Business Mobile World

Mobile data usage has increased by more than 1,800% in the past two years, fuelled largely by the iPhone and subsequent SmartPhones in conjunction with mobile operators unlimited data tariffs. Whilst the end of the unlimited data tariff is nigh, the thirst for mobile data remains unquenched and the continual rise in its usage will cause the mobile networks to reach capacity without action being taken.

Reducing the data limits on tariffs will certainly have an impact, but will it be enough to solve the problem? That's unlikely and other methods will have to be employed to get traffic reductions that are necessary to avoid the slowing down or crashing of traffic.

One of the options being looked into is cognitive radio, whilst another is the usage of spectrum previously used for other services. As the UK goes digital for its TV services frequencies are left behind which could be used for data traffic. Ofcom has also explored how enabling phones to switch between service providers to find the strongest signal could be a solution in some areas where signal quality is particularly poor. 

The mobile networks are currently opposing plans to dish out extra spectrum as it is not clear how it would be done and whether they may end up losing out financially as a result. However, one thing is clear, there will soon be a genuine need to reduce data traffic on the networks in order to keep it flowing smoothly and provide a good service for the majority of users.

As technology advances and wi-fi becomes standard on all new phones this means of data transfer may be encouraged by the networks. It is also worth mentioning again that wi-fi usage generally does not come out of your tariff meaning that is free of charge to the end user. You don't have to worry about data tariffs or fair usage policies!

We have previously commented about the exorbitant costs of using mobile data overseas. Unfortunately the mobile networks have failed to act, or at least failed to go far enough for the EU, who have now imposed a cap on data roaming within the EU.

The cap stands at €50 (just over £40 at today's exchange rate) which should stop the stories of mobile data bills in the thousands of pounds (see our post - businesses counting the cost of volcanic ash for instance). 

In addition mobile networks are obliged to inform their customers when they are approaching the limit and must stop their connection once the limit has been reached. This should stop people running up large bills inadvertently but there are a couple of problems.

Firstly, these rules only apply within the EU, so if you are travelling to a non-EU country or outside of Europe it is likely you will not have a limit. Secondly, your cap can be lifted at your command. So if you do decide you want to remove it make sure you don't go crazy with your downloading abroad!

The cap will also be helpful should your phone be lost or stolen in the EU. Anyone using it will not be able to run up large data bills although they will still be able to make as many calls as they wish. The cost of these calls is now limited to a maximum of 32p per minute following the EU decision.

This price does highlight the need to think in advance if you intend using your mobile phone overseas as there are many packages and bolt-ons that can reduce the amount you pay considerably.

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).

Mobile phone talk and text bundles have been around for a long time now and the competition within the marketplace has driven down prices. At the same time the cost of handsets has been increasing as more and more people abandon basic phones in favour of smartphones.

This leaves the mobile networks profits squeezed, and their answer is to get some of this profit back via their mobile data charges. With smartphones now being the order of the day, and with predictions that mobile phones will at some point in the none too distant future overtake computers in terms of internet volume, charges for mobile data need to be factored in when choosing your mobile phone contract.

This is particularly so as the variance in pricing between networks for mobile data is considerable. The networks even have different pricing structures for different devices - per MB charges for mobile data accessed from a laptop via a dongle are usually considerably cheaper than for access via a mobile phone. Why?

The difference is so great that it does make you wonder about the actual cost price to the networks of providing the service and the margins they are making on mobile phone data charges - they are considerable!

While unlimited data bundles are available for consumer mobile contracts (beware fair usage policies if you take the word "unlimited" too literally!) within the business mobile world limits are more likely to be 500MB, 750MB or 1GB per month. This would usually be sufficient for a business user looking to check their emails and browse the internet, without streaming media or downloading lots of online content.

How much mobile data do you need?

For 500MB of data you could send and receive each day:

• 250 emails
• 35 Word documents
• 25 PowerPoint, Excel or Acrobat attachments

These are approximate figures as individual file sizes can vary considerably, but you can see the average business user is unlikely to exceed this limit. However there are things you can do to reduce your download amount if you are a heavy user. For instance you can just download email headers, rather than the full content of the email, and then access any emails in full if they require your immediate attention whilst you are away from the office.

For help and advice on mobile data charges and the best business mobile contracts get in touch with us by phone or online.

The cost of business mobile contracts could be set to come down soon as a number of networks launch new business tariffs.

Vodafone have launched Business Choice which is aimed at SMEs with 2 to 50 mobile phone handsets. This is a flexible tariff with a number of paid add-ons allowing companies to mix and match their requirements and build a tariff that reflects their usage.

Businesses can choose the number of minutes to be shared, data allowances and technical support, and the basic plan includes free calls to UK landlines, free UK calls to company mobiles on the same plan, 150 standard UK text messages and free voicemail retrieval as standard.

As an incentive a £5 monthly discount for all businesses signing up to certain options before August 15th is available. Contact us for more information.

At the same time the parent company of Orange and T-Mobile, Everything Everywhere, have announced their intention to launch an assault on the UK business market. The combined power of these two networks should produce better tariffs for business mobiles than are currently available.

With a merged network, coverage, which is essential for business users, should no longer be an issue meaning that both networks will be able to increase their business customer base.

Full details of any new business tariffs from Orange and T-Mobile will be printed here as they become available. In the meantime to take advantage of the enhanced coverage and low cost business tariffs currently available from these networks get in touch with us.

With the latest closure of UK airspace and no sign of the Icelandic volcano abating (last time it erupted for 15 months!) many businesses are suffering inconvenience, not to mention loss of revenue. With the announcement of higher thresholds for flying through the ash hopefully any future problems will be minimised and airspace kept open.

However, further costs of the volcanic ash problem are now coming to light in the form of mobile phone bills. With April's bills for call charges dropping on people's doormats come some nasty surprises for many.

For many of those that were stranded abroad for several days and unable to return to the UK as scheduled have run up sizeable bills. Several of these bills have been £1,000 plus, with the highest we have heard of being over £7,000!

This was due to a traveller stranded in Italy using his dongle to stream live radio on his laptop so he could keep in touch with what was happening. Mobile data roaming overseas is still extortionately expensive, but this traveller was either unaware of just how expensive or was relying upon his mobile network's cap.

This cap had been lifted by the network to help stranded travellers who needed to keep in touch. The sms message informing the traveller of this removal appears not to have been received. The network have reduced the bill to around £2,000 but this is still in dispute.

This story does show the need to be aware of all of the costs when entering into a mobile phone contract. If you are thinking of using data overseas via your mobile, or even calling and texting, you should pre-arrange it with your network and add a bolt-on if available to make it considerably less expensive.

Most of the networks offer packages for those going on holiday which offer reasonable value and can even include utilising your inclusive minutes overseas. Terms and conditions vary according to networks so make sure you read them carefully before using your mobile phone abroad.

Have you reviewed your business phones recently? A phone review should cover not only cost reductions, where possible, but also communication improvements. Ensuring that your mobile phones and landlines work together to provide optimum performance and smooth lines of communication.

Too many companies fail to review their arrangements and renew their contracts without giving consideration to how much they might save by looking at alternative ways of organising their business phones.

In fact savings of several thousands of pounds are possible for medium to large users. This is money that should not be wasted, particularly in the current economic climate. No business should be paying over the odds for their telecoms.

Some of the areas to look at with a review include:

• Business mobile tariff
• Mobile network
• Changes of usage (more/less mins, sms, data)
• New mobile handsets
• No of lines/extensions
• Line rental costs
• Landline hardware (system/handsets)
• Cost per minute of most used destinations
• IT integration

By ensuring that your business communications are on the optimum plan you should not only save money on your basic monthly costs but should also benefit from increased new business and business retention by improving your communications both internally and externally.

You have nothing to lose with a business phone review from Business Mobile World. They are free of charge and take little time out of your business. After a quick fact find we can put together a proposal showing you where improvements and savings can be made.

According to a recent study only 24% of mobile phone users in the UK access the internet via their handset. There are several reasons cited for this low figure:

• Actual cost of data when known
• Unknown costs related to downloads and fear of a big bill
• Difficulty in viewing websites on small screens
• Slow download speeds and unwieldy navigation

Many of these problems can be overcome, particularly if you are looking for a new handset. If the internet is going to be a factor in your choice of mobile phone you will likely want as big a screen as possible. This means a touchscreen or slidephone are the best options.

A QWERTY keyboard enables you to email better and also to type long URLs into your browser getting to the website you need faster. A 3G enabled phone is a must and look out for whether it supports standard web programming such as java and flash. Wi-fi phones keep your costs down if you have a wireless access point.

A smartphone enables you to download different web browsers and applications to suit your taste and preference.

When looking at tariffs there are some different options for data usage. These include:

• Pay as you go for amount downloaded
• Include a data usage amount within your tariff (eg. 500MB)
• Pay per day

Which one works out best for you depends upon how often you are likely to access the internet/email. For instance if the daily access charge is 30p and you are likely to use it half a dozen times per month it works out better to pay daily than paying £5 for inclusive data within your tariff.

Beware the high costs of downloading data on a pay as you go basis. It is easy to run up a sizeable bill if you surf the internet without a special data plan of some sort. Also note that your data plan applies only in the UK. When overseas the cost of data usage is usually enormous.