Wireless Internet at Schools
If your school or institution requires wireless Internet on campus the traditional Internet services provided by your local ISP are likely to prove insufficient. Internet downtime causes student and staff frustration and costs the school money, time and valuable resources. Toronto Computer Help has helped schools and organizations achieve constant Internet connectivity and student and staff bliss.
The solution lies in Network QUB (Quality Uninterrupted Bandwidth), a service which allows multiple Internet access types to be redundant. Unlike a single Telco carrier, Network QUB combines redundancy using multiple local loop providers (DSL and Wireless for example) with automated circuit failover. The result for organizations is unparalleled uptime. For the IT manager, this means no call at 3am to manually reset a router.
If your organization is experiencing specific connectivity issues we welcome the challenge to prove our abilities and addressing your needs.
For more information or a free, no-obligation assessment contact us today.
TCH Consults on Wind Energy Systems
 Toronto Computer Help has been selected to provide IT consulting services to Indigo Wind Energy Systems Inc., a supplier of wind turbine systems with projects of all sizes across Canada and around the world.
As part of this engagement TCH evaluates data logger products to track energy production, wind conditions, turbine power performance verification and other paramaters in realtime.
The company recently deployed a 50 Kw Faired wind turbine for the Maple Honda dealership in Vaughan, Ontario. Another project for Jackson's Toyota in Barrie is undergoing environmental assessment. Installations such as these transform a car dealership in an instant landmark as well as showing a city's commitment to sound environmental practices.
As we do with Indigo Wind Energy Systems we will be glad to bring our expertise and help you research your company's technology deployment.
IT Services for Non-Profits
Toronto Computer Help has been selected by the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care as their provider of network support and maintenance services.
We also had the pleasure of upgrading network capabilities at the Birth Control and Veneral Diseases Information Centre in North York. The organization provides free reproductive and sexual health counselling to Torontonians since 1972.
In addition to benefitting from our 8 years of IT management experience in the non-profit sector, Canadian non-profits and registered charities receive a 20% discount on IT services rates from TCH.
IT Support for the Health Care Sector
Toronto Computer Help has had a busy last quarter with exciting projects for a number of clients in the health care sector:
An IT support parthership is currently in the works to provide server maintenance and other computer services to sleep disorder clinics in Ontario.
We will be glad to assess your clinic's technology infrastructre and answer your questions on how to become HIPAA compliant.
TCH Attends Technology@Work 2008 Conference
 We had the pleasure of attending the Technology@Work 2008 conference in Barcelona, Spain.
Sponsored by HP, it was a great opportunity to learn about the latest in systems management software, new technology trends and the latest developments and innovations in server, storage and operating systems.
TCH grows in the Service Sector
Toronto Computer Help is glad to welcome our new clients in the Service sector:
TCH continues to specialize, implement and support the leading service management software solution, Insight Direct ServiceCEO.
Who Supports your Support?
As information technology in businesses grows in variety and complexity, more and more small Toronto IT service providers are relying on TCH to help them resolve issues that are beyond their competencies.
Microsoft Exchange issues, DNS configuration errors, mail delivery problems, Citrix licensing woes, slow accounting software, we act as the senior level support for these often single-person IT companies.
"What I like about TCH is that they work behind the scenes with a high level of professionalism", says Marlinda Morales, president of SHADO Systems Inc. of Vaughan, Ontario. "I sleep well at night knowing that no matter how complex a network issue that may come up, I will resolve it for my client thanks to the extra help of TCH. They make me look great."
This relationship is made seamless thanks to TCH's use of the right tools for the job: top of the line remote control software and a easy to use online ticketing system that facilitates problem submission, communication among client and TCH analysts, issue resolution and overall documentation.
For more information on Toronto Computer Help's support services for IT service providers, contact us.
TCH springs with new clients
 Toronto Computer Help was selected by Starfield Resources Inc., a rare metals mining project in Nunavut, to provide the IT infrastructure for their new head office in downtown Toronto.
The company recently moved its headquarters from Vancouver and their joining the Toronto Stock Exchange (SRU) has met much interest among investors.
Another exciting project was providing a calendaring system for the Jubilee Theatre in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. The theatre is a state of the art, multi purpose performing arts facility run by a Prince County non-profit organization.
Where and how to donate or recycle your computer equipment?
 Computers are a dangerous source of heavy metals - cadmium in circuit boards, mercury in switches, lead in CRT monitors. When dumped in a landfill they pollute the environment by leaching into the soil, and when incinerated they contaminate the air.
Here is how you as an individual or small business can turn your surplus computers from an environmental liability into a valuable resource for public schools, libraries, and nonprofit learning organizations.
Computer Donations by Individuals
For Toronto and the Ontario area you can either bring your equipment to a drop-off centre or request to have it picked up. If the equipment is too old to be reused it will be properly recycled. For the nearest drop-off centre call 1-877-9-EWASTE (toll free).
Computer Donations by Small Businesses
The Electronic Recycling Association (ERA) will pick up your old computers for donation or recycling from your offices. Just complete their brief computer pick up request form.
Other Canadian Cities
For more information on donating or recycling computers anywhere in Canada call the toll free number 1-877-9-EWASTE. For electronic waste drop-off locations in major Canadian cities, visit http://www.era.ca/
The government of Canada also has a website with information on donating a computer to a school or non-profit:
http://cfs-ope.ic.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=en&id=12
What about data in hard drives?
Computer recycling organizations request that the computers not be stripped of their components such as RAM or hard drives. Computers for Schools (CFS) repair centres, for example, use the RCMP’s DSX disk-wipe software to remove all information from the hard drive, and then reload the operating system.
Another option is erasing the data in your hard drives yourself prior to donating. To wipe your hard drives you can use one of these free utilities:
Eraser Secure Data Removal Tool, a free Windows utility that allows you to securely erase an entire hard disk, meeting US Department of Defense standards.
Darik's Boot and Nuke , a free utility ideally suited for multiple use. Comes in the form of a bootable floppy disk or a bootable CD-ROM image (you download whichever you prefer). Once you boot up that floppy (or CDROM), the utility will proceed to destroy all your data in every partition of every hard disk.
A tax receipt may also be available for your donation.
March 30, 2007
Computer Services and Ontario Tax
There is often confusion about how the Ontario retail sales tax (RST, also referred to as provincial sales tax or PST) applies to the Information Technology industry. According to amendments made to the Ontario regulation in April 2006 RST must be paid for:
- Computer hardware and software
- Computer services (e.g. install, configure, modify, upgrade)
- Service & maintenance agreements
RST should not be paid for:
- Telephone-based support
- Training
- Consultation
- Project planning / research
- Testing
- Disaster recovery
- System monitoring
In the case of remote support where the consultant works on the client's computer using remote control tools, as opposed to telephone support this work should be considered "hands on" so RST tax would apply.
Now if a non-taxable item is less than 10% of a job, then one must pay RST for the entire job (For example, testing a program after having installed it). This is known as the De Minimis rule.
Internet Services and Ontario Tax
When it comes to Internet services you should not pay RST for the following:
- Internet access (subscription to an ISP)
- Internet e-mail services
- Arranging for live chat or conferencing sessions directly on the Internet
- Web hosting
- Domain name registration
- Advertising fees charged to place ads in a website
- Real-time streaming video and/or audio.
In general, web page design is not a taxable service, unless the web page being developed contains a taxable program.
More Information
Note that these are only some general guidelines. For more information on the subject visit the Ministry of Finance tax site for the IT industry, or call the Ontario Ministry of Finance Tax Office at 1 877 482-9329. You can also download the following guides (PDF format):
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Our new clients
Toronto Computer Help is proud to have been recently engaged in exciting projects by the following new clients:
In addition, and through a partnership with Can-Am Consulting Services of Mahwah, New Jersey, TCH now provides network maintenance services to Can-Am's customers in Ontario and Quebec. Click here for our official press release.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Preparing for Daylight Saving Time (DST) changes
Beginning in 2007, the practice of changing the time by one hour to maximize daylight hours in the United States, Canada and Bermuda will now be extended by four weeks. This means DST will begin on the second Sunday in March (March 11) and end on the first Sunday in November (November 4).
Unless certain updates are applied to your computer, it is possible that the time zone settings for your computer's system clock may be incorrect during this four week period. In particular, you must make sure that both your Windows operating system and your calendar programs are updated.
If you use Vista or have Automatic Windows Updates turned on, you may not be affected by the change. Special attention must be paid to Outlook, OfficeCalendar, Exchange, Exchange Lotus Notes connector, and Blackberry Enterprise Server.
For more information and to download patches visit the Microsoft DST Update site.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Press Release
Toronto Computer Help Forges Strategic Alliance with Can-Am Consulting Services Inc. to Offer Network Support Services
Toronto, ON February 14, 2007 - Toronto Computer Help has signed a strategic alliance with Can-Am Consulting Services Inc. of Mahwah, NJ. Can-Am is a network integrator and value added reseller of HP, Compaq, IBM and EMC servers providing consulting and management
resources for client-server users.
Toronto Computer Help (TCH) will provide IT support services to Can-Am's Canadian customers. These include established firms in the core of the Toronto and Montreal financial districts.
TCH's team consists of a selected group of IBM Global Services analysts with expertise in a range of information systems. TCH Senior Analyst and Citrix consultant Imran Warriach stated, “We are very happy to have formed an alliance with Can-Am. We feel strongly that this relationship will benefit Ontario's businesses by expediting response times, while we continue to offer affordable and reliable IT services to organizations who need a better match with current technology solutions."
Can-Am provides consulting and project management services and teams with business partners to provide total-turnkey enterprise-wide solutions. Toronto Computer Help provides a wide range of computer services, including small business IT consulting, network installation and maintenance, solutions for distributed environments such as Citrix Metaframe, Google Apps, VMware and Lotus Notes, as well as remote access, VPN, Exchange, telephone systems and voice mail applications. For further information contact TCH at 416-528-9330.
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Latest Posts:
Wireless Internet for Schools
TCH Supports Wind Energy Systems
IT services for non-profits
IT Support for the Health Care Sector
TCH attends Technology@Work 2008 Conference
TCH growths in the Service sector
Who supports your support?
TCH springs with new clients
Where and how to donate or recycle computer equipment?
Computer Services and Ontario Tax
Our New Clients
Preparing for Dalight Savings Time (DST) Change
Press Release: TCH Forges Strategic Alliance with Canam Consulting
All Inquiries:
Please call 416-528-9330
Blog submissions:
Email blog@torontocomputerhelp.com
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93-735 New Westminster Drive
Thornhill ON L4J 7Y9
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p: 416-528-9330
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contact@torontocomputerhelp.com |