There is no better time for small business customers to invest in the tools that will help them to achieve their big ideas.
Budget 2017 – Small Business Tax Deduction of $20,000
The government announced an extension to the 2015-16 Budget measure providing an instant asset write-off provision for small businesses.
New laws have passed that allow small businesses to claim an immediate deduction for assets they start to use – or have installed ready for use – provided each depreciable asset costs less than $20,000. This will temporarily replace the previous instant asset write-off threshold of $1,000.
This measure starts 7.30pm (AEST) 12 May 2015 and will end on 30 June 2017.
The balance of the general small business pool is also immediately deducted if the balance is less than $20,000 at the end of an income year that ends on or after 12 May 2015 and on or before 30 June 2017 (including existing general small business pool).
The current ‘lock out’ laws will also be suspended for the simplified depreciation rules (these prevent small businesses from re-entering the simplified depreciation regime for five years if they have opted out) until the end of 30 June 2017.
Assets excluded from these depreciation rules include horticultural plants and in-house software allocated to a software development pool. In most cases, specific depreciation rules apply to these excluded assets.
Assets that cost $20,000 or more (which can’t be immediately deducted under other provisions) are deducted over time using the general small business pool. Under the pooling mechanism, a deduction for 15 per cent of the cost is allowed in the first income year with a diminishing value rate of 30 per cent deduction on the opening pool balance allowed for each income year thereafter. This includes the purchase of a business phone system.
It’ll be extremely tax-effective for small businesses to purchase phone systems before the end of this financial year.
With the End of the Financial Year fast approaching, small business customers should look to take advantage of this tax deduction scheme and purchase Panasonic Phone systems before the 30th of June 2017. You can also look at upgrading the phone system to Panasonic KX-NS700/1000 this financial year and claim an immediate tax deduction.
Telstra has worked with partner Netgear to bring you the Telstra Gateway Pro™ (Netgear™ model number v7610). The Telstra Gateway Pro™ is an advanced Gateway, providing high speed Wi-Fi and connectivity for a variety of business devices. It can connect to the Internet using:
• ADSL
• VDSL (including NBN Fibre to the Basement and NBN Fibre to the Node connections)
• NBN Fibre to the Premises
The Gateway is compatible with optional USB mobile broadband device for peace of mind in case of an unlikely service interruption.
The Telstra Gateway Pro™ features world leading Wi-Fi and the best connectivity available so you get the most out of your Telstra fixed Broadband service.
Make phone calls with Telstra’s Digital Voice Service
Digital Office Technology (DOT) customers can use one of Telstra’s IP Phones, compatible with this Gateway, to deliver digital calls over the Fixed Broadband service. Telstra’s Digital Voice service supports up to 10 services/lines at one site and provides a number of useful calling features to enable smart call management including:
• Fixed MessageBank
• Simultaneous and Sequential Ring
• Call Forwarding when not reachable
• Virtual Receptionist (Auto-attendant)
Telstra Gateway Pro™ Back Panel
What exactly is the nbn™ network?
The nbn™ network is a government infrastructure project that will provide broadband internet and fixed phone line access to all Australians through a combination of optic fibre, and fixed wireless and satellite technology in the harder-to-reach areas.
Fibre improves the speed and quality of voice and data delivery, which will better serve Australian businesses in an increasingly connected global marketplace. The infrastructure is being rolled out by the government-owned nbn™.
If you have questions, please speak to our business development manager or your account manager.
The next Android update comes later 2017. Android O is the next coming version of Google’s mega-popular mobile operating system set to release this year.
This is relevant to a Google Pixel, Google Pixel XL, Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X or Pixel C.
This big Android update for 2017 will continue its beta following the Google IO 2017 presentation and will likely debut in full first on the Google Pixel 2.
Don’t have a Google-branded phone? The company announced Project Treble, an initiative that will ensure that Android O comes to many more devices than previous operating system updates.
Some Features We like:
Faster boot times
Speedy boot times are usually associated with a step-up in hardware – Google unveiled that Android O will bring those benefits to all phones that run the software.
It’s not just the operating system that becomes faster to load up, but the apps on your phone too.
Restricted background activities
This is a power-saving feature that de-prioritizes app functions running in the background, which in turn means that your battery is going to possibly last much longer than it currently does on Android Nougat.
Paired with likely improvements to the Doze function that intelligently saves battery during down-time, it’s feasible that Android O could help squeeze an extra few hours out of your phone battery life from fully charged to depleted.
The DeX Station is compact, light weight and portable. It supports USB, HDMI and Ethernet connections, and acts as a charging station to make sure your phone can keep going as long as you do.
A full desktop at your command.
Some things are just easier on a desktop, like sending an email, bolding text or copying and pasting between apps. With Samsung DeX, you can do it with the click of a mouse or the punch of a key.
Amplify your apps.
Samsung DeX lets you get the most out of your apps by letting you use desktop functions with them, such as right-click and drag and drop. So now you can do more things with the same emails, photos and files already on your phone.
Once your copper has been replaced with optic fibre, you are only able to connect through the NBN.
WHEN salespeople start knocking at your door to announce the arrival of the National Broadband Network in your area, there’s one important thing you should know – you can’t say no to the NBN.
Despite being one of the most talked about infrastructure projects in recent times, it seems many Australians are still in the dark about the NBN.
An online survey found 58 per cent of Australians had no idea of the repercussions of being in an NBN-ready area.
“The NBN project has been mired in controversy and has seen frequent redesigns, so it’s no wonder many Australians aren’t in tune with all its ins and outs,” Angus Kidman, technology expert and editor-in-chief at finder.com.au said.
“Many people don’t realise their existing internet service will be cut off if they don’t connect to the NBN once it has been made available at their house.
“Both your phone line and internet will be disconnected. If you’re running a business, this can be really inconvenient even if it’s just for a few days.”
Installations are expected to ramp up, with all Australians expected to be able to access the NBN within three years – by 2020.
So it’s time to get savvy, here’s what you need to know.
YOU CAN’T SAY NO
If you want a home phone service – not just internet – you need the NBN.
Once your home or workplace is NBN-ready, you will have 18 months at most to subscribe to an NBN plan before your phone line and internet will be disconnected.
However, in some areas (mainly apartment buildings in urban areas) third-party players such as TPG and others, will offer rival internet services so NBN does not have a total monopoly.
For those living in rural areas that are too remote to get fibre, an interim satellite will shut down on February 28, and they must switch to Sky Muster if they want to continue getting internet.
YOU WILL HAVE MANY OPTIONS
Those people knocking on your door will likely be salespeople from retailers like Optus, Telstra and iiNet offering plans for you to connect to the NBN.
This is because the NBN Co provides the service, but doesn’t actually sell broadband interest services to households.
More than 50 retail service providers are currently offering different plans at different prices so there’s plenty of choice.
Picking which one to go with is probably one of the most difficult decisions you will have to make as choosing a cheaper plan may deliver slower speeds.
Many people don’t realise their speeds are also limited by where their homes are, and how they connect to the NBN.
During recent consultation, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission found many consumers were confused about what speeds they could get, and weren’t getting what they thought they were signing up for.
It’s a good idea to compare plans before you sign up to an NBN provider.Source:News Corp Australia
NOT EVERYONE WILL BE ABLE TO GET THE SAME SPEEDS
Connecting to the NBN using copper wires via the Fibre-To-The-Node technology will slow down their speeds and many are not aware how much of difference this makes.
At the moment the top speed offered by retailers is 100/40. This means you can download 100 megabits per second (Mbps) and upload 40 Mbps.
But if you are located more than 400m metres away from the “node”, which is essentially a cabinet where the copper meets the fibre optic cable, your maximum speeds will drop.
Those up to 800m metres away will probably only be able to get a maximum of 50 Mbps, and those even further away are looking at 25 Mbps.
You will not be able to get higher speeds than this, no matter which company you sign up with.
Technically, retailers are not supposed to sell you a faster contract if you are too far away from a node to get higher speeds, but this has happened.
Your home’s distance from the node is something you will have to check with the retailers as they don’t automatically tell you.
Even if you think you are close to a node (because you can see a cabinet close by), it doesn’t mean this is the node that you are connected to.
BE CAREFUL WHEN CHOOSING A CONTRACT
Everyone’s internet speeds will impacted by the plan that you sign up to as each company decides how much bandwidth they want to buy on the NBN network.
If the company you sign with doesn’t buy that much bandwidth (to save money), speeds can be a lot slower during peak times when there’s more demand.
Some people have complained of speeds dropping to 3 Mbps during peak times and top speeds promised may only be achieved at quiet times — like 3am.
The problem is, most companies don’t reveal what their real internet speeds are, saying only that you can get “up to” certain speeds.
If you want to get a better idea of who offers the best speeds, the Google Video Quality Report, shows the YouTube video performance over the 24-hour period for different providers, while Netflix’s ISP Speed Index can give you an idea of which retailers have the fastest speeds for their service.
The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network also has a fact sheet to help guide people through the process.
Finder.com.au has a broadband comparison tool that shows providers in your area, and how much their plans are.
SPEEDS MAY IMPROVE AFTER 18 MONTHS
An NBN spokesman said customers may get higher speeds 18 months after getting NBN because the network does not operate at full power initially to avoid interference issues with existing ADSL services.
“When an area has fully switched over to NBN Fibre-To-The-Node services we will then turn the VDSL connection up to full power — this should increase potential lines speeds by between 5-10 Mbps,” he said.
