• FibreNest Customer? You Can Now Switch ISP!

    If you moved into a Persimmon new-build home over the last few years, there’s a good chance FibreNest was the only broadband provider available. No choice, no competition, just whatever they offered. That changes now.

    What’s happened

    FibreNest’s full fibre network was acquired in 2025 by Open Fibre Networks (OFNL), the company behind the fibre infrastructure on many new-build estates across the UK. Since then, the two networks have been going through the process of being merged into one.

    That integration work has recently been completed and OFNL has announced that FibreNest properties are being added to its network in phases starting last week, with more sites going live every week. This means other providers, including Plush Broadband are available to homes that were previously locked to FibreNest alone.

    What this actually means for you

    Mainly choice and cheaper prices. For Persimmon developments, FibreNest was your only option. That’s the bit that’s changing.

    A few important points:

    • This is a service switch, not a rewiring job. The fibre already in your wall stays exactly where it is. You’re just changing who supplies the service.
    • It’s rolling out gradually. OFNL is adding sites in batches, so not every ex-FibreNest connection has been added yet, but it’s worth checking whether yours has.
    • You now have a genuine alternative. Plush Broadband are one of the providers (and in our opinion the best) able to place orders on the OFNL network, which means it’s now an option for FibreNest households for the first time.

    Why switch to Plush Broadband

    No long contracts. We don’t do 24 month contracts. We’d prefer our service be the thing that keeps you as a customer. Not an overly long contract.

    No engineer visit, no new equipment. You’re already connected to the OFNL network, switching to us doesn’t mean a callout, a new box, or any disruption to your setup. We simply switch the service and your connection carries on working throughout.

    Straightforward, no-nonsense broadband. Crowd Core Group/Plush Broadband are an IT and connectivity business that actually understands networks, not a call centre reading from a script. Head over to our website to see our current plans and pricing for your area.

    How to switch

    1. Check your address – Confirm your site has been added to the OFNL network under FibreNest’s old footprint. Bare in mind sites are coming online fast, so just because it’s not showing today doesn’t mean it won’t be tomorrow.
    2. See our plans – Visit plushbroadband.com to check availability and pricing.
    3. Get in touch if you’d rather talk it through – Call us on 01420 551 510 or email hello@plushbroadband.com and we’ll take care of the rest.

    FAQs

    Will an engineer need to visit my property? No. Your existing fibre connection and equipment stay exactly as they are. Unless you want a new router, then they are available.

    Is my street or development live yet? OFNL is adding former FibreNest sites gradually over the coming weeks. Get in touch or check your address on our website to find out where things stand for your property.

    How long does switching take? Because there’s no new cabling or equipment involved, switching is typically much quicker than a traditional broadband install, usually with 14 days for a migrating service. Contact us for a timeline specific to your address.

    How much does it cost? Visit plushbroadband.com to see our current plans and pricing for your address.

  • Cloud Security Posture Management with Microsoft Defender for Cloud 

    The cloud is one of the most important technologies for organisations to consider. Being both an established part of the field for business IT and a newly emerging technology — with lots of new cloud-based innovations taking the stage regularly — lots of businesses are taking the cloud seriously as the future of their organisation. 

    However, with all the benefits of the cloud, security concerns need to be considered to ensure that your organisation stays protected. As with anything else within your organisation, your cloud implementation needs to be sound and not leave any gaps within your wider security posture. The process of making sure that your cloud implementation is secure is known as Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) — and is a vital consideration for any business. 

    In this article, we’re going to go over CSPM and why your organisation needs to have a strong security posture, as well as how you can use Microsoft Defender to ensure that your cloud security posture is as tight as possible. 

    Understanding Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) 

    Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) is both a practice and a technology designed to detect and prevent any weakening of your organisation’s security posture. Essentially, it exists to make sure that any gaps in your cloud security are patched up — it does this through monitoring and threat detection, as well as configuration. 

    Essentially, this will ensure that you don’t have to worry about your cloud security posture at all, as a CSPM solution handles everything that you probably don’t even know about. This solves the biggest problem with modern cloud security — according to Microsoft, the highest percentage of cloud errors come from misconfigurations and human error. 

    With this, you protect your organisation immensely and ensure that there’s no way that you can leave any gaps where data breaches, compliance breaches, or even attacks can happen — making sure that your company doesn’t get hit by any nasty surprises. 

    There is a host of things that a CSPM solution handles, with the most important being:  

    • Misconfiguration: Oftentimes, organisations will set up their implementation incorrectly. A CSPM solution will ensure everything is configured correctly. 
    • Legal and regulatory compliance issues: A lack of attention to detail in cloud security could cause compliance issues. A CSPM solution will ensure that this isn’t the case. 
    • Unauthorised access: Misconfigured access management tools — or even simply just a security oversight — can lead to unauthorised access to your organisation’s network and systems. 

    These are just some of the ways that a CSPM solution can help ensure your organisation’s cloud security posture is tight and managed correctly. 

    The Importance of a Strong Security Posture 

    So far, we’ve spoken about your cloud security posture. But why is your organisation’s security posture important? And how can it affect your organisation if you fail to pay attention to your organisation’s security posture and needs?  

    There are a few key causes for concern here — 

    • Cyber Threats: Cyber attackers are unfortunately looming around every corner — and ensuring that you have the upper hand against them is the only real way of protecting your organisation. 
    • Compliance: As previously stated, having a weak security posture could lead to issues regarding compliance — which could lead to heavy fines or even litigation. 
    • Reputation: Your business’ reputation is one of the most important things it has, and a lack of attention to detail to security could lead to it becoming less reputable — which will mean less business. 
    • Business Continuity: A weak security posture could mean that your organisation faces immense amounts of disruption and downtime, meaning that everyone who works within your business suffers in the long run. 

    Essentially, a strong security posture will ensure that your organisation is healthy and prosperous for the future. 

    How Microsoft Defender for Cloud Can Help 

    Microsoft Defender for Cloud is Microsoft’s premier cloud security solution, and the best tool available for CSPM. It helps you protect your organisation and is incredibly potent, while also being flexible to meet your needs. 

    Defender for Cloud achieves this in a few ways:  

    • Visibility: Microsoft Defender for Cloud provides detailed visibility into your organisation’s security state and workloads across all of your cloud implementations — from Azure to AWS and anything in between. It then provides you with recommendations to ensure that your organisation stays at a high security standard. 
    • Hardening guidance: Microsoft Defender for Cloud offers hardening guidance to ensure that you can take actionable steps to improve your security posture easily and effectively. 
    • Secure Score: Microsoft Defender for Cloud provides your ‘secure score’ — a score based on your security level, with recommendations to improve your score. A higher score means that you’re more secure, with a lower risk level. 
    • Microsoft Cloud Security Benchmark: Defender for Cloud works with Azure specifically to provide the MSCB compliance standard, which gives you further tools to enhance your security. 

    There are two different plans for Microsoft Defender for Cloud, both of which provide different feature sets. The Foundational CSPM tool comes with Microsoft Defender for Cloud for free, whereas the Defender CSPM tool comes at an additional cost with more advanced CSPM tools such as attack path analysis and insights into network exposure. 

    Ultimately, Microsoft Defender will help you ensure that your organisation’s security is at the highest level. 

    How We Can Help 

    Your organisation’s cloud security is vital. Without paying attention to it, you could bring in a host of different problems for your business, that could cause disruption or damage in the long term. By utilising a CSPM solution, you can ensure that you have every aspect of your cloud security covered — without needing to stress about the specifics. 

    If you’re looking to get started with cloud security but need extra support, reach out to us today. Our experts are here to help and will ensure that you have everything you need to protect your business’ cloud infrastructure, all with expert support along the way. 

    Get in touch with us now and see how we can help.