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The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has called for radical changes to the emergency '999' call service to reflect the digital age, where more people are communicating by text or social media, rather than making a voice call.

In a report, 'Contacting Emergency Services in the Digital Age', the IET sets out the case for emergency services to keep pace with the increasing move away from landlines to smart phones, and from voice to data.

It argues that in a world where smartphones, text and social media are becoming the norm, creating a new cross-platform, data-based emergency service with a standard interface for consumers should be a priority.

Such a move may not only save lives but also enable calls and messages to be better filtered in order to receive more appropriate and faster responses, probably at lower cost.

Launching the report at a meeting supported by the Cabinet Office, the IET is bringing together representatives from Government, the emergency services, BT, Ofcom and the mobile phone industry to agree how best to work together to bring the emergency service into the digital age.

Professor Will Stewart, Chair of the IET's Communications Policy Panel, said: "Communications has changed drastically since the '999' service was designed in 1937, so there is a critical need to update the service.

"Ofcom figures show, for example, that 94% of communications from 12-15 year olds is text based. Given that young people are statistically more likely to be victims of crime or accidents, it is a concern that making a voice call to contact the emergency services is not something that would feel natural to them.

"A girl alone in a mini cab who becomes worried about her personal safety might feel unable to make a call on her mobile phone - but could send a text or alert someone over social media. And in the case of certain crimes, such as abduction or a break-in, a silent text or app-based alarm system would be more appropriate and instinctive than the current voice-based one for everybody - irrespective of their age.

"Much of the technology we need to update our emergency service is available today. But we need a shared, cross-party strategy to create a common and user-friendly interface for all service providers to connect to - and one that the general public will be happy to use. And it's important we do this before different parties go off and do their own thing - confronting the public with too many options and no universal emergency service."

Superintendent Mark Nottage, who works on the Emergency Services Mobile Communication Programme at the Home Office, agrees that ensuring increasingly data-based public services, including the Police Service, are in the best possible position to use advances in digital technology is a priority.

He said: "Many people, particularly young people, are using a range of social media applications to communicate, and many rarely make voice calls in their daily lives. This means that we need to adapt and be responsive to ensure that when people need to contact the emergency services or other public services they can quickly access the right information and the most appropriate service first time, and in the way that they choose and are familiar with."

A data-based emergency service would allow people to text alerts via any appropriate app on a chosen easy-to-remember special number, such as 999 - and these alerts would then be passed to the human emergency operator.

The main engineering challenge would be to set up priority routing of alerts to this special number in order to avoid delays at busy times. This needs to be arranged in consultation with the main mobile and app-based text providers.

There is also considerable opportunity to improve the existing emergency service with, for example, the latest GPS technology available on smart phones. An automatic software system could scan texts and pass on any known user information, approximate handset location and any recent issues with the handset, such as if it has been reported stolen.

It could also check whether the message contains any alert keywords such as 'sOS', or 'release' use of the camera  or voice recording functions on the phone to the human operator, resulting in a much more accurate and rapid assessment of the level and nature of the threat involved.

Some apps for smartphones are exploring even more novel possibilities, such as peer-to-peer help systems for emergencies.

A week after rival Exertis signed up with Dell to be its retail champion, distributor Tech Data UK has decided to place more focus on retail and introduce new services and processes designed to meet the 'omni-channel' needs of customers in the sector, making it 'easier and more efficient for retailers to do business'.

The company is aiming to drive significant growth in the retail sector and has formed an autonomous retail board, headed by Group Sales Director Martin Boyce, to focus on developing the company's retail strategy and driving higher awareness and activity across the business.

Boyce said: "We have a strategic plan and we are making a long-term commitment to growing our business in this sector. We are introducing new services and processes to meet the specific, diverse and rapidly changing needs of retailers. These services, along with the investment in people and resources we have made, will provide a strong focus and support for retailers, make it easier for them to do business with us and keep control of their costs."

The company is also aiming to form new partnerships with key retail vendors. It already works with consumer brands and is presently talking to a number of a number of other major names about adding their product lines to its portfolio.

Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise (ALE) has introduced a new channel partner programme for partners selling voice, UC, networking and cloud services.

ALE became an independent business in October 2014 and has since revamped its traditional distribution model.

The Value for Partners (V4P) programme has three goals: To cut the total cost of partnership using automation and simplification; to increase partner revenues using Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise solutions through new opportunities and boosting customer adoption; and to co-invest in joint transformation through training, automation and go-to-market investments.

Peter Tebbutt, Country Manager UK&I, ALE UK, said: "By focusing on the proximity, the competencies and the efficiency of partners we can work to understand the customer needs, master the automation tools and deliver on the expected shared outcomes. Collaboration with our partners is the heart of how we will be successful."

VIP hospitality during the England versus Australia clash at this year's Rugby World Cup awaits the winners of an incentive launched by Nimans and Unify.

Based on highest sales growth the initiative runs until September 25th andwill see eight resellers take their places at Twickenham for the sell-out clash in October.

"The match includes five star hospitality and some of the best seats in the house," said John McKindland, Head of Systems Sales at Nimans.

"The competition is open to all partners and they have been given individual sales targets so everyone has an equal chance of winning. It's not just based on who generates the largest volume, but highest growth."

Technology Services Group (TSG) has appointed Andy Hayward (pictured) as MD for the southern region.

Before joining he was MD of Microsoft Dynamics Gold Partner m-hance, formally Calyx Software, since 2009.

TSG CEO David Stonehouse commented: "Andy brings a wealth of technical and sales experience with Microsoft's CRM and ERP products.

"He also has an impressive track record of managing complex mid-market strategies and business growth in the sectors we currently focus on which will be invaluable as we move the business forward."

Hayward added: "I've seen many businesses in the industry claim that they can offer the complete end to end service. From what I've already seen at TSG I can see that our huge breadth in expertise and capability makes us one of a small number of companies that can actually deliver this."

TSG has also appointed three account directors in the southern region and is recruiting a number of business development managers for the London office.

IT lifecycle management firm Network 2 Supplies (N2S) has been awarded CAS-S (CESG Assured Service Sanitation) accreditation for data destruction at the highest levels within government departments.

The Suffolk-based company has CESG is the information security arm of the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) and the National Technical Authority, which is considered the definitive voice on the technical aspects of information security in the government.

N2S will now provide government approved onsite data sanitisation and recycling of IT equipment at the end of its life. The accreditation will also allow N2S to specialise in the destruction of Government Security Classified data bearing assets in accordance with CESG policy.

N2S can shred or disintegrate all IT equipment including computer hard drives, tapes, mobile phones and associated cabling.

All N2S engineers are security cleared. N2S can also offer onsite data wiping and carry out secure moves from one customer site to another.

Andy Gomarsall, N2S director, said: "Obtaining the CAS-S accreditation is part of the ongoing N2S strategy to make us the most secure IT data destruction company within the UK. This accreditation will complement the range of services that N2S provides to its client base and one which will be required by our global business partners."

Pictured: Redundant IT equipment at N2S ready for destruction and recycling.

It's that time of year when every day is punctuated by how quickly you can get away from work, pop into the supermarket, get home and light your barbecue, writes Clive Jefferys, Managing Director of telco recruiter, JMA Network.
 
With school holidays nearly upon us, many of your staff will start disappearing on holiday and you'll be wondering who is covering what within the business.
 
So, if there's little time or inclination to carry on with recruitment, is it best to leave it until September? No, the summer is one of the best times to steal a march on your competition for staff!
 
Year-on-year, we find July and August to be one of our best sales periods. Highly motivated candidates make more of every job lead and work harder to impress an employer at interview. 

For hirers to take advantage of this renewed enthusiasm they should accommodate every opportunity to meet that elusive, ideal candidate.

It's tough to find time for interviews when colleagues are absent, so you should be prepared to meet up at evenings and weekends too.
 
The smart move for hirers is to keep on looking and hiring. With practically every leaver being held to a month's notice, the lead time to your new starters has already stretched into early autumn.  
 
Keep on the case, step on the gas, and turn up the heat: The clichés are endless but true nonetheless, so don't let a summer slowdown delay your new hires until Christmas.

Wick Hill has received an investment boost from Rigby Private Equity enabling the distributor to pursue its growth and international expansion plans. Rigby Private Equity operates as an independent entity within Rigby Group Investments and the deal brings an opportunity for Wick Hill to expand into Europe and the Middle East. There will be no change to Wick Hill's modus operandi following the investment other than the scaling up of its growth ambitions.

Wick Hill Group Chairman Ian Kilpatrick commented: "This deal gives Wick Hill an opportunity for major growth and the chance to take our distribution model across Europe and the Middle East.

"Some of our vendors and potential vendors, as well as some of our customers, have been asking us for an international network and we will now be able to deliver that."

Paul Eccleston, Head of Rigby Private Equity, said: "Rigby Private Equity has been formed to identify established companies with a great value proposition and plans for strong growth.

"Our aim is to invest in these companies, so we can support the acceleration of their growth plans.

"This is an exciting time for us, for the Wick Hill team and for Wick Hill's customers and vendor partners."

TeleWare has launched a new recruitment initiative to find a select number of strategic partners operating in key verticals.

The existing partner network incorporates mobile operators, service providers, application providers and vendors.

CEO Steve Haworth said: "We're looking to work with partners, particularly in the finance, professional services, retail and healthcare space, that share our ambition and vision to transform business performance by focusing on improving customer experience, employee productivity and if applicable, ensuring regulatory requirements are met."

A new partner programme includes margins and incentives opportunities plus product training updates, marketing and sales enablement support.

"The market is changing fast and the impact of Microsoft Lync has been enormous," added Haworth. "Being at the forefront of these market changes is crucial to ours and our partners' growth.
 
"We want to create long-term value driven partnerships that help to transform the businesses of our clients."

Claranet has been named a 'Leader' in Gartner's Cloud Enabled Managed Hosting Magic Quadrant, Europe, for the third year in a row.

Claranet's CEO Charles Nasser stated: "We have taken big strides over the past year to support our completeness of vision and improve our ability to execute across Europe.

"The strategically important acquisitions in Portugal and Spain bolstered our Iberian presence, while our strengthening relationships with large infrastructure providers, such as AWS and Microsoft, have facilitated the development of more innovative services.

"We believe that these improvements enable us to support our customers better than ever before and have been reflected in our improved position in this year's Magic Quadrant.
  
"The European managed hosting market is rapidly consolidating around a handful of major providers, of which Claranet is one.

"Earlier this year we completed a round of refinancing which has granted us new flexibility to develop the business with new acquisitions and product development, while ensuring that our growth is sustainable in the longer term."