase.org.uk/fundraisingandtheinternet
Introduction
Fundraising is the lifeblood of the community and voluntary sector. The Internet provides a great way of honing your fundraising skills; a source of information about funds and data to support your bids; and a way of asking for and receiving money from donors.
Fundraising is a subtle blend of hard work, good research and perseverance. The internet can help with fundraising by offering useful information, teach you how to do fundraising, access to online directories, help with research, downloadable application forms and a way of people giving you money. Email can be used to connect with others in your field, to be kept up to date with useful news, receive updates from funders and to make contact at your convenience, not just when the phones are being staffed.
The main problem is not that there isn’t any information out there. You can generate piles of possible leads and visit thousands of funders’ websites without finding what you want. The key is starting in the right place, to be focused on relevant information, and disciplined about recording what you find so you can easily return to it.
Making money from your website is also possible, but also this needs to be well-planned if it’s going to deliver worthwhile benefits in terms of income. Or you could just use eBay to sell items which people give you.
1. Develop your fundraising skills
Whether you are a professional fundraiser in a large charity or an accidental fundraiser volunteering for a small community group your skills need to be finely honed to make best use of the time you have available. The internet can help to be an effective fundraiser, with access to a large body of professional fundraising expertise, both through web pages and email.
You can download fact sheets, print out checklists, gather top tips and sign up for email newsletters and discussion lists. This selection of useful sites gives a flavour of what’s out there:
Funders Online
Funders Online is a European fundraising portal which covers a wide range of information. The Project Proposal template is a great format for gathering and sharing your initial ideas.
Funderfinder
You have to pay for online access to the popular CD-based funding directory, but there are some excellent fact sheets on fundraising skills in their advice section.
Charities Information Bureau
Charities Information Bureau is a community-based service from Yorkshire which is useful for smaller organisations. Lots of useful information sheets and a monthly email newsletter with funding details [which you have to pay for].
Amazon books
There are lots of books about fundraising, so use Amazon to see what comments have been left by other readers before you buy one.
2. Research that supports your fundraising
Local information – where’s the money?
Your local council may offer online funding information that it is tailored to your area. Here are some examples:
Hammersmith and Fulham
Many councils have signed up for an Open4Community site. Searches are drawn from a large national database but filtered to be relevant to a particular area. You have to register but they are usually free to use.
East Sussex County Council
Fantastically comprehensive view of funds available. The website also has Regular updates on sources of funding in their monthly bidding bulletin.
Useful to everyone, not just local groups.
Or it may be a voluntary sector resource such as this:
Resource Centre
A good example of how local community services can provide fundraising support to local organisations. This excellent website lists their ‘favourite funders’, which are funders who have funded local activities – great for filtering out a long list of possible sources.
National Information Resources
There are subscription-based online services from funding information providers, such as FunderFinder, but the sites listed here were free to use at the time of publication:
Government Funding
The Government Funding website is a one-stop shop for information about all Government funding available to the community and voluntary sector.
UK Fundraising
UK Fundraising is a well-established site with lots of useful links and lists. Better for professional fundraisers than multi-taskers from small organisations.
CafOnline
Managed by the Charities Aid Foundation, Cafonline has lots of useful information about what other charities are doing. Generally better for medium to larger charities but offers access to many different online services.
Government Statistics
Government Statistics is a fantastic source of information to help you with planning and add credibility to your bid. The neighbourhood information collates the most recent Census Data with other public data into an easy to use format. Download data and graphs and drop them into your next application to demonstrate need.
Because every search for information starts with Google. Try putting in “UK fundraising [my specific interest]” e.g. young people, mental health, etc. You’ll find out who’s doing what in your field with latest trends, ideas, contacts and inspiration.
3. Raise funds through the net
The Internet provides a means of communicating with a huge global audience, any number of whom may be willing to support your cause. Any successful fundraising plans must consider what support you’re looking for and how your web site and email could help you in your efforts.
Large-scale fundraising online is typically the preserve of those charities which have traditionally received a lot of money from individual donors – Comic Relief generates millions through its site for example. These charities have large teams of web developers and professional fundraisers working on their plans, so what can smaller charities and voluntary organisations do?
Raise awareness
Having a web site, no matter how basic, helps people find out more about what you do, how you do it, how to contact you. Make sure yours is clear, up-to-date and provides plenty of straightforward information about how people can help you – whether it’s cash or in-kind support that you’re after.
Recruit support
Whether it’s volunteers signing up to help, or making sure that supporters have information about you to pass on to others.
Raise funds
If you don’t ask you don’t get and by using online payment systems like PayPal your website can easily be open to donations 24 hours a day. This is a relatively risk-free way to gauge how much you may be able to raise, but keep your eye on the cut they take and be prepared to switch if you need to.
Further research is needed to really make this work for you – there are many different charges to take account of and you need to be confident of receiving enough funds to cover your set up costs. You also need to integrate this with your fundraising and marketing strategies to maximise the returns.
Registered charities can access easy to use services such as Justgiving or the services provided by Charities Aid Foundation through Cafonline. Although there are set up costs these have the advantage of addling Gift Aid to what you receive.
Buy and sell goods:
Whether you already have a charity shop or simply get the occasional donated item which could be sold online eBay is a serious option compared to the limitations of the local car boot sale or newspaper classifieds, especially for specialist items. This is also an ideal role for an enthusiastic volunteer who can use their eBay knowledge to get the most money coming in.
eBay also has a special charities section that enables people to donate a proportion of their sales to a nominated charity.
http://www.icthubknowledgebase.org.uk/fundraisingandtheinternet
Internet Use Policy
We’ve had lots of calls from organisations looking for help in developing policy for Internet use by staff. We don’t have a standard policy, but here are a few pointers to some of the main issues.
A lot will depend on the existing culture of an organisation and there will be big differences between policies of organisations which place a high degree of autonomy and trust in their staff and those which have a very regulatory atmosphere. The use of e-mail and the Web, chat rooms and instant messaging are closely related, but there are some differences so let's look at them in turn.
Email
A good starting point is the existing policy on telephone usage.
Many organisations accept that staff should be able to make local calls - things like calls to partners, making appointments, arranging childcare etc. assuming these are short and local – e.g. long conversations with friends in Australia are out.
The use of email to send personal messages can be treated in the same way. The cost to the company if they have broadband or a fixed fee dial up account will be zero. So it seems reasonable to allow staff to use the system to send personal emails.
Some companies are concerned that views expressed in emails may be seen as company policy and attach rather tedious and ridiculous disclaimers to all emails. Note that these disclaimers are rarely grounded in law, and in some cases may be counter productive - see Stupid Email Disclaimers for discussion of this, and an amusing library of disclaimers.
Most companies will allow the use of email for personal messages but come down very heavily on staff using company email systems to send or receive certain types of material – pornography or racist material for example. Rolls Royce sacked five staff and suspended 14 for sending pornography by email.
The New York Times sacked 23 people in December 1999 for what it deemed to be offensive emails. There have been other examples since.
These organisations were all routinely monitoring their staff’s use of email.
This highlights an associated privacy issue. The knowledge that emails are monitored will act as a constraint on staff’s use of email, but there should be clarity on what company practice is in this regard: what monitoring is done, for what purpose, what information may be disclosed. The Human Rights Act is beginning ito focus attention on these privacy issues, and the Data Protection Act 1998 also places various responsibilities on employers who wish to monitor staff use of the Internet.
Use of web based email services such as Yahoo, Hotmail or Gmail may be preferable if staff wish to send personal emails. This also means that an organisation's security is maintained with less chance of a virus infection.
Web use
The main issue with the use of the Web probably isn’t the cost of the call but the potential waste of staff time.
There are also potential legal issues, for example if staff download copyrighted music or software through file sharing networks your organisation may be liable. Another issue is that downloading large files on a broadband connection shared across your organisation slows the net down for everyone else.
Using the Web to look up a train time or check out a phone number may be seen as just fine, providing it doesn’t take long, but longer activities like buying a book or finding a cheap flight should be done in a lunch break or after work if your organisation's policy allows this.
Illegal downloading of copyrighted files could potentially expose the organisation to prosecution. In addition to this, file sharing networks can be a good way of picking up viruses!
Some companies bar the use of the Web for personal use completely, others will trust staff to act responsibly but deal harshly with staff viewing distasteful sites. There are some difficult issues here. Who decides what is acceptable? What about legitimate research? Again, the knowledge that everything they do may be monitored by their organisation can be a significant constraint on staff’s use of the Web. Most people are now aware that everything they do on the Web is logged in several places on their PC as well as on the network server. The high profile Gary Glitter case in November 1999 highlighted this issue very clearly.
Any policy on staff’s use of the Web should make clear what monitoring is being done, and if it is felt necessary to proscribe some use of the Web then boundaries need to be clearly spelled out.
Chat Rooms
A chat room is a Web site, or an area of a Web site, or part of an online service like AOL (America On Line), or MSN (Microsoft Network), that allows communities of people with similar interests, but who are usually in different locations to chat online in real time. Chat rooms don't usually require particular software other than a Web browser such as Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox to be installed on the user's machine.
Users may need to register to use a chat room and log in with a user name and possibly also a password. Once users log in a list of other users in the room will usually be visible. In order to chat, users type messages into a text box and the message becomes visible to other users in the room almost instantly. Other users can respond to messages.
Whilst chat rooms can be a legitimate way of communicating with colleagues, they can also be abused.
The main issue in organisations is again likely to be the potential waste of time if staff are using the them for non-work related chat during work time.
Instant Messaging
Instant messaging allows people to see whether a chosen friend or work colleague is on the Internet and send them real time messages. It can be a legitimate, useful and cheap communication tool - especially when trying to stay in contact with colleagues in different locations.
Instant messaging can also enable several people in different locations to chat to each other simultaneously. In order for instant messaging to work, each user must have a messaging client installed on their machine, be connected to the Internet, and be signed up to a service such as AOL, Hotmail/MSN Messenger, Yahoo etc. Each of these online service providers has their own messaging software. Software is also available that allows you to connect to several networks (e.g. Trillian), thereby allowing you to connect with users on all of these IM networks without having to install each network's IM software separately.
As with telephone calls, email, Web and chat room usage, one of the main issues with instant messaging is likely to be the potential waste of staff time.
Lasa Information Systems Team
A lot will depend on the existing culture of an organisation and there will be big differences between policies of organisations which place a high degree of autonomy and trust in their staff and those which have a very regulatory atmosphere. The use of e-mail and the Web, chat rooms and instant messaging are closely related, but there are some differences so let's look at them in turn.
A good starting point is the existing policy on telephone usage.
Many organisations accept that staff should be able to make local calls - things like calls to partners, making appointments, arranging childcare etc. assuming these are short and local – e.g. long conversations with friends in Australia are out.
The use of email to send personal messages can be treated in the same way. The cost to the company if they have broadband or a fixed fee dial up account will be zero. So it seems reasonable to allow staff to use the system to send personal emails.
Some companies are concerned that views expressed in emails may be seen as company policy and attach rather tedious and ridiculous disclaimers to all emails. Note that these disclaimers are rarely grounded in law, and in some cases may be counter productive - see Stupid Email Disclaimers for discussion of this, and an amusing library of disclaimers.
Most companies will allow the use of email for personal messages but come down very heavily on staff using company email systems to send or receive certain types of material – pornography or racist material for example. Rolls Royce sacked five staff and suspended 14 for sending pornography by email.
The New York Times sacked 23 people in December 1999 for what it deemed to be offensive emails. There have been other examples since.
These organisations were all routinely monitoring their staff’s use of email.
This highlights an associated privacy issue. The knowledge that emails are monitored will act as a constraint on staff’s use of email, but there should be clarity on what company practice is in this regard: what monitoring is done, for what purpose, what information may be disclosed. The Human Rights Act is beginning ito focus attention on these privacy issues, and the Data Protection Act 1998 also places various responsibilities on employers who wish to monitor staff use of the Internet.
Use of web based email services such as Yahoo, Hotmail or Gmail may be preferable if staff wish to send personal emails. This also means that an organisation's security is maintained with less chance of a virus infection.
Web use
The main issue with the use of the Web probably isn’t the cost of the call but the potential waste of staff time.
There are also potential legal issues, for example if staff download copyrighted music or software through file sharing networks your organisation may be liable. Another issue is that downloading large files on a broadband connection shared across your organisation slows the net down for everyone else.
Using the Web to look up a train time or check out a phone number may be seen as just fine, providing it doesn’t take long, but longer activities like buying a book or finding a cheap flight should be done in a lunch break or after work if your organisation's policy allows this.
Illegal downloading of copyrighted files could potentially expose the organisation to prosecution. In addition to this, file sharing networks can be a good way of picking up viruses!
Some companies bar the use of the Web for personal use completely, others will trust staff to act responsibly but deal harshly with staff viewing distasteful sites. There are some difficult issues here. Who decides what is acceptable? What about legitimate research? Again, the knowledge that everything they do may be monitored by their organisation can be a significant constraint on staff’s use of the Web. Most people are now aware that everything they do on the Web is logged in several places on their PC as well as on the network server. The high profile Gary Glitter case in November 1999 highlighted this issue very clearly.
Any policy on staff’s use of the Web should make clear what monitoring is being done, and if it is felt necessary to proscribe some use of the Web then boundaries need to be clearly spelled out.
Chat Rooms
A chat room is a Web site, or an area of a Web site, or part of an online service like AOL (America On Line), or MSN (Microsoft Network), that allows communities of people with similar interests, but who are usually in different locations to chat online in real time. Chat rooms don't usually require particular software other than a Web browser such as Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox to be installed on the user's machine.
Users may need to register to use a chat room and log in with a user name and possibly also a password. Once users log in a list of other users in the room will usually be visible. In order to chat, users type messages into a text box and the message becomes visible to other users in the room almost instantly. Other users can respond to messages.
Whilst chat rooms can be a legitimate way of communicating with colleagues, they can also be abused.
The main issue in organisations is again likely to be the potential waste of time if staff are using the them for non-work related chat during work time.
Instant Messaging
Instant messaging allows people to see whether a chosen friend or work colleague is on the Internet and send them real time messages. It can be a legitimate, useful and cheap communication tool - especially when trying to stay in contact with colleagues in different locations.
Instant messaging can also enable several people in different locations to chat to each other simultaneously. In order for instant messaging to work, each user must have a messaging client installed on their machine, be connected to the Internet, and be signed up to a service such as AOL, Hotmail/MSN Messenger, Yahoo etc. Each of these online service providers has their own messaging software. Software is also available that allows you to connect to several networks (e.g. Trillian), thereby allowing you to connect with users on all of these IM networks without having to install each network's IM software separately.
As with telephone calls, email, Web and chat room usage, one of the main issues with instant messaging is likely to be the potential waste of staff time.
About the author
Lasa Information Systems Team
Lasa Information Systems Team provides a range of services to community and voluntary organisations including ICT Health Checks and consulting on the best application of technology in your organisation. Lasa IST is responsible for maintaining the ICT Hub Knowledgebase.
Switching Broadband Provider
You may want to switch broadband provider for many reasons. This article takes you through the steps you need to follow, and outlines some of the pitfalls.
As anyone who has made the switch from dial-up internet connections to broadband will tell you, broadband is wonderful - fast and reliable access to the internet whenever you need it at a fixed price. What more could you ask for?
However, it is likely that at some time you will want to change to a different broadband provider. This could be because your current ISP isn’t providing the level of service your organisation requires, but is equally likely to be because another provider offers faster connection speeds or a better price. Whatever reasons you might have for changing ISP, the process is the same.
Please note this article discusses switching ADSL broadband services. The process may be different for organisations using cable, wireless or some other types of broadband connection.
Throwing the switch
If you already know which ISP you want to switch to, the hardest part of the switching task is already complete. If you haven’t yet decided, have a look at the section labelled Choosing a Provider in the knowledgebase article Getting Connected to the Internet, and read about a few providers on ADSL Guide.
Once you have made a choice, get in touch with your current ISP, and explain that you wish to change providers and you require a MAC number. Make sure to explain that you do not want to cease your connection, but that you are looking to transfer to a different provider.
A MAC number is an administrative code used to identify your DSL connection and verify that you have genuinely asked for a transfer. MAC stands for Migration Authorisation Code.
Armed with your MAC number, call up the new ISP and tell them you wish to avail your organisation of their splendid services and will be transferring your connection from another ISP. At this stage, they will ask you if you have a MAC code. Being forewarned, you already have it. Aren’t you glad you read this article?
MAC code handed over, your new ISP will let you know how long before your connection is transferred (usually around ten days). When this time comes, all going smoothly your internet connection will go down. Twenty minutes or so later, the connection should come back, this time with your new faster, cheaper, rockin’ ISP. Fantastic!
When things go wrong
Did I just write something about things going smoothly? In the majority of cases, the process above describes exactly the way things work — but of course, sometimes things don’t go smoothly, do they?
Problems can arise at a number of stages, which can make the procedure less straightforward than it should be.
Your ISP may not be as forthcoming with that MAC number as they might. A phenomenon known as “Tag on line” might mean your new ISP is unable to make the transfer even with the MAC number. Additionally, delays and faults can arise during the process of actually making the switch.
Give me my MAC!
A relatively common complaint is that a broadband provider will not provide a MAC number. ISPs know that without a MAC number, switching means losing your ADSL connection, and waiting for the other provider to set up a brand new connection – this can mean a month without an internet connection. Faced with this choice, many customers will prefer not to switch at all.
They may have an array of excuses for not being able to provide your MAC – ask them to supply these in writing. If they won’t do this, you can be confident that they are playing games.
It is for this very reason that OFCOM are currently investigating making it compulsory for ISPs to issue MAC numbers to customers who request them. It is likely that this will be the case from some time in 2007.
If you are having trouble switching now, this isn’t much comfort. You can check to see if the offending ISP is signed up to the voluntary code of practice on Broadband Migration at, and if they are, remind them of this. If they persist in refusing to hand over your MAC, and do not give a satisfactory explanation, you may have to stick with them, or risk the downtime of a non-MAC expedited switch. Should it come to this, you may want to complain to Ofcom and CISAS (the Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme). You may be able to receive compensation.
Tag on line
Another problem that can arise, even if you have been issued with a MAC, is the phenomenon known as ‘tag on line’. This means that when your new ISP tries to set up the connection on your phone line, their systems are warned that an incompatible service exists on the line. Often this is a mistake, but until it is rectified, you will not be able to switch providers. Information on what to do about Tag on line can be found on Ofcom’s website.
Things to think about when choosing a new ISP
Will I be able to switch ISPs easily in future?
When talking to a prospective new ISP, ask them their policy on issuing MAC numbers – you may want to switch ISPs again in the future. In addition, that an ISP is happy to issue MAC numbers shows they are confident you won’t actually want to use one!
Is this new offer really the best deal?
Work out the Total Cost of Ownership over the first and second years of any new deals. Often ISPs will give a large discount for the first few months of service. When the price goes back to normal, you may find you pay more than you would have with someone else. When making comparisons, always calculate how much the first and second years will cost.
How long will I be signed up for?
Many ISPs ask you to sign up for a specific time – usually a year or eighteen months. They may offer a discounted price to customers who do this. If you are not given the choice, make sure that you can get out of the contract if the ISP does not deliver the service they promised.
The vast majority of broadband transfers go smoothly, and with any luck, you will experience no difficulties. Managing the process should minimise your risks. With any luck, switching broadband provider will be a rare, but pleasant, experience.
Lasa Information Systems Team provides a range of services to community and voluntary organisations including ICT Health Checks and consulting on the best application of technology in your organisation. Lasa IST is responsible for maintaining the ICT Hub Knowledgebase.
As anyone who has made the switch from dial-up internet connections to broadband will tell you, broadband is wonderful - fast and reliable access to the internet whenever you need it at a fixed price. What more could you ask for?
However, it is likely that at some time you will want to change to a different broadband provider. This could be because your current ISP isn’t providing the level of service your organisation requires, but is equally likely to be because another provider offers faster connection speeds or a better price. Whatever reasons you might have for changing ISP, the process is the same.
Please note this article discusses switching ADSL broadband services. The process may be different for organisations using cable, wireless or some other types of broadband connection.
Throwing the switch
If you already know which ISP you want to switch to, the hardest part of the switching task is already complete. If you haven’t yet decided, have a look at the section labelled Choosing a Provider in the knowledgebase article Getting Connected to the Internet, and read about a few providers on ADSL Guide.
Once you have made a choice, get in touch with your current ISP, and explain that you wish to change providers and you require a MAC number. Make sure to explain that you do not want to cease your connection, but that you are looking to transfer to a different provider.
A MAC number is an administrative code used to identify your DSL connection and verify that you have genuinely asked for a transfer. MAC stands for Migration Authorisation Code.
Armed with your MAC number, call up the new ISP and tell them you wish to avail your organisation of their splendid services and will be transferring your connection from another ISP. At this stage, they will ask you if you have a MAC code. Being forewarned, you already have it. Aren’t you glad you read this article?
MAC code handed over, your new ISP will let you know how long before your connection is transferred (usually around ten days). When this time comes, all going smoothly your internet connection will go down. Twenty minutes or so later, the connection should come back, this time with your new faster, cheaper, rockin’ ISP. Fantastic!
When things go wrong
Did I just write something about things going smoothly? In the majority of cases, the process above describes exactly the way things work — but of course, sometimes things don’t go smoothly, do they?
Problems can arise at a number of stages, which can make the procedure less straightforward than it should be.
Your ISP may not be as forthcoming with that MAC number as they might. A phenomenon known as “Tag on line” might mean your new ISP is unable to make the transfer even with the MAC number. Additionally, delays and faults can arise during the process of actually making the switch.
Give me my MAC!
A relatively common complaint is that a broadband provider will not provide a MAC number. ISPs know that without a MAC number, switching means losing your ADSL connection, and waiting for the other provider to set up a brand new connection – this can mean a month without an internet connection. Faced with this choice, many customers will prefer not to switch at all.
They may have an array of excuses for not being able to provide your MAC – ask them to supply these in writing. If they won’t do this, you can be confident that they are playing games.
It is for this very reason that OFCOM are currently investigating making it compulsory for ISPs to issue MAC numbers to customers who request them. It is likely that this will be the case from some time in 2007.
If you are having trouble switching now, this isn’t much comfort. You can check to see if the offending ISP is signed up to the voluntary code of practice on Broadband Migration at, and if they are, remind them of this. If they persist in refusing to hand over your MAC, and do not give a satisfactory explanation, you may have to stick with them, or risk the downtime of a non-MAC expedited switch. Should it come to this, you may want to complain to Ofcom and CISAS (the Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme). You may be able to receive compensation.
Tag on line
Another problem that can arise, even if you have been issued with a MAC, is the phenomenon known as ‘tag on line’. This means that when your new ISP tries to set up the connection on your phone line, their systems are warned that an incompatible service exists on the line. Often this is a mistake, but until it is rectified, you will not be able to switch providers. Information on what to do about Tag on line can be found on Ofcom’s website.
Things to think about when choosing a new ISP
Will I be able to switch ISPs easily in future?
When talking to a prospective new ISP, ask them their policy on issuing MAC numbers – you may want to switch ISPs again in the future. In addition, that an ISP is happy to issue MAC numbers shows they are confident you won’t actually want to use one!
Is this new offer really the best deal?
Work out the Total Cost of Ownership over the first and second years of any new deals. Often ISPs will give a large discount for the first few months of service. When the price goes back to normal, you may find you pay more than you would have with someone else. When making comparisons, always calculate how much the first and second years will cost.
How long will I be signed up for?
Many ISPs ask you to sign up for a specific time – usually a year or eighteen months. They may offer a discounted price to customers who do this. If you are not given the choice, make sure that you can get out of the contract if the ISP does not deliver the service they promised.
The vast majority of broadband transfers go smoothly, and with any luck, you will experience no difficulties. Managing the process should minimise your risks. With any luck, switching broadband provider will be a rare, but pleasant, experience.
About the author
Lasa Information Systems TeamLasa Information Systems Team provides a range of services to community and voluntary organisations including ICT Health Checks and consulting on the best application of technology in your organisation. Lasa IST is responsible for maintaining the ICT Hub Knowledgebase.
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