As the new government seeks to make budget cuts across local governmnet, how can business continuity managers and emergency planners continue to protect vital incoming telecoms for public services?
It must be the hardest job in local government to convince superiors that money needs to be spent for something that may or may not happen. Will a digger cut through those last mile circuits to your call centres? Will your council be the victim of copper cabling theft? Will unexpected flooding hit your area this year leaving you to be the next Cumbria or Gloucestershire case study?
Insurance is not sexy, its not immediately beneficial but the trouble is it’s essential. Because when the worst does happen and your telecoms go down, at the end of the day as business continuity manager the buck stops with you not necessarily the IT and Telecoms manager, though you would hope that they would take some of the backlash.
Whether you choose to implement a permanent solution for telecoms resilience or an emergency solution, the choice is up to you and it is simply a matter of cost versus telecoms down time.
Budget cuts can be harsh but as one court jduge pointed out, ‘are you planning to save money or are you planning to save lives?’ Because believe it or not some of your essential services rely on members of the public being able to get through to people in your organisation.
What’s your strategy? Will budget cuts affect your strategy. Let me know your thoughts…
