Emergency recovery, network simplification and security remediation
When phones, internet, tablets and CCTV all stopped at once
Blackburn Skips came to Theo Tech IT through a local Facebook recommendation. Someone had asked for IT support in Burnley, Theo Tech was tagged, and a health check was arranged so the business could understand what was actually happening across its systems.
The next morning, the situation changed from a routine review to an operational incident. The message was simple: VoIP phones were down, internet was down, the drivers’ tablet system was not working, CCTV was offline and nothing was working.
A Theo Tech engineer was on site within 15 minutes.
The situation Theo Tech walked into
The site had three internet lines into the building: two landlines and one fibre line. None of them were giving the business a working connection. The setup also included a local server, an enterprise Meraki firewall, a business-grade printer that was not scanning or printing, VoIP phones, CCTV, driver tablets and a messy network cabinet with unclear cabling.
After speaking with BT and Openreach, the cause became clearer. Two lines were being supplied through a third party and had been disabled that morning. The remaining phone line was tied to a BT enterprise cloud firewall solution that had been installed as a backup months earlier, but had not been working or used properly.
The business had ended up paying for services and complexity it did not need. The environment had become overcomplicated until, when something failed, nobody had a clear working route back.
The first priority: get the business moving again
The immediate job was not to redesign everything. It was to get Blackburn Skips operating again. Theo Tech supplied a temporary 5G router so the team could regain email access and restart essential work while the broadband and line issues were being handled with BT and Openreach.
That temporary recovery step mattered because downtime was not just an IT inconvenience. For a skip-hire business, phones, emails, driver systems and site visibility all connect directly to bookings, collections, deliveries and customer service.
What Theo Tech changed
Emergency connectivity
Supplied a temporary 5G router so the business could get email and essential operations moving while the line issues were escalated.
Supplier diagnosis
Spoke with BT and Openreach to understand which lines were active, which had been disabled, and why the backup service was not giving the business a usable route.
Network rebuild
Once internet was restored, reconfigured the network so CCTV, the local server, VoIP phones, driver tablets and other devices worked correctly on the new setup.
Secure remote-site access
Set up VPN connectivity so the remote site could securely access shared drives and the local server.
System remapping
Spent three days diagnosing, remapping and testing the environment until the key systems were back online and understood.
Simplification plan
Worked with the company to design a simpler, more cost-effective system that could be managed remotely and secured for continuous business operations.
From recovery to security
Once the business was operational, the focus moved from firefighting to resilience. Theo Tech secured the network, locked down the firewalls, patched systems and upgraded Windows 10 devices to Windows 11 where appropriate.
The goal was to reduce the chance of the business falling back into the same position: unclear suppliers, unclear network ownership, unsupported devices and avoidable security risk.
Why this mattered
- The business had a working emergency route instead of waiting offline for suppliers.
- Phones, CCTV, tablets, server access and the printer were treated as one operational environment rather than separate isolated faults.
- The network became simpler to understand, support and manage remotely.
- Security work followed the recovery work, rather than being left for another day.
- The business now has a clearer roadmap for replacing its existing management system with bespoke software designed around the way it actually operates.
What this case study shows
Blackburn Skips is a useful example for any operational business where IT, telecoms, broadband, CCTV, local servers, tablets, printers and supplier contracts have become tangled together.
The lesson is not that every business needs more technology. In this case, the better answer was less complexity, clearer ownership and a system designed around continuity.
Services involved
- Managed IT support
- Business telecoms, broadband and VoIP
- Networks and connectivity
- Managed cyber security
- Backup and business continuity
- Custom software and web applications
Useful first step
If your business depends on phones, broadband, CCTV, tablets, servers or supplier-managed systems, start with a practical review before the next outage forces the issue.
Book a free IT health and risk review or use the IT Risk Scorecard to check where the biggest operational risks are likely to sit.
Frequently asked questions
Can Theo Tech help if internet, phones and site systems are all down?
Yes. The first step is to stabilise what the business needs to operate, then identify whether the issue sits with broadband, telecoms, network configuration, devices, suppliers or a combination of those areas.
Can you work with BT, Openreach and other suppliers?
Yes. Theo Tech can communicate with suppliers, help identify where responsibility sits and translate technical supplier responses into practical next steps for the business.
Can you simplify an overcomplicated IT setup?
Yes. Many operational SMEs have accumulated broadband lines, routers, firewalls, servers, CCTV, printers and software over time. Theo Tech can map what is there, remove unnecessary complexity and design a supportable setup.
Can you replace an old management system with bespoke software?
Yes. Where an existing system no longer fits the business, Theo Tech can review the workflow and plan bespoke management software around the way the business actually works.