A Staffordshire web design and new media agency has been inundated with enquiries for their Hosted Exchange service as more companies look to promote home working and cut costs.

Newcastle-based Nixia saw a surge in demand for Hosted Exchange, which allows companies to synchronise emails across all platforms, including laptops, PCs and smartphones, in the last quarter on 2010.

Bosses believe the main reason is to cut costs by giving more employees the capability to work from home, while retaining the same email functionality they'd have in the office. The same service can also be applied to employees working on the road.

Managing Director Nick Green said: "Hosted Exchange allows people to have access to email, calendar and contact lists via their iPhone, iPad, PC and Apple Mac computers - anywhere in the world.

"You have access to Microsoft's Exchange Server, but without the cost associated - the average Exchange Server install costs £3500 and this is a large investment for SMEs.

"We've had a lot of businesses asking for it since September, as they've looked to save money on office rentals, for example.

"Other factors are important too - as we saw with the bad weather at the end of the year, businesses lose money if employees can't make it to work and this solution eases that burden allowing for greater access to office communications.

"Many are also looking to emphasise their green credentials by reducing the number of staff travelling into work by car."

Hosted Exchange enables companies to host email remotely, with full virus and spam protection, and online storage of up to 2GB for messages.