Business Mobile World

Whilst cost savings are always aimed for when renewing a business mobile contract there are other areas which should be looked at where improvements to your communications can be made.

The pace of technology means that new mobile phone handsets, particularly in the SmartPhone sector, now offer a range of features not available even a couple of years ago. If you are coming to the end of an 18 or 24 month business mobile contract it is likely you will need new handsets.

Could a new SmartPhone benefit your business? With so many apps around it is conceivable that there is one out there that could make your business life away from the office easier. There may even be several which, used in conjunction with each other, could save your business time and money.

Whilst the Apple iPhone is the market leader in terms of available apps other operating systems are catching up. The most notable of these is Google's Android OS which is rapidly increasing its market share. With it being open source Android is going to continue to grow both in popularity and available apps.

It is also worth considering a total business phones solution including landlines and broadband which has the advantage of reducing overheads, streamlining administration and ensuring seamless integration between business telecom products.

Whilst your other services might be bound by contract for the time being, we can transfer them quickly and easily once they fall due for renewal. We can also look at improving your technology for landlines with a VoIP solution, routing your calls via the internet, and free calls to mobiles via an integrated sim card.

Once we have set up your contracts we work with you at all stages to ensure that you always have the latest technology where needed and to continually deliver cost reductions whilst improving communications. Regular reviews ensure that you always benefit from the best business phone deal.

Although originally set up as a specialist supplier of business mobiles, over the years we have expanded our range of products and services to include a variety of business telecoms. It can make sense for businesses to place more than one of their telecoms products with us for a number of reasons:

• Cost savings - by taking out more than one product savings can be passed onto the customer
• Reduced administration - everything on one bill
• Better problem resolution - no more grey areas between suppliers or buck passing when problems occur
• Enhanced customer service - no call centres to ring or expensive numbers to dial
• Dedicated account manager - your account is pro-actively managed

We already have many clients taking multiple services from us. Some signed up initially for mobile phones and, impressed by our service, have subsequently taken advantage of our great landline and broadband packages. Just some of the services we offer......

• Business mobile phones - including BlackBerry
• Landline telephony - lines, calls and hardware
• Broadband
• VoIP - phone systems and call cost reduction
• Device and vehicle tracking
• Mobile Broadband - via dongle

We are currently promoting an innovative phone system which incorporates a sim card allowing calls to mobiles to be routed via the mobile network and thus coming out of your inclusive minutes. Making free calls to mobiles can seriously reduce your landline bills, allowing the system to pay for itself quickly. At the same time you improve your communications with the enhanced features a VoIP phone system can offer your business.

The main problem in consolidating your business telecom services is usually contract renewal dates. This makes transferring all of your services in one go difficult. Instead you can transfer the next due service, test out our customer service and our cost savings, and, if you are happy with our services, transfer more services as they become due.

We have a new product in our range which will enable business users to make cheap calls to mobile phones. It is a new kind of phone system which includes a built-in sim card to route mobile calls via a mobile phone network.

The system is a VoIP unit, carrying calls over the internet. It is also compatible with analogue lines. It can support up to 16 extensions so is ideal for small and medium sized businesses.

The size of a standard business phone handset (see picture), everything is included within the one main unit, including the pbx and sim card reader. Being a VoIP unit it has a number of advanced features which are not available on standard analogue systems.

Best of all this unit allows you to make cheap (even free) calls to mobile phones via the built in sim reader. Intelligent least cost routing identifies all calls to mobiles (starting 07) and routes them via the mobile phone network. These minutes come out of your agreed mobile phone package so they can be included within your inclusive minutes.

All other calls can then be routed via the internet. So all you require is a decent broadband connection, which we can supply if necessary. It is best to pay a little bit more for business grade broadband with a low contention ratio, giving a guaranteed service and call quality.

So impressed are we with this system that we are producing a dedicated website - 21c VoIP Phone Systems - to provide further information and to make it easy to purchase. This is a plug and play device - we program it to your requirements before despatch so that it can be used straight out of the box.

Get in touch with us for more information and pricing.

The increasing popularity of smartphones, particularly the iPhone, has led to an even greater explosion in the use of mobile data. So much so that the mobile networks  now feel the time is right to take some action.

Up until recently there have been a number of "unlimited" mobile data tariffs (although these were usually subject to a fair usage policy). It looks like their days are numbered as the mobile networks now seek to impose limits, around 500MB or 1GB per month will likely be the norm.

The mobile networks themselves say that their networks are creaking under the strain of the increased traffic hence the need for restrictions. Others say that this is the networks attempt to increase profits as the amount they make from voice and text dwindles.

Whichever is the reason the new limits will need to be adhered to in order to avoid a nasty bill (out of bundle data usage is extremely expensive). Heavy users will be catered for but will have to pay substantially more for their initial tariff.

Most users will find 500MB of data is adequate for internet browsing and email. The problems come if you are downloading music/movies or streaming video/TV. The latest smartphone handsets will offer you better quality music/video services and this may tempt you to download/stream. Just be aware of your mobile data limits for your contract.

We are finding a number of customers with our fixed business broadband have recently started to approach their monthly 50GB limits. For the first time ever we are having to notify people to moderate their usage in order to avoid penalties. And the reason for this? The World Cup!

It looks like a lot of businesses are streaming the World Cup matches which has led to a major increase in internet traffic. If you are streaming matches to your phone beware - a 90 minute match will likely be up to 1GB in data usage (subject to the quality of the transmission).

Is your business still stuck in the 20th century? Technology, particularly phone technology, is moving apace and if you haven't changed your hardware and/or software in a few years it is likely you are using obsolete equipment.

For many small businesses this may not manifest itself in noticeable problems. Providing the equipment works and does what you need it to then there is no need to upgrade. However, could your business be making more money by making an investment in new technology?

With the improved technologies has also come price reductions. Competition, particularly in the mobile phone sector, is continually driving prices down. This is particularly true for SmartPhones where they can now be obtained free of charge on even the cheapest of business mobile contracts.

So if your current telecoms equipment is reaching the end of its life span, or starting to show its age, now is the time to look into replacement - you might be surprised how cost effective a total business phone solution is.

Our telecoms healthcheck takes an overview of your current setup, the equipment used and how it is put to use, together with gathering your ideas (and our own) of possible improvements to your communications.

The review covers a number of areas including:

• Mobile phones
• Landline phones
• Telephone numbers and call management
• Broadband (both fixed and mobile)
• Device tracking and employee management solutions (where appropriate)
• IT

Your business can benefit from the latest technology (future proofing for several years), better integration of individual communication products, a more coherent telecoms strategy, and all of this whilst realising cost reductions overall.

Placing all of your communication needs into the hands of a single supplier may seem scary at first but when you see the cost savings available, together with the advantages in billing (single bill for all services) and customer service (one point of contact) you should be convinced that this is the way forward for your business in the 21st century.

As well as business mobile solutions we also offer a full range of business phone products. This includes:

• Business phone systems (small and large)
• Business phone lines (ISDN2 and ISDN30)
• Business phone numbers (Geographical and non-geographical)

We offer a total communication solution for businesses large and small. This includes overhauling all of your current systems where necessary - often systems can become obsolete and fail to offer the services and reliability of modern phone systems. Whilst investing in hardware can be costly in the short term, in the long run a future proof business phone system (such as a VoIP system) will pay for itself many times over in improved efficiencies and lower call costs.

When thinking of a VoIP phone system, routing your calls over the internet, you need to make sure your current broadband is up to the job. We can offer uncontended business grade broadband offering guaranteed upload and download speeds ideal for this type of business phone system.

The benefits of utilising our services include:

• Free and without obligation
• Expert knowledge of current products
• Advice on improving your business communications
• Help with set up and ongoing maintenance when required
• Seamless integration of all products supplied

All businesses could gain from contacting us and seeing how we could improve communication, both within your organisation and with existing customers and prospects. Not only could you save initially on system costs, lines and calls but improving communication will inevitably improve customer retention and gaining new business.

For a free quote give us a call on 0844 880 8116 or fill out our online business phone enquiry form.

The cost of broadband for home consumers has never been so low. However, at peak times the speeds you are actually operating at can be well short of the advertised max speed. If you find your home PC is struggling with routine internet use check out the speed by using one of the online speed checkers (eg. http://www.broadbandspeedchecker.co.uk/).

Even on reduced speeds standard web browsing is unlikely to grind to a halt, particularly if you are only using one computer with the connection. However for business users the broadband speed coming into the workplace is then diluted by the number of users. If you have several employees online this is where the lack of speed and high contention ratios will be noticeable.

Can your business cope with a loss of internet service? Many businesses now rely upon the web and email for their daily communications. A loss of several hours service in the form of downtime can be costly and distressing.

We now have reduced prices on our business broadband. Not on the cheap and nasty low grade broadband but on 1:1 contention business grade broadband giving you a dedicated service. This type of broadband is ideal for new technology such as VoIP because it provides guaranteed bandwidth end-to-end and symmetric download and upload speeds.

There are a range of options based on different speeds and we can guide you on the best one for your business. We can also supply hardware in the form of a variety of routers and assist in the set up of your new business broadband.

Any problems and you do not sit in a phone queue waiting for a call centre assistant, we have a dedicated broadband department available straight away. This grade of broadband has proved to be extremely reliable meaning that you are unlikely to be calling us in all but the rarest of circumstances.

For a free quotation, line test and suitability discussion please contact us.

Originally this site was started solely to sell business mobiles, and products and services related only to this category. We worked closely with 21c Telecom Ltd, our main supplier, and had good success supplying businesses with phones on contract terms.

However, the telecoms market has moved on, and more and more businesses are sourcing all of their communication products from a single supplier. The advantages of this approach include cost savings, reduced administration, better customer service and enhanced fault resolution.

We are also able to offer a full range of business telecom products including:

• Business Landlines

This includes line rental, reduced call charges, telephone systems, telephone numbers, maintenance contracts, call management and more. Easy to understand monthly billing and a single point of contact for questions and problems.

• Business Broadband

Business grade broadband with low contention ratios giving your business a greater share of the available bandwidth. High speed, reliable broadband with routers supplied and installed where necessary.

• Mobile Broadband

USB dongles supplied to give you 3G mobile internet via your laptop or netbook. Speeds up to 7.2mbps.

• Vehicle Tracking

Track your vehicles or employees via hardware or a mobile phone. Live view of current position via real-time web interface.

All types and size of business can benefit from taking out a range of services with us, achieving large savings over a multiple supplier solution. Quotes are always free and we aim to save you money whilst simultaneously improving your business communications.

We have been looking at how we can make it easier for you to get in touch with us to get a quotation for your business mobiles.

The first solution has been to reduce the size of our online enquiry form. A number of fields have been removed and now it is just basic contact information we require and we will contact you from there to obtain anything else we need.

We have tested the new form out and it takes less than a minute to complete, typing in every field. If you have any sort of auto fill for forms enabled on your browser it will be even quicker!

We have also changed the telephone number displayed on the website from an 0844 number to a local 0115 number. This means that callers from mobile phones can get in touch cheaper (and usually free from inclusive minutes). Call us on 0115 944 8977 for a business mobile quote.

Remember our quotes are free of charge and without obligation. We can quote from one handset to two hundred plus and our aim is to save your business money whilst improving your communications.

In addition to business mobiles we also offer a number of related telecoms products including landlines, broadband, tracking and more. All of our services are designed to work in harmony together, streamlining both your internal and external communications, not to mention your administration and billing.

So visit our new look business mobile enquiry form and take a single minute out of your busy day to save your business some money.

These days most businesses of all types and size will use mobile phones in some capacity or other. Some of the reasons why your business benefits from utilising its business mobiles include:

• Accessibility 24/7
• Making and keeping appointments
• Checking details/information whilst away from the office
• Saving time, being able to communicate during "dead" time (eg. travelling)
• Accessing emails and internet
• Call forwarding from your landline
• Keeping in touch when overseas
• Lone worker protection
• Tracking employees by mobile device

There are numerous other reasons why using mobiles in your business and making them a key part of your communication strategy makes sense.

In the 21st century people have little patience to wait around for a slow response to a problem or complaint. Companies that recognise this and are able to keep communication channels open and active at all times will benefit in retaining existing customers and also gaining new business.

It is not enough to simply have mobile phones in your organisation, you need to use them to their best advantage and integrate them with your landlines, broadband, IT to get the best possible communication solution.

As experts in the telecoms field, offering a full range of products and services designed specifically to work together, we would love to help your business function better and help you improve communications, not only with your customers but also internally.

A converged telecommunications solution does not have to be costly or overly-complicated, it just needs the right products working together in the best manner. Quotes are free and we welcome enquiries from all types of business and all sizes from 1 mobile handset to 100+.

It's all very well wanting the latest mobile phone free of charge on contract but this usually means signing up to a hefty contract. Whilst this will usually get you a fair chunk of minutes and texts, if you don't use them then you are pouring money down the drain.

Moneysupermarket estimate that up to £13 billion is being wasted by British mobile phone users each year in unused minutes and texts. In fact nearly half of the inclusive deal is being wasted. This is a 40% increase on the 2007 figures and is driven by high cost phones (iPhone anyone?) which require huge tariffs to be obtained free of charge.

Whilst a free phone might seem like a tempting offer, if you are wasting £20 of inclusive minutes each month over a 24 month period it would be much cheaper to take out a lower tariff and part-pay towards the cost of the phone.

Whilst these figures refer to the whole of the mobile phone market, and are largely a consumer problem, business users also need to be aware of the cost of unused minutes, texts and data. It's very important that your business mobile contract accurately reflects your usage in order to get the best deal.

If your usage remains fairly steady each month it should be a simple task to look at your current usage and get the right tariff that includes what you need but no more.

If your bills vary widely each month then you have a decision to make. Do you take out a contract based upon the highest monthly spend and waste the minutes and texts in low spend months or take out a contract on a lower tariff and pay for calls etc. above your tariff as and when they are made. You might need to get out a calculator at this point and see which works out best for you!

On the other hand get in touch with Business Mobile World (that's us!) and let us do the hard work for you. We can analyze your bills and produce figures showing you the best options and how much you could save by switching tariffs and/or networks.

We can also propose other money saving communication options including your landline phones, taking over your current lines and reducing your line rental and telephone call costs, and business broadband with low contention ratios giving you great speeds without great costs.

One call does it all, just pick up the phone and dial 0844 880 8116 for immediate attention or fill out our online enquiry form.

The start of a new year is an ideal time to take stock of your business and plan your success for the coming 12 months. As well as gearing up to sell more of your products and services you should be looking at ways of saving money on your costs in order to maximise your profits.

A telecoms review from Business Mobile World will analyze all of your current communications including mobile phones, landline phones, broadband and mobile broadband showing you where savings can be made.

Additionally we can also help with new products and services including telephone systems, VoIP systems, website hosting, design and promotion - we offer a fully converged telecoms solution.

The benefits of a review for your business include:

• Saving money on each product
• Ensuring all products work together optimally
• Simplifying your billing (one monthly bill)
• One point of contact

At the moment you will probably have a number of different contracts for each of your communication components with different renewal dates. We can arrange for a smooth transition for each of these as they become due for renewal.

And the downside of getting a review? If we cannot save you money or improve your communications then you have total peace of mind that your current deal/s are the best available in the market. It's a win-win situation.

Best of all it's a free service. It won't cost your business a penny to see how much you could be saving and how your communications could be improved. Just contact us for your individual quotation.

Recent research suggests that over a quarter of UK businesses are unhappy with their broadband. This might be because the service is poor, with dropped and interrupted connections, or because the service is slooooowwww.

Many of these same businesses might have caused this problem themselves by choosing consumer grade broadband. This is the cheapest option, and, if you are only an occasional or light user, will probably do an OK job. However, these days businesses are more and more reliant upon email, the internet and mobile data devices. Having a slow connection is going to slow your business down.

The reason consumer broadband is always going to be cheaper than business broadband is the contention ratio. This is the maximum number of users on the line at the same time. With business broadband there are always going to be fewer users meaning that you get a bigger slice of the available capacity. This means a quicker and more reliable service for your business.

Admittedly it does cost more, but it is only a few pounds each month and you should really notice the difference. To find out more visit the business broadband page.

It's a similar story for mobile broadband. If you sign up on the cheapest deal you can find you are likely to experience problems with connection and speed. Before taking out a mobile broadband contract make sure that the coverage in your area, and in the areas you are likely to use it, is excellent. Also check the maximum download speeds.

Not all mobile broadband is the same and some networks offer a slower connection than others. When you bear in mind that the figures quoted are the maximum you could receive, rather than what you are likely to receive, a slower connection could be even slower than you thought.

A recent survey of over 7,000 SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) reports that over 60% of businesses said faster broadband speeds had a positive impact on their business. Other beneficial technology included mobile devices (mobile phones and mobile broadband) and remote working tech.

Nearly 70% of those businesses that were embracing new technology were experiencing a "better" recession than those who lagged behind.

Not surprising to us, we have been blogging regularly about how new technology can help your business improve its communications and ultimately make you more money. Any initial investment can soon be overtaken by ongoing savings or increased profits.

And that is just the current scenario. Going forward into the future new technology will become ever more important in businesses that rely upon communications.

Even traditional trades, such as hairdressers, where actual technological advancements are unlikely to replace their core business (you cannot get a haircut on the internet!) need to embrace technology to make sure that their marketing remains relevant and accessible.

Letting customers (and potential customers) know about new styles, products and special offers by email or sms could keep all of their current customers happy and get people who may never have thought of using them in the past through the front door. 

All businesses should be thinking of how they could use technology to improve their communications inter-office and with customers. We can help you with advice about the latest technology and how it can be used to boost your business. Just get in touch.

A recent survey concluded that the 10 million people in the UK without internet access are missing out on approximately £550 each year in cheaper products and services. The internet is not only a fantastic way to keep in touch, but also the gateway to the best prices and savings.

Many business users don't pay attention to their broadband connection. They take the cheapest deal offered, often using consumer grade broadband. For those that do do some research they may choose a connection with a headline-grabbing download speed. But are you actually getting the speed as promised?

A quick broadband speed test will confirm the maximum download and upload speeds you are actually getting. It could be considerably less than you think. One of the reasons is the contention ratio.

The broadband connection you use is shared by other users. With retail broadband the contention ratio could be 60:1 - in other words up to 60 other people could be using the connection at the same time as you, meaning your speed is greatly reduced. We can offer your business a contention ration of 10:1 (or even 1:1 on your own private line if required).

With download speeds up to 24mbps our business grade broadband is fast, meaning that the days of slow downloads and waiting for pages to load are at an end. Think of all the time that is wasted in your business with slow connections. Faster broadband will save you time and money.

It doesn't have to be expensive. Taken in a package with telephone lines and call cost reductions your business should be saving money each month whilst benefitting from a better broadband experience. Contact us for a free quote.