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CNET
5 hours ago
- CNET
I Work 100% Remotely With AT&T Fiber's Cheapest Plan: Here's My Secret to Fast, Uninterrupted Internet
If there's anything I've learned about internet in the past year I've been reviewing internet providers, it's that fast speeds are actually not the most important part of a good internet plan. Most of us won't be able to tell the difference between 400Mbps and 1,000Mbps. What we do pick up on, however, is latency or lag. When it comes to working remotely, low latency is key to getting through the day without interruption. If you've ever struggled to get through a Zoom call or lost your connection while trying to download or upload documents, high latency may be the culprit. I'm all for saving money on monthly bills. That's why I signed up for AT&T Fiber's cheapest internet plan, and despite several attempts from AT&T's customer service to get me to upgrade, I know I'll be sticking with this plan for a while. Internet is already expensive. In fact, a recent CNET survey notes that adults are paying roughly $195 more on average for internet than they did last year. Before you go down the rabbit hole of home internet shopping or throw out your router, there are a few easy and low-cost steps you can take to diagnose the issue and optimize your Wi-Fi system on your own, just like I did. Before I started working remotely in my home office, I took these steps to make sure my Wi-Fi wouldn't drop out while I was uploading documents or joining a call, and I've rarely experienced any outages or lag, even with 300Mbps of speed. Here's everything you need to know to improve your home network (but were too afraid to ask). Locating local internet providers 1. Test your internet connection The first step to diagnosing and boosting your internet is running a simple speed test. Speed tests are an easy (and free) way to diagnose your internet woes and get a sense of where -- and when -- your internet is slowest. Running a speed test in your office at different times of the day can give you a sense of whether network congestion is playing a role in slowing you down or if you need to rethink where you're placing your router. Joe Supan, CNET's router expert, recommends starting with an Ethernet cable test to determine whether your router is at fault or it's an internet connection issue. 'If you plug a device into the router directly with an Ethernet cable and you're getting internet just fine through that, then I would say it's a router issue and you can eliminate the provider,' said Supan. Ethernet is a direct, wired connection, so your speeds should be much faster than with Wi-Fi. If you're still noticing slow speeds with an Ethernet connection, you're probably due for a router upgrade. How much speed does remote work require? Working remotely with minimal interruptions requires at least 100 megabits per second in download speed and preferably 30Mbps in upload speed. You likely don't need much more than that unless you have multiple devices or other internet users working in the same space. An internet connection of 300Mbps down should technically be plenty for 10 to 15 devices online simultaneously. Online meetings will be the most bandwidth-heavy activity for most remote workers, unless your work requires video editing or uploading content. At any given time during the work day, at least three devices are online in my home simultaneously. AT&T's cheapest internet tier starts at $55 monthly for 300Mbps is more than enough speed for me. 2. Pick a better internet plan When we refer to internet plans, we typically refer to download speeds or the rate at which information is downloaded from the internet. But a lot goes into a reliable internet connection beyond fast download speeds. Your internet connection woes may stem from a lackluster internet plan -- not just a slow speed tier. "There's kind of a misconception about speed with home internet shopping," said Supan, referring to the tendency to upgrade to the next fastest speed tier to avoid Wi-Fi troubles. "People expect [the internet plan] to be faster, but it's really just, does it work or not?" Here are other considerations to keep in mind when looking for internet that can keep up with your remote work needs beyond download speeds. Upload speeds are important While download speeds are what ISPs typically advertise and what we usually refer to when discussing a plan's speeds, upload speeds play an important role, too. As a remote worker, you'll likely use upload speeds more than the average internet user. We need a good upload speed for Zoom, uploading videos and presenting, among other things. If your job centers around video editing, posting to social media and taking constant video calls, you'll need reliable upload speeds to do so without lag or interruption. Cable internet typically tops out at 20Mbps to 35Mbps in upload speed, and while that may be plenty if you're the only remote worker (and heavy internet user) in your house, you'll notice less interruption with symmetrical download and upload speeds like what you'd get from fiber internet. Latency Upload speeds certainly play a role in determining the latency of your internet connection but it's worth checking the advertised latency of your internet plan. Low latency isn't just optimal for gaming online without interruption; it's also essential for downloading and uploading files quickly, presenting online or taking video calls smoothly. Most fiber internet providers offer low latency but some cable providers, like Xfinity, have started offering ultra-low-lag internet, too. 3. Optimize your router placement Routers and cables aren't the prettiest tech, and they tend to clutter up space, so I understand the impulse to hide them. Unfortunately, your router requires a high vantage point to work optimally, as well as placement in an area not crowded by heavy furniture, walls, or appliances like your TV. To make the best use of your Wi-Fi system, place your router close to your working space, preferably high up off the floor on a shelf. My router is located just near my desk, on a shelf, where I can take full advantage of those Wi-Fi frequency bands. It's also worth checking that your internet equipment is updated regularly to keep the system running smoothly and flush out any bugs. According to Supan, though some routers update firmware regularly, others don't. You may have to go to your router's app or settings to make sure. If you haven't upgraded your router for a while or you rent from your ISP, it may be time to consider investing in your own router that can support the latest Wi-Fi technology. Upgrading to a new model can vastly improve the latency and throughput to your PC -- just take it from Supan, who invested in a TP-Link router and immediately saw boosted upload speeds and better overall performance. 4. Use an Ethernet connection The next best step to consistently getting the fastest internet speeds possible during the work day is to use an Ethernet connection. Ethernet is demonstrably more reliable and faster than Wi-Fi and connecting directly to your router ensures minimal interference and low latency. Plus, it's surprisingly easy to set up. As long as your device has an Ethernet port or you have a USB to Ethernet adapter, all you'll have to do is plug the cable into your modem or router and into your PC. If you don't connect to the internet automatically, you can go to network settings on your Mac or PC and turn it on. 5. Learn how to switch Wi-Fi frequency bands Switching between your router's Wi-Fi channels is an easy way to boost throughput and lower latency, if you're able to do so. Most routers come equipped with the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands and the latest Wi-Fi technology supports an additional 6GHz band. In general, the 2.4GHz band is the most used (and subject to network congestion) as it has a long range, albeit slower speed potential. The 5GHz range is shorter but it offers a faster speed potential. If you're in the same room as your router, you'll get the most benefit from switching to the 5GHz band. The 6GHz band is only available with Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 technology, and you'll need a compatible device to use the band, but it boasts the highest speed potential of the Wi-Fi bands (as well as the shortest range). To switch bands, you can go to your router's configuration page by typing your router's IP address into a web browser and going to your router's wireless settings page. Note that if you rent a router from your ISP, like I do, you may not be able to switch channels. 6. Use a Wi-Fi extender or a mesh network If you can't update your Wi-Fi setup or move your router to your workspace, you should consider investing in Wi-Fi extenders or a mesh Wi-Fi system. Both are helpful for boosting speeds in rooms that your router can't reach, although they have slightly different performance capabilities. If you're trying to extend coverage in just one room, like your office, a W-Fi extender is a great option. If you're trying to improve coverage in the whole house, a mesh router network is a much better option. Debbie Fitzgerald, a technologist and director at CableLabs, advises investing in a good router before spending on Wi-Fi extenders. 'Don't go overboard with Wi-Fi extenders in your house,' Fitzgerald told CNET. 'There have been a number of studies that show you really only need perhaps one, if any at all, and if you add more … it can actually increase latency.' Other considerations for remote work Beyond improving your internet connection, there are a few other steps you can take to make sure your network is secure and your workspace is productive. Use a VPN Anytime you use a VPN, you'll slow the speeds coming to your device. However, VPNs are essential to home network security, especially if you like to travel between co-working spaces or coffee shops where you're using public networks. Utilize IT or tech support If you're working remotely for a company with an IT department, go ahead and save their email and contact information. IT is an invaluable resource for boosting network security and troubleshooting connectivity problems. If you don't have access to an IT department, your ISP or router manufacturing company will have a customer support option that you can use free. Invest in an ergonomic work setup Technically, this tip isn't about your internet connection. But if you're working from home (and you spend 8 hours a day at your computer like I do), I can't stress enough the importance of a productive, ergonomic work setup. You don't have to invest hundreds of dollars in fancy equipment. If you're clever, a few tech essentials can make your life easier and correct your posture. An ergonomic office chair makes such a difference in lumbar support and comfort. I bought this one from Amazon for a decent price, and I've already noticed the difference. If you're using an Ethernet connection, multiple monitors, and you're near your router, there's likely a mass of cords beneath your desk. Using cable covers or ties is an easy way to keep your office neat and hide cord clutter. Plus, they're pretty cheap. Bottom line You can take multiple low-cost and stress-free steps to boost your Wi-Fi and internet connection without upgrading to a faster speed tier. If you're working primarily at home, you'll need a dependable internet connection to get through the day but you don't need to break the bank or even use a multi-gigabit plan to do so. After all, a good internet connection is one you don't even notice.
Fast Company
5 hours ago
- Business
- Fast Company
AI is posing immediate threats to your business. Here's how to protect yourself
Last month, an AI startup went viral for sending emails to customers explaining away a malfunction of its AI-powered customer service bot, claiming it was the result of a new policy rather than a mistake. The only problem was that the emails—which appeared to be from a human sales rep—were actually sent by the AI bot itself. And the 'new policy' was what we call a hallucination: a fabricated detail the AI invented to defend its position. Less than a month later, another company came under fire after using an unexpectedly obvious (and glitchy) AI tool to interview a job candidate. AI headaches It's not shocking that companies are facing AI-induced headaches. McKinsey recently found that while nearly all companies report investing in AI, fewer than 1% consider themselves mature in deployment. This gap between early adoption and sound deployment can lead to a PR nightmare for executives, along with product delays, hits to your companies' brand identity, and a drop in consumer trust. And with 50% of employers expected to utilize some form of agentic AI —far more advanced systems capable of autonomous decision-making—the business risks of clumsy AI deployment are not just real. They are rising. As AI technology continues to rapidly evolve, executives need a trusted, independent way of comparing system reliability. As someone who develops AI assessments, my advice is simple: Don't wait for regulation to tell you what AI tools work best. Industry-led AI reliability standards offer a practical solution for limiting risk—and smart leaders will start using them now. Industry Standards Technology industry standards are agreed-upon measurements of important product qualities that developers can volunteer to follow. Complex technologies—from aviation to the internet to financial systems—rely on these industry-developed guidelines to measure performance, manage risk, and support responsible growth. Technology industry standards are developed by the industry itself or in collaboration with researchers, experts, and civil society—not policymakers. As a result, they don't rely on regulation or bill text, but reflect the need of industry developers to measure and align on key metrics. For instance, ISO 26262, which was developed by the International Organization for Standardization, sets requirements to ensure the electric systems of vehicles are manufactured to function safely. They're one reason we can trust that complex technology we use every day, like the cars we buy or the planes we fly on, are not defective. AI is no exception. Like in other industries, those at the forefront of AI development are already using open measures of quality, performance, and safety to guide their products, and CEOs can leverage them in their own decision-making. Of course, there is a learning curve. For developers and technical teams, words like reliability and safety have very different meanings than they do in boardrooms. But becoming fluent in the language of AI standards will give you a major advantage. I've seen this firsthand. Since 2018, my organization has worked with developers and academics to build independent AI benchmarks, and I know that industry buy-in is crucial to success. As those closest to creating new products and monitoring trends, developers and researchers have an intimate knowledge of what's at stake and what's possible for the tools they work on. And all of that knowledge and experience is baked into the standards they develop—not just at MLCommons but across the industry. Own it now If you're a CEO looking to leverage that kind of collaborative insight, you can begin by incorporating trusted industry benchmarks into the procurement process from the outset. That could look like bringing an independent assessment of AI risk into your boardroom conversations, or asking vendors to demonstrate compliance with performance and reliability standards that you trust. You can also make AI reliability a part of your formal governance reporting, to ensure regular risk assessments are baked into your company's process for procuring and deploying new systems. In short: engage with existing industry standards, use them to pressure test vendor claims about safety and effectiveness, and set clear data-informed thresholds for what acceptable performance looks like at your company. Whatever you do, don't wait for regulation to force a conversation about what acceptable performance standards should look like—own it now as a part of your leadership mandate. Real damage Not only do industry standards provide a clear, empirical way of measuring risk, they can help navigate the high-stakes drama of the current AI debate. These days, discussions of AI in the workforce tend to focus on abstract risks, like the potential for mass job displacement or the elimination of entire industries. And conversations about the risks of AI can quickly turn political—particularly as the current administration makes it clear they see 'AI safety' as another word for censorship. As a result, many CEOs have understandably steered clear of the firestorm, treating AI risk and safety like a political hot potato instead of a common-sense business priority deeply tied to financial and reputational success. But avoiding the topic entirely is a risk in itself. Reliability issues—from biased outputs to poor or misaligned performance—can create very real financial, legal, and reputational damage. Those are real, operational risks, not philosophical ones. Now is the time to understand and use AI reliability standards—and shield your company from becoming the next case study in premature deployment.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Aussie blocked from her own account exposes bank's 'insane' request to unblock it
An ING customer is urging banks to rethink their fraud processes after she said she was blocked from her bank account and unable to access her money for days due to two innocuous transactions. Katie McMaster has been a long-time customer of the digital bank, which is one of the biggest in the country. The Melbourne resident received an email from the bank's fraud department on Tuesday saying her account had been suspended due to 'suspicious activity'. She immediately contacted ING and was told she needed to wait for the fraud team to contact her via email and she couldn't speak to them on the phone. The 35-year-old told Yahoo Finance she had to verify her identity over email and had to reply with her full name, date of birth and mobile number. RELATED Commonwealth Bank customer rages over threat to cut access to his money Centrelink age pension changes coming into effect from July 1 Centrelink rule change gives more Aussies access to $5,000 cash boost 'I just thought that was insane in itself to be sending that data across email to verify. For a bank of their size, I just thought that shouldn't be the process, especially when you're trying to get in touch with the fraud department,' she said. She was later sent a verification text from the bank and told to upload her identification. After that, she said she heard nothing from the bank and was still unable to get someone on the phone. She was told the fraud team could take two business days to respond. Meanwhile, the personal assistant was unable to access her funds, use her card or get money out. She said she had to rely on her credit card for funds, which ING did not block.'It was stressful in the fact that I could obviously see the balance, but the available balance was zero,' she said. 'But what was sort of frustrating was that they didn't block my credit card with them. They were happy for me to keep using my credit card, but then I would have to pay interest on that, but they wouldn't let me access my funds, and I couldn't withdraw any cash.' It wasn't until 5pm on Thursday that she received an email from ING asking her to verify two transactions flagged as suspicious. They were her monthly salary, which goes into her account at the same time each month, and a $300 transfer from a friend for Usher tickets. After she confirmed the purpose of the funds, she finally received a call from the ING fraud department, and they were able to unblock her accounts "on the spot". McMaster said the worker she spoke to was confused why the transactions had been flagged as suspicious and apologised for taking so long to resolve the issue. She claimed she was the only one manning the fraud email inbox. 'The lack of communication was frustrating me the most. I understand banks have their processes, but I'd rather sit on hold for an hour knowing I'd get through than wait a couple of days,' she said. An ING spokesperson told Yahoo Finance safeguarding customers' funds and identities was "central" to how it operated. "When our systems detect suspicious transactions, we proactively act on behalf of customers to protect their funds. This often involves temporarily placing a hold on a customer's account until we can confirm the transactions with the customer," the spokesperson said. "To reactivate account activity, we verify the customer's identity through our secure fraud portal. During this process, the customer's biometrics are matched against the identity documents we securely hold on record. "We recognise that temporarily pausing activity on an account can impact customers, so we always check they have access to essential funds, ensuring they are not placed in financial hardship." McMaster shared her experience online and was met with hundreds of responses from other Australians, with several others saying they also had their ING accounts blocked. "This happened to me in 2019, I was overseas and there was no help. For the rest of my trip I had to use a friend's money to be able to pay for anything. They cancelled the card and that was it," one wrote. "Same happened with me! You feel so vulnerable not being able to get access to money! Luckily, I was able to borrow cash from someone because you literally can't get access to any money, it's crazy," another said. "It's actually terrifying that they can do this," a third added. Others agreed they would feel uneasy about providing their personal information over email. "I'd refuse to send personal details over email, that's ridiculous!!" one said. "It's a very odd process for fraud verification, and goes against our basic security instincts ... It adds even more stress and confusion to the situation," another said. McMaster said she was now in the process of changing banks and was considering opening up accounts with multiple banks to avoid getting stuck in the same position. She has called on ING and other banks to reconsider their fraud verification processes, including the requirement for customers to provide sensitive information via email. 'The main concern of all of this is the verification process. It was just having to click on a link to upload my ID from a text message. It's just everything we're told not to do,' she said. She has urged other Aussies to continue to remain diligent when it comes to scams and to double-check any messages received were legitimate.
Reuters
2 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
TP aims to hand back 1.5 billion euros to shareholders by 2028
June 18 (Reuters) - French call centre and office services group TP, formerly known as Teleperformance ( opens new tab, on Wednesday announced new medium term targets including plans to return 1.5 billion euros to shareholders by 2028. The company, which provides decentralised customer service and moderation solutions, is betting on AI-powered solutions to improve its products and counter the erosion of traditional outsourcing services by artificial intelligence. It predicted in 2023 that up to a third of its activities would be automated within the next three years. "1.5 billion could be returned to shareholders either through dividends, either through share buybacks," finance chief Olivier Rigaudy said on a call with reporters. TP said it expects like-for-like sales growth of between 4% and 6%, at constant exchange rates, in 2028. It is also targeting a recurring earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) margin of 15.5% in 2028. The company aims to generate 3 billion euros ($3.45 billion) in free cash flow over the 2026-2028 period, of which 20%, roughly 600 million euros, will be used for acquisitions throughout this period, the CFO added. TP also announced on Wednesday the launch of a proprietary AI orchestration platform, FAB, to integrate artificial intelligence, human expertise, and automation. That will be supported by the acquisition of Agents Only, an AI-enabled crowdsourcing platform, it said. The outsourcing firm, which employs more than 410,000 people worldwide, announced in November it was cutting 600 jobs amid a cost-cutting plan aimed at reducing a debt that nearly doubled in 2023 following its Majorel consolidation. The group previously said it sees like-for-like sales growth of 3% to 5% and EBITDA margin increase of up to 10 basis points in 2025. ($1 = 0.8688 euros)
The Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Worth talking about: the future of conversational AI in business
Cognigy is a Business Reporter client Stunning advances in AI technology over the past couple of years are creating new ways for organisations to conduct more meaningful and natural conversations with their customers. One such technology is conversational agentic AI. Now launching into the UK, Cognigy is a specialist in enterprise conversational AI. Its flagship solution, combines generative and conversational AI to deliver hyper-personalized, multilingual service across channels, empowering enterprises with scalable Voice and Chat AI Agents, Agent Copilot tools, and real-time support. With proven success in industries like banking, travel, and utilities, and trusted by major brands including Nestlé, Lufthansa, and Mercedes-Benz, Cognigy is setting a new benchmark in intelligent automation for contact centres worldwide. We sat down with Sebastian Glock, Technology Evangelist at Cognigy, to ask him how changes in conversational agentic AI are unfolding, where it's all headed and what organisations need to keep in mind as they explore the new possibilities. How capable is conversational AI today and what could it offer in the future? The chatbots and voice bots of a few years ago often disappointed users with bad answers or by the need to respond in unnatural ways, such as giving single-word requests like 'refund' instead of using full sentences. They were also slow. Above all, they fell short of the hype and expectations that had been built up. People expected science fiction but instead they got 'Sorry, I didn't get that' over and over. The rise of large language models has transformed conversational AI. Yet that's not the full story. LLMs are impressive but can also be unpredictable. Where things really click is when you combine that raw power with structure, purpose and guardrails that contain tight controls, so responses stay relevant, safe and on-brand. AI agents can then conduct interactions with humans in a way that feels natural. Human-to-machine communication becomes almost indistinguishable from human-to-human communication. The ability for a machine to have a smart and contextual conversation with a human is something that was impossible even as recently as two years ago. And even though it's not yet widely implemented, the technology to have effortless, natural and productive interactions is here and it works. Looking ahead, there will soon come a time when humans will prefer to talk to the AI rather than a human contact centre agent. Interactions will become so good that nobody will want to spend the time or effort trawling through a website to find the information they want. Imagine being able to simply talk to a website and it instantly responds with exactly the information you wanted. How can AI customer service agents meet the varying needs of different organisations? AI agents allow companies to combine all the benefits of automation with a greatly improved customer experience that offers less waiting time, better answers and more empathetic communication. At the same time, organisations can decrease service costs by automating their customer conversations. The technology is flexible, allowing organisations to blend human and AI interactions to suit their needs. Intelligent conversation design ensures that if a customer makes a difficult request – for example, asking for a discount that AI cannot authorise – a human will take over. Workflows can be tailored so the AI might say, 'Let me check with my supervisor,' and then follow up with a human-style email for a personal touch, even if the response is AI-generated. For premium brands, an AI can verify identity and route calls, yet every interaction ultimately connects the customer with a human expert. Conversely, some companies may limit human involvement; here, if the AI is unsure, it will call you back with an answer after consulting a human. It's also critical to enable AI agents to access existing data and tools like a CRM or ERP system. This lets the AI understand a caller's recent orders, preferences or past issues. That context allows for a much more personalised and efficient exchange, which makes things smoother for both sides. We also work with our clients to make sure the AI assistant speaks in a way that reflects their brand identity, whether that's professional and formal or more casual and conversational. It's not just about words. It's about pacing, empathy and how solutions are delivered. Done right, it can feel like a natural extension of the brand. What is a good example of how a company is using your AI solutions to benefit their business? The best results come from industries with a high volume of incoming customer enquiries that are typically repetitive. A good example is insurance or finance, where most interactions often involve similar requests. In one case, we work with a large European bank to improve how it confirms appointments for credit requests that customers make online. Previously, skilled loan advisors manually dialled applicants' numbers, but 80 per cent of these calls failed due to no answer, hang-ups or confusion. Now, Cognigy's voice AI agent automatically calls each number, verifies the loan application and asks if the customer is ready to speak with an advisor to complete the process. The AI agent even offers flexible scheduling or records if a customer is no longer interested, with all data fed into the system. About 80 per cent of calls still don't result in a successful loan application, which is the same as before. However, the huge difference here is that it dramatically decreases the workload on loan advisors, saving them countless hours and thousands of unnecessary calls. Most importantly, of the 20 per cent which succeed, about 85 per cent are directly transferred to a human loan advisor which accelerates the process, boosts conversion rates and ultimately generates more revenue for the bank at a much lower cost. How do you answer an organisation's concerns about an AI agent's reliability and compliance with data protection and privacy rules? We often get people requesting an AI solution that is easy, fast, all-knowing and transactional. They also want to know the solution is safe, with guard rails to prevent it operating outside of the intended scope. Transparency and control are critical to meet such requirements and to comply with regulatory demands. We give companies a clear view into how their systems operate and make sure the data stays within their environment. For industries with strict rules, like healthcare or finance, we offer deployment options that meet even the most rigorous requirements, including on-premises setups if needed. Every case is different and we use different setups, different configurations, and different cloud vendors for different requirements. The key point for enterprises is that proven, production-ready solutions already exist. Success or failure rather lies in getting the implementation right which is why experience plays a big role, something that is in high demand but low supply right now. What advice would you offer companies that are just beginning to explore this technology? Don't try to do everything at once. Look for a use case that can demonstrate success quickly and then expand from there into more use cases. Instead of an 18-month overhaul, consider a four-week proof of concept to quickly deliver results and expand from there. Your customers, agents and your project will benefit faster and those quick results will get you more internal buy-in, and perhaps budget, to continue expanding. AI agents will soon outnumber human employees, with each person managing multiple digital assistants. In this new landscape, it's crucial to implement future-proof, scalable solutions rather than isolated point-to-point systems that lack seamless integrations. Any final thoughts? Large language models are improving rapidly while costs plummet – new advances emerge every month. I'm excited for a future where personal AI assistants handle everyday tasks like booking restaurants and scheduling appointments through our mobile devices or wearables. By learning our habits and accessing our calendars, these assistants will simplify our lives. However, this shift also brings challenges for businesses. Imagine a customer telling their AI agent to call their insurance company, which is using its own AI to answer. As human-to-AI and AI-to-AI interactions become common, companies must adapt quickly to evolving customer experiences and rethink processes for the AI first era.
