The internet has come a long way since the first message was sent 50 years ago from a grey
box the size of a fridge by a professor at the University of California. These days the internet
has a constantly growing range of applications including navigation, music, videos, home
shopping, international communication, and banking.
However for all its advantages, the internet does have a downside. Cyberbullying, illegal
content, computer viruses and identity theft are just some of the dangers that web
browsers face. Many large corporates invest in filtering and virus protection systems to
safeguard their employees from these risks. These systems are often expensive, making
them out of reach for the average family or small business owner.
Over the last year Taupō-based IT expert Ashley Cho has been working on a product to help
solve this problem. “Many of my customers would love to have a filter on their internet
service” says Ashely. “They want to protect their children and staff from inappropriate
content, and keep themselves safe from scammers. But the current options are far too
costly for families and small business owners” he says.
Ashley has created “Ashley Cho Protect”, a cloud-based internet service that filters out
malicious and dangerous content. Customers purchase a modem that connects directly to
the service, and filters are updated in real time. The other benefit is that the modem
settings can be used to switch off the internet to specific devices. “I have three teenage
children, so I know how tricky it can be to manage screen-time at home. Sometimes it’s just
easier to turn the internet off! This feature means my wife and I can watch Netflix, but my
teenager can’t access the internet from his room” says Ashley.
Ashley has been working with computers since the age of 20. He set up his IT company in
Taupō after moving down from Auckland ten years ago. “As a family we love to ski, so we
moved to Taupō to be closer to the mountain. I’ve always been interested in computers, so I
decided to set my business up here. I started with one employee and we’ve now grown to
five staff members” he says.
Ashley’s business focus is on having an approachable team. “I made a conscious decision not
to have a reception area. That means clients can talk directly to the team member who is
working on their job. They can ask questions, and sometimes even learn how to solve the
issue themselves. It’s a great way to build long term relationships with customers” he says.
For more information on Ashley Cho protect, visit https://protect.ashleycho.com
Photo caption: Ashley Cho and team members Cameron Felton, Stewart Gillespie, Liam
Delany
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