Straight answers on IT, security & AI for UK businesses
Search every answer on IT support, cyber security, Cyber Essentials, Microsoft 365, broadband, phones and AI, or jump to your question.
- 311 answers across 18 topics
- NCSC Assured Service Provider
- Updated
How much does Cyber Essentials cost?
The IASME fee is £320–£600 + VAT. Our readiness help starts from £395 + VAT. Read the answer
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This FAQ should help with most of your questions. Pick a topic below, or search for what you need.
Managed IT Support21 answersWhat an MSP does, how support works, SLAs and switching.
- Are your services more expensive than hiring an in-house IT team?
- Can We Cancel the Contract If We’re Not Satisfied?
- Do We Have a Dedicated Team or Rotating Technicians?
- How Do You Differ from Other MSPs After a Bad Experience?
- How do you monitor our devices?
- How does the IT support process work?
- How Quickly Can You Respond to Emergencies?
- How Will You Handle the Transition from Our Current IT Setup?
- What Does Your Onboarding Process Look Like?
- What Exactly Is a Managed Service Provider (MSP)?
- What If We Need IT Services Beyond Our Package?
- What is a business server?
- What is a managed service provider, and do I need one?
- What Is an SLA (Service Level Agreement)?
- What is endpoint protection?
- What is Kaseya MyGlue and how does it help your business?
- What IT services does ABCOM provide for Sussex businesses?
- What Makes You Different from Other MSPs?
- Why does your business need an APC UPS and which type should you choose?
- Why Is It Important to Have a Server Under Warranty?
- Why Should I Use an Outsourced IT Support Company?
Cyber Security30 answersRansomware, MFA, scams, insurance and incident response.
- Can you write our cyber security and IT policies?
- Do I need an Incident Response Plan?
- Do small businesses still need a firewall?
- Does ABCOM guarantee protection against cyber attacks or fraud?
- Does ABCOM offer cyber insurance?
- How are criminals using AI in cyber attacks?
- How can our staff spot a phishing email?
- How do we reduce shadow AI in our business?
- How do you ensure security of client credentials?
- How does ABCOM keep up with new threats?
- How does ransomware work, and what can I do if I’m attacked?
- How much does cyber insurance cost?
- How to Identify a Sophisticated Email Scam and Bolster Your Business Against Email Scams
- How to make employees your first line of cyber defence.
- What are “supply chain attacks,” and how serious are they?
- What are the common types of MFA solutions?
- What are the most common cyber threats to UK SMEs in 2026?
- What does cyber insurance cover?
- What happens if we’re hit by ransomware or a data breach?
- What if we already have cyber insurance?
- What is an Incident Response Plan?
- What is dark web monitoring and how does it work?
- What is MFA (multi-factor authentication)?
- What is shadow AI?
- What is the Importance of DMARC DKIM and SPF records?
- What is user awareness training?
- What risks can a business face without MFA in place?
- What role does employee training play in cybersecurity?
- What should we do in the first hour after a cyber attack?
- Why Should My Business Use MFA?
Cyber Essentials16 answersCertification cost, scope, timelines and what happens if you fail.
- Cyber Essentials for Sussex Businesses: A Practical Guide
- Does ABCOM offer cyber insurance?
- How Do Security Updates Work for Cyber Essentials?
- How long does Cyber Essentials take?
- How Much Does Cyber Essentials Cost in the UK?
- Is Cyber Essentials Enough for Small and Medium Businesses?
- What Are the Benefits of Cyber Security Policies?
- What changed in Cyber Essentials from April 2026?
- What devices are in scope for Cyber Essentials?
- What Does Secure Configuration Mean for Cyber Essentials?
- What Happens If You Fail Cyber Essentials?
- What Is a Firewall Under Cyber Essentials?
- What is the difference between Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus?
- What Is User Access Control in Cyber Essentials?
- What Malware Protection Does Cyber Essentials Require?
- Why Do UK Businesses Need Cyber Essentials Certification?
Microsoft 36550 answersLicences, security, Teams, Outlook and datacentres.
- Do Microsoft Frontier features cost extra?
- Do you have enough expertise with Microsoft services?
- Does a small business need Microsoft Fabric?
- How Can I Check Microsoft 365 Service Status?
- How can MFA help in Addressing Cyber Security Risks?
- How can we be sure that our data is secure?
- How do we get access to Microsoft Frontier features?
- How do we run a subject access request in Microsoft Purview?
- How do you plan to implement MFA for businesses you work with?
- How is Copilot Cowork billed?
- How much does Microsoft 365 Copilot cost for a small business?
- How to open a shared Mail, Calendar or People folder in Outlook for Mac
- How to report phishing emails in Outlook (including to the NCSC)
- Is Microsoft Copilot safe for our business data?
- Isn’t it more cost-effective to handle Microsoft services in-house?
- Microsoft Teams Add-in Missing in Outlook? Fix It Fast
- What are Microsoft 365 A3 and A5 academic licences, and who can buy them?
- What are the benefits of Microsoft 365 compliance?
- What are the common types of MFA solutions?
- What are the main benefits of implementing MFA in a business?
- What benefits does a Microsoft managed partner bring?
- What can Copilot Cowork be used for in a small business?
- What changes to Microsoft Copilot billing happen in November 2026?
- What is a GDAP?
- What is Conditional Access?
- What is Copilot Cowork (Microsoft Cowork)?
- What is Copilot Studio?
- What is Exclaimer and why should every business use central email signatures?
- What is Microsoft 365 and what is it used for?
- What is Microsoft 365 Copilot and how does it help businesses?
- What is Microsoft 365 for business?
- What is Microsoft 365 Lighthouse and how do we use it to monitor your tenancy?
- What is Microsoft compliance score?
- What is Microsoft Entra?
- What is Microsoft Fabric?
- What is Microsoft Frontier?
- What is Microsoft Intune?
- What is Microsoft Purview Information Protection (formerly Azure Information Protection)?
- What is Microsoft Purview?
- What is Microsoft Secure Score
- What is Multi Factor Authentication?
- What is the Microsoft Scout app?
- What risks can a business face without MFA in place?
- What’s the difference between Copilot Cowork and Microsoft Scout?
- What’s the difference between free Copilot Chat and a paid Microsoft 365 Copilot licence?
- Where are the Microsoft datacentres located in the UK?
- Why Should My Business Use MFA?
- Teams Meeting button missing in Outlook: how to bring the add-in back
- How to open a shared mailbox or shared mail folder in Outlook for Mac
- How to open a shared calendar in Outlook for Mac
AI for Business42 answersCopilot, ChatGPT, shadow AI, policies and costs.
- Can we use AI without our data leaving the building?
- Copilot vs ChatGPT: what’s the difference for businesses?
- Do businesses need an AI usage policy?
- Do Microsoft Frontier features cost extra?
- Does a small business need Microsoft Fabric?
- Does Microsoft Copilot train on your company data?
- Does the EU AI Act affect UK businesses?
- Does using AI affect Cyber Essentials certification?
- How are criminals using AI in cyber attacks?
- How can businesses use ChatGPT safely and effectively?
- How do we get access to Microsoft Frontier features?
- How do we reduce shadow AI in our business?
- How do you prepare your business for Microsoft 365 Copilot and AI adoption?
- How does ABCOM use AI itself?
- How is Copilot Cowork billed?
- How much does Microsoft 365 Copilot cost for a small business?
- Is AI compliant with GDPR in the UK?
- Is ChatGPT safe to use at work?
- Is Microsoft 365 Copilot secure for business use?
- Is Microsoft Copilot safe for our business data?
- Should we turn off AI model training in ChatGPT and Claude?
- What are AI agents?
- What can Copilot Cowork be used for in a small business?
- What changes to Microsoft Copilot billing happen in November 2026?
- What data can Microsoft 365 Copilot access?
- What data should never be shared with AI tools?
- What do we get at the end of the AI Readiness Sprint?
- What does “frontier AI” mean?
- What is ABCOM’s AI Readiness Sprint?
- What is Copilot Cowork (Microsoft Cowork)?
- What is Copilot Studio?
- What is Microsoft 365 Copilot and how does it help businesses?
- What is Microsoft Fabric?
- What is Microsoft Frontier Accelerate?
- What is Microsoft Frontier?
- What is shadow AI?
- What is the Microsoft Scout app?
- What should an AI acceptable use policy include?
- What’s the difference between Copilot Cowork and Microsoft Scout?
- What’s the difference between free Copilot Chat and a paid Microsoft 365 Copilot licence?
- Where should a small business start with AI?
- Who is responsible for AI governance in a company?
Compliance & Data Protection24 answersGDPR, Purview, DLP, policies and audits.
- Can we use AI without our data leaving the building?
- Can you write our cyber security and IT policies?
- Does the EU AI Act affect UK businesses?
- How can businesses ensure GDPR compliance in 2026?
- How do we run a subject access request in Microsoft Purview?
- Is GDPR compliance mandatory for all businesses in the UK?
- Is UK GDPR still relevant to businesses in 2026?
- What are the benefits of Microsoft 365 compliance?
- What are the penalties for GDPR non-compliance in the UK?
- What does the GDPR do for businesses?
- What is a cyber security audit?
- What is a GDAP?
- What is a Virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO)?
- What is an Online Safety Policy?
- What is Conditional Access?
- What is data loss prevention (DLP) and why is it essential?
- What is Microsoft compliance score?
- What is Microsoft Intune?
- What is Microsoft Litigation Hold: Understanding Its Purpose and Application
- What is Microsoft Purview Information Protection (formerly Azure Information Protection)?
- What is Microsoft Purview?
- What is the difference between the ICO and GDPR?
- What is user awareness training?
- What should an AI acceptable use policy include?
Business Internet25 answersBroadband, FTTP, leased lines and the PSTN switch-off.
- Are there any data limits or caps on your broadband plans?
- Are there any potential downtime or maintenance periods that could disrupt my service?
- Business Internet Support & Care Levels
- Do you offer any additional services or features like VoIP or static IP addresses?
- Do you offer any guarantees or compensation for service outages?
- How can I test the speed of my current broadband?
- How can I troubleshoot my network and issues with broadband speeds?
- How does your broadband pricing compare to other providers in the market?
- How does your customer support compare to larger broadband providers?
- How reliable is your broadband service compared to leading national providers?
- How secure is the broadband connection you provide, especially against cyberattacks or breaches?
- Leased line vs FTTC: which is right for your business?
- My Internet is slow what can I do?
- What are Ethernet services?
- What are the benefits of FTTP?
- What are the different types of Broadband?
- What details do we need to move our broadband over to ABCOM?
- What is Direct Routing for Microsoft Teams?
- What is Downdetector and when should I use it?
- What is Phoneline+?
- What is the Big Switch off?
- What is the PSTN switch-off all about?
- What is your process to review our current Broadband and quote for a suitable replacement or a better solution?
- What kind of technology or infrastructure are you using, and is it future-proofed for upcoming advancements?
- What measures does your business take to ensure consistent internet speeds during peak hours?
Business Phones & VoIP35 answersHosted telephony, number porting and Teams calling.
- Are your telecom services reliable, given that you’re primarily a Managed Services Provider (MSP)?
- Can I integrate your telecom services with my existing IT infrastructure?
- Can people work remotely?
- Do I have to change my phone number?
- Do I still need physical phone lines with Horizon Hosted Phone System?
- Do you offer any guarantees or SLAs?
- Does the Voip system support call recording?
- Explain what Horizon for Teams is?
- How do I know your telecoms services are right for my business?
- How do your telecoms pricing compare with dedicated telecom providers?
- How does a cloud phone system help business continuity?
- How does VoIP Work?
- How scalable are your telecom solutions?
- How secure are your telecom services?
- Is transitioning to your telecoms service disruptive?
- Is VoIP the same as cloud?
- What are the benefits of a cloud-based phone system?
- What does the number porting process involve?
- What Does Your Onboarding Process Look Like?
- What happens if there’s a telecom outage?
- What happens to my numbers when I switch to Horizon Hosted Phone System?
- What Is a Letter of Authority (LOA)?
- What is a soft client?
- What is Call queuing?
- What is Cisco Webex Calling and is it right for your business?
- What is Horizon Cloud PBX?
- What is Horizon Integrator?
- What is hosted telephony?
- What is Red Cactus and how does it connect your phone system to your CRM?
- What is the Horizon Call Centre?
- What is the PSTN switch-off all about?
- What is the Receptionist Console?
- Which CRMs and phone systems can Red Cactus connect together?
- Will I need to change my handsets?
- Will the call quality be the same with Horizon Hosted Phone System?
Networking & Wi-Fi20 answersCabling, Wi-Fi design, VPNs and site surveys.
- Can an Electrician Install Network Cabling?
- Do I Need to Replace Existing Network Cabling?
- How Do I Know If My Wi-Fi Is Fit for Purpose?
- How Long Should Network Cabling Last?
- How Many Devices Can a Wi-Fi Network Support?
- How Should a Business Network Be Designed?
- How to Stay Safe on Hotel & Public Wi-Fi | Public Wi-Fi Security
- How Wireless Networks Are Designed — and What a Wi-Fi Heatmap Is Used For?
- I’m Concerned About the Cost of Network Cabling — What Should I Consider?
- Public Wi-Fi Safety for Business Travellers
- What Causes Poor Wi-Fi Performance in Buildings?
- What Happens If a Network Cable Fails?
- What If We Need Urgent On-Site Support for Cabling Issues?
- What is a UPS?
- What Is a VPN (Virtual Private Network)?
- What is a wireless site survey and when is it needed?
- What Is Network Security Design and Why Does It Matter?
- What’s the Difference Between Cat 5e, Cat 6, Cat 6a and Cat 7 Network Cables?
- Why do you recommend Ubiquiti?
- Will We Need to Manage Multiple Vendors for Cabling and Network Work?
Backup & Disaster Recovery14 answersBackup you can trust, restore times and ransomware recovery.
- Do you offer data recovery, and how do I send a drive in?
- How can we be sure you’ll be around in the long term to support our backup needs?
- How will your MSP ensure that our data backup does not fail when we need it most?
- Our data is frequently updated. How can your backups keep up without causing disruptions?
- We already have a cloud storage solution. Isn’t that enough for backups?
- We need to ensure compliance with specific industry regulations. Can you guarantee this?
- We’re concerned about the time it will take to restore our data from your backups during a disaster recovery situation?
- We’re not sure we can trust an outside company with the security of our data?
- We’re worried about the additional costs of using for offsite backups.
- We’ve always done backups in-house. Why should we change our approach now?
- What happens if we lose our internet connection? Will our backups still happen?
- What happens if we’re hit by ransomware or a data breach?
- What should we do in the first hour after a cyber attack?
- Who are Acronis?
Penetration Testing10 answersWhat a pen test is, how often, and what happens next.
- Are Penetration Tests Automated or Manual?
- Do you offer penetration testing?
- Do You Offer Red Team Testing as Well as Penetration Testing?
- How does penetration testing fit into a wider cyber security strategy?
- How Often Should Penetration Testing Be Carried Out?
- We’ve had in-house teams do penetration tests before. Why use an outside provider?
- What Does It Mean to Fail a Penetration Test?
- What Happens If Penetration Testing Finds Vulnerabilities?
- What Is Penetration Testing? Types, Purpose and Business Benefits
- Will Penetration Testing Disrupt Business Operations?
Support & Self-Help26 answersQuick fixes for printers, passwords, email and slow PCs.
- Do you offer data recovery, and how do I send a drive in?
- How Can I Check Microsoft 365 Service Status?
- How can I recover a deleted file?
- How can I remove a virus from my computer?
- How can I speed up my computer?
- How do I backup my data?
- How do I get remote support from ABCOM?
- How do I share my Outlook 365 calendar?
- How do you monitor our devices?
- How to add Email to iPhone or iPad
- How to add your Microsoft 365 email to an Android phone
- How to open a shared Mail, Calendar or People folder in Outlook for Mac
- Microsoft Teams Add-in Missing in Outlook? Fix It Fast
- Spotting Spam Emails and Best Practices
- What do I do if I can’t remember my password?
- What is a computer virus?
- What is Downdetector and when should I use it?
- What is Multi Factor Authentication?
- What is the difference between POP and IMAP?
- What should I do if my computer is overheating?
- Why are the computer updates not installing?
- Why is it not a good idea to allow a companies member of staff to use a personal laptop and add VPN access and access to Sage?
- Why is my internet connection slow?
- Why is my printer not printing?
- Why isn’t my printer connecting to my computer?
- Why won’t my computer turn on?
Charity IT12 answersNon-profit licensing, trustees’ duties and budget-friendly security.
- Can charities use AI safely and compliantly?
- Charity Document Management: Secure Digital Records for Charities
- Charity Software Eligibility: Microsoft, TechSoup & Google Grants ExplainedUnderstanding Eligibility for Microsoft’s Non-profit Program
- Do charities need an MSP, or can volunteers manage IT?
- How can charities meet GDPR requirements with limited resources?
- How Secure Is Your Charity? | Charity Cyber Security Explained
- IT Support for Charities in Sussex: A Professional MSP with a Charitable Heart
- What are trustees responsible for when it comes to IT and cyber security?
- What is assistive technology?
- What IT policies should a charity have in place?
- What should a charity expect from an MSP?
- Why are charities targeted by cyber criminals?
Billing & Pricing7 answersLeasing, asset finance and what things cost.
- How does IT equipment asset financing work?
- How is Copilot Cowork billed?
- How much does cyber insurance cost?
- How much does Microsoft 365 Copilot cost for a small business?
- What are the Advantages of Leasing Hardware Through you?
- What are the benefits of buying hardware from us directly?
- What changes to Microsoft Copilot billing happen in November 2026?
Domains, Websites & Digital Marketing14 answersDomain names, email protection and getting found online.
- What digital marketing services does ABCOM offer?
- Can ABCOM build or rebuild our website?
- What is AI visibility testing, and why does it matter?
- How does SEO work, and how long does it take?
- Can ABCOM do market research for our business?
- Does direct mail still work, and can ABCOM arrange it?
- What does digital marketing involve, and where should a small business start?
- Google Ads or Facebook Ads: which is better for a local business?
- How do we know whether our marketing is working?
- Do we need cookie consent for Google Analytics and advertising?
- How do we protect our website, domain and ad accounts from being hijacked?
- Can we use AI to write our marketing content?
- Can ABCOM manage our domain names, renewals and security for us?
- How do we stop criminals sending emails pretending to be our domain?
IT Recycling17 answersWEEE, certified data wiping and disposal certificates.
- Are Computers Recyclable?
- Are you ADISA approved?
- Can we track our recycling progress and results?
- Do you have an online portal we can view collections?
- Do you provide a certificate of disposal?
- Do you provide onsite cages we can use?
- Recycling regulations are constantly changing; how will you keep us compliant?
- Recycling services are too expensive?
- We already have an existing recycling program in place.
- We’re not sure if we generate enough recyclable materials
- We’re worried about data security during recycling.
- What are the WEEE regulations?
- What are your criteria for collection?
- What do you use for certified hard drive wiping?
- What happens to our recyclables after collection?
- Who do the WEEE Regulations affect?
- Who is responsible for enforcing the WEEE Regulations?
About ABCOM19 answersWhere we are, who we work with and how onboarding works.
- About ABCOM & Working With Us
- Can you help with designing websites?
- How can I contact ABCOM?
- How do I get started with ABCOM?
- How do we protect customer data?
- How does ABCOM keep up with new threats?
- How does ABCOM use AI itself?
- How does billing and payment work at ABCOM?
- How long has ABCOM been in business?
- Onboarding with ABCOM
- Our GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) Statement
- Our Quality Policy Statement
- What areas do you service?
- What do we get at the end of the AI Readiness Sprint?
- What is ABCOM’s AI Readiness Sprint?
- What IT services does ABCOM provide for Sussex businesses?
- What types of businesses do you work with?
- Where is ABCOM based?
- Why Choose ABCOM as Your IT Partner?
Guides3 answersLonger how-tos and explainers.
The questions we get asked most
Short, answer-first, with the source page so you can check it.

How much does managed IT support cost?
Managed IT support is priced per user per month: Core is £65, Core Secure is £89 and Core Assure is from £129 (with a minimum monthly fee), all excluding VAT. Core Secure adds continuous vulnerability monitoring, a security baseline, Cyber Essentials-aligned controls and monthly security reporting.
Example: 20 users on Core costs £1,300 a month. Start on a 90-day agreement or choose 12 months; then 1 month notice.
How do you take over from our existing IT provider?
Through a managed handover. We review your Microsoft 365 or Google setup, licences, devices and security, coordinate with your outgoing provider, and visit your site to document the equipment your team relies on.
You receive a prioritised red/amber/green plan and regular progress updates.
Is ABCOM an NCSC Assured Service Provider?
Yes. ABCOM has been recognised as a National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Assured Service Provider under the Cyber Advisor (Cyber Essentials) scheme: our Cyber Advisors are independently assessed by IASME for the NCSC and help organisations put the five Cyber Essentials controls in place.
We help organisations achieve Cyber Essentials and IASME Cyber Assurance (Level 2).
How much does Cyber Essentials cost?
The IASME certification fee is £320–£600 + VAT depending on your size. Our readiness help starts from £395 + VAT depending on how much needs fixing.
We confirm a fixed price after a free readiness call.
Source: Cyber Essentials pricing How much does Cyber Essentials cost in the UK? NCSC: Cyber Essentials overview
Do you support charities?
Yes. We work with many charities across Sussex, helping them use Microsoft’s non-profit licensing, stay secure on a limited budget and meet their trustees’ responsibilities.
Where is ABCOM based and which areas do you cover?
Unit 3, Ashwyn Business Centre, Burgess Hill, West Sussex RH15 8QY. We support businesses and charities in Burgess Hill, Haywards Heath, Crawley, Brighton and across Sussex, with remote support for teams further afield.
Office hours: Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Call 01444 871 200.
Source: IT support in Burgess Hill What areas do you service?
The services behind the answers
Prefer to talk it through? Each topic maps to a service page.
Talk to a person who picks up the phone.
A small Burgess Hill team, open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Book a free 20-minute call and we’ll talk it through.
Or call 01444 871 200, email hello@abcom.co.uk or use our contact page.
Full article indexevery article, grouped by topic
Sources and further reading
- NCSC: Cyber Essentials overview the five controls, certification routes and pricing
- IASME: Cyber Essentials the NCSC’s Cyber Essentials delivery partner
- NCSC: Cyber Advisor scheme NCSC-assured advice for small and medium-sized organisations
- NCSC: Small organisations guide to cyber security practical steps on email, accounts, devices and backups
- NCSC: Phishing scams – how to spot and report them reporting scam emails, texts, calls and websites
- ICO: UK GDPR guidance and resources the regulator’s guidance for organisations
- Microsoft Learn: Data, privacy and security for Microsoft 365 Copilot how Copilot handles organisational data
How to read this page. Pricing and process figures come from ABCOM’s published service pages, linked beside each answer. Figures and guidance from outside ABCOM are attributed to their source above and were checked on 1 October 2026. This hub is general guidance, not legal advice.