Thankfully, there’s a simple solution: get a back-up internet connection, in the form of a 4G Hotspot Modem and pre-paid SIM card.

Most of the common connectivity issues can be resolved in a very timely manner; often within an hour. It would be unlucky to suffer a technical internet connectivity issue that wasn’t able to be resolved within a couple of hours.

In contrast, if your on-premises server went down (suffered a severe crash or disaster) it might take several hours or even days to restore. The cost of acquiring replacement hardware, I.T. technicians and subsequent loss in revenue from an inoperable practice management system could quite quickly extend into the thousands of dollars.

Internet connectivity issues? or is it just one website that is down?

We are vigilantly monitoring our systems and if there’s an issue, we’ll know about it; and we’ll be working to resolve it as fast as possible. If you want to speak with someone you can contact Customer Service on 1300 66 89 88.

1. Does www.coreplus.com.au load?
   1. YES – Your internet is working. 🙂
   2. NO – The coreplus website may be down. Check http://status.www.coreplus.com.au/ to see if there are any known outages.
2. Does any other website load? (For eg, try Google.com.au)
   1. YES – Your internet is working. The coreplus website may be down.
   2. NO – You might have internet connection issues.

Websites are slow to load.

If websites are taking a long time to load – you may be experiencing poor internet connection speeds. Measure your internet connection speed here – then contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to discuss how to improve that speed. In our experience, slow internet connections are the most common problem people face when using cloud software.

If your practice (or business) is run by cloud software – you’ll be best off ensuring you have high-speed internet connection.

In the case of an internet connectivity issue, what should I do first?

Firstly, contact your ISP and raise a ticket in their technical support system. They should provide necessary support to troubleshoot your issue if it’s a problem at your end, or escalate the issue internally if it’s a problem at their end. If your ISP’s technical support service is poor – you may need to consider changing provider.

In the event of a sustained internet connectivity issue, where your ISP advises the service will take a long time to resolve, it is recommended to have a “fall-back” internet connection.

It’s a good thing I have a 4G Hotspot Modem stashed away for emergencies!

Instead of connecting your computer to the internet via ADSL, Cable or NBN (fibre optic) – you can actually use the mobile phone network as a backup.

Several ISPs offer 4G Hotspot Modems (Telstra, Optus, Virgin, Dick Smith). They range in price from around $50 to $200+. There are two options: a USB modem which plugs directly into your computer’s USB port; and a SIM-enabled WiFi modem which is similar to a normal WiFi modem.

The 4G network coverage is quite solid in metro areas; but it would pay to speak to your preferred ISP to enquire about coverage in your area before committing to purchase. ISPs offer both post-paid and pre-paid plans. If this is your backup internet connection, a pre-paid plan would be sufficient. You might contact your ISP and buy some credit for your 4G Hotspot SIM card to use until your primary internet connection is restored.

We believe in this back-up plan; we’ve got a 4G Hotspot Modem that supports 10 computers on standby here in the coreplus office!

If you’re in a pinch – you could even use your mobile phone as a hotspot. But be wary – this may incur excess data charges.

Ultimately it isn’t a huge dilemma, as long as you are prepared.