Digital Cities : smarter, safer, cleaner, more inclusive

Digital Cities – making your city smarter, safer, cleaner and more inclusive

The Digital Cities Index 2022 whitepaper sets out the key factors that have helped cities worldwide adopt digital technologies. The report provides an insight into the many benefits digital technologies offer and highlights best practice examples from the top-performing smart cities.

The report emphasises there is a sizeable bank of experience based on digital technology deployments throughout the world, which can be used when cities choose to form their own policies/strategies. In this blog post, I’ll summarise the key takeaways of the DCI report.

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Small Business IT Security Guide title image

Small Business IT Security Guide

We receive a lot of enquiries from small business (SMB) and SME customers looking at ways they can enhance the security of their IT and network environment. We thought we’d share a Small Business Security Blueprint which provides advice, examples and suggested products that can enhance the security of any small business. Read more

Microsoft Office 365 Updates – March 2022

As of 1st March 2022, Microsoft will be making changes to its Microsoft 365 product subscriptions. The changes relate to pricing and the minimum term.

The changes announced by Microsoft apply to Microsoft 365 services provided by MTG and direct from Microsoft.

Pricing

Microsoft announced a price increase of approximately 15-20% across a range of products. The products and the proposed price changes are set out below.

License Current Price New Price Increase
Office 365 E1 £6.00 £7.28 21%
Office 365 E3 £17.60 £20.25 15%
Microsoft 365 Business Basic £3.80 £4.56 20%
Microsoft 365 Business Premium £15.10 £16.60 10%

Minimum Term

Microsoft has changed the way in which services are provided and the following will now apply:

  • All subscriptions are now subject to a minimum 12-month term.
  • If the customer prefers a month-by-month arrangement, the service will be subject to a 20% premium.
  • Licenses can be mixed and matched (i.e. some licenses can be on a monthly term, while others on an annual term).
  • Unless cancelled, services will renew on a 12-month basis from the anniversary date.

How will this affect your organisation?

  • Whether Annual or Monthly – you will still be billed monthly by Manx Technology Group
  • The number of licenses active as of March 1st 2022 will be the number of licenses active for the next 12 months.  Licenses cannot be reduced while within the minimum term.
  • Once a new order is submitted, a customer has 72-hours to cancel before the 12-month term takes effect.
  • If you need to add licenses during this period, they can be co-termed with the existing anniversary date.
  • If you would prefer your subscriptions to be on a monthly plan, this can be arranged, but it will be subject to the Microsoft monthly premium.

Next steps

  • MTG will increase the subscription charges as of March 1st 2022 and your invoices will update automatically.
  • MTG can also provide a breakdown of current license usage to assist with your decision making (please e-mail sales@mtg.im for more information)

Questions

If you have any questions – please e-mail sales@mtg.im and we will gladly assist

More information

The price increase is the first major price change in the UK since Office 365 was launched in 2011.

Microsoft has emphasised the price changes are due to the increased value, security, and the investment they have made in the Microsoft 365 platform, particularly with the introduction of new services such as Microsoft Teams etc.

Original Microsoft announcement

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2021/08/19/new-pricing-for-microsoft-365/

Health Risks – Poor air quality and particulates

It is widely recognised that poor air quality and high levels of particulates can significantly impact an individual’s health. The WHO estimates that 7 million people die each year from exposure to fine particles in polluted air. A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has confirmed the association between short-term exposure to particulates and increased cardiovascular and respiratory mortality. The significant health risk posed by pollution is a crucial driver behind IoT air quality monitoring, electric vehicles and renewables.

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