Leylass2001

Have you looked at EXA Networks? They use SurfProtect Filtering which is excellent and so easy to use in comparison to Lightspeed. For firewall purposes they use NetAsq and are introducing Fortigate as an add on to their Broadband. The big thing for me is that their help desk is amazing. You receive an immediate response whether logging calls via telephone or email. Its well worth a look - pm me if you want more info

They would have to reduce it more than 26% to even begin to compete with other companies out there, also taking into account the fact that the CLEO network is ageing and slow I would advise that if you were looking for an alternative provider carry on looking, don't be tempted to stay as the service isn't going to get any better...after all...it I BT!!...enough said!! :-)

I can only predict further chaos for the schools, BT is BT at the end of the day and the fact that they are 'scrapping' OCL is, to me, purely for publicity to make people think they are going to put the service back together....but maybe Im just being cynical!!

Hi sammy42, in the new SLA for 14/15 you can give notice anytime, however, my insider sources tell me that they are going to insist on 12 months notice!! and no, they wont give you a refund even if they dont provide you with your SLA until May!! I would suggest that, if you are even considering leaving then hand your notice in before the end of January. If you pm me Ill give you the info of the company we went with

Hi dezt, I used to work for Westfield then One Connect so have quite a bit of knowledge in this area, If you do only have SIMs application support this will be listed on your SLA as SIMS Software Only Support Service (Plan i) - If this is the case then you can install SIMs yourself however you need to be a bit careful as, if your server then 'falls over' at some point in the future leaving the school with no SIMS system, One Connect will NOT support the hardware without it costing you a small fortune!! SIMS application support covers the software only meaning the elements of SIMS, personnel, finance etc. MHowever they cant dictate to any school where you buy your hardware from, what they can do is insist that it meets Capita's minimum spec otherwise they wont support any of it!! If you need any further info pm me and Ill send it across :-)

Hi badders, we are a Lancashire Primary School who also had a quote from RM however we went with a Lancashire company called Blue Orange who partner with EXA Networks. They were cheaper than RM and the service has been excellent. I know they deal with some schools in Cumbria, pm me if you'd like contact details

I was looking at using EXA, Im a Lancashire school....where are you based? Id heard really good things about EXA so had no reservations

Blue Orange IT in Adlington can also provide all of the services above and have the added value of being ex LCC staff including engineers so they know how a school ticks and what needs to be covered :-)

Be careful when moving SIMS, there are currently licensing issues