As we approach the end of 2011 it is time to look forward to what 2012 is going to bring for your business. Outside of the retail sector many businesses will have time to attend to some housekeeping as business slows down approaching Christmas and the New Year.

This time could be used to look at all of your business outgoings and formulate a plan to reduce them or at least review them to ensure you have the best tariffs available for each of your different services.

One area in which businesses can save a lot of money is mobile communications. Telecoms technology is moving at such a pace that it is possible your current handsets are obsolete and newer mobile devices could help improve the way you work and drive the productivity of your employees.

Business mobile tariffs are also changing constantly offering you the opportunity to better match a tariff to your actual usage. By doing this you can eliminate either unused allowances that you are paying for or overspend on usage outside of bundled allowances.

Including business changes

During 2011 your business may have changed – more or fewer employees, different ways of working, new IT systems – all of these need to be factored in to a business mobile review. At the same time you need to consider likely changes in 2012 to ensure the chosen tariff will meet your requirements going forward.

New unified communications products such as Vodafone One Net can also be considered, particularly if your landline systems are also approaching end of life. A review encompassing all of your telecoms is available to ensure you optimise the different communication strands to achieve the best cost/benefit balance to maximise productivity and profit.

Implementing new devices into your organisation need not be disruptive and we are available for technical help and support in getting your new mobile devices up and running smoothly.

We have considerable expertise with the most popular business phones. This includes BlackBerry (and their data solutions – BIS, BES, BES Express), iPhone, and the latest SmartPhones. You will also benefit from your own account manager and a customer service team that are available when you need them.

 

We still have Vodafone tariffs with reduced line rental. For shared minute tariffs of 3,000 minutes or more there is a 25% discount on the line rental for the lead handset. This could lead to savings of over £300 per month on the largest discount tariff.

Vodafone's data promotion is still running too, meaning that you can get half price on their 1GB package. Add these two together and you could save some serious money on your current contract by switching to Vodafone.

On top of this we are maximising the amount of subsidy for new handsets. This means you will be able to get better handsets free of charge on your chosen tariff. In some circumstances we will be giving away ALL of our up-front commission to you in the form of new phones or kit allowance.

Getting a better business mobile deal

When you contact a number of business mobile dealers you will find the same, or similar, tariffs on offer. Where the difference lies is in a number of areas:

• The value of kit they will supply to you
• The advice and help they can give you to pinpoint the best offers and deals
• Help with new technology and how it could improve productivity
  
• The level of customer service and care you receive

At Business Mobile World our aim is to both reduce costs and improve communications. In the long term this is far better for your business than simply cutting costs and going for the lowest quote regardless.

In fact be very wary when comparing quotes and ensure they are made on identical terms. If you take out the cheapest contract but it does not have sufficient inclusive allowances you could find that your first bill is much higher than you expected due to out-of-bundle charges.

It is only at this stage that you realise your mistake, but by this time you are tied in to a 24 month contract!

We are very open about our charges and how our deals and offers work. We put everything in writing and make sure you are happy with your deal before contracts are drawn up. The last thing we want is unhappy customers and complaints.

Who is eligible?

Any type and size of business is welcome to apply. From a single handset to several hundred. We will conduct a review of your current usage and bills to see where savings can be made. We also look at how you use your mobiles away from the office and whether you are getting maximum value from the features on offer.

The best mobile devices empower your workforce and drive productivity. Giving your employees the right tools to do the job will not only make them more efficient but happier too. No more struggling with out-of-date technology!

For larger business users and corporate mobile phone accounts the savings can run into tens of thousands over the course of a standard contract. This type of saving cannot be ignored and regular review of large accounts is a must.

Small and medium sized businesses will not see such large savings but a few hundred or thousand pounds saved, whilst simultaneously improving mobile communication, can only be a positive step for any business.

It's free to obtain a review which will be conducted at your convenience. Let us show you how our 15 year experience in the mobile phone sector can obtain the best business mobile deal for your company.
We can also talk to you about the future of telecoms and how data solutions, hosted services and unified communications could further improve productivity and give you a competitive edge.

There are many benefits of getting your business mobile phones (and other telecom products) from a local company, rather than going direct to one of the major networks. The level of personal care and customer service is always going to be higher and issues can be sorted out quicker, meaning that any loss of connectivity (due to broken handsets, for instance) is minimised.

Based in Ilkeston, Derbyshire we are ideally placed to serve business customers throughout Derbyshire as well as the neighbouring counties of Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire. We already have a large customer base in the East Midlands and our Account Managers are regularly "in your area" to pop in and help you with your handsets and tariff, and give advice and guidance on new technology and how it could help you.

If you are currently in contract but not receiving the level of service you require please contact us to discuss your options and whether it is possible to buy out your existing business mobile contract. It is also possible, depending upon network, to transfer to another dealer and retain your current contract.

Not just business mobiles

As part of 21c Telecom we can provide your business with a full range of telecom products and services as well as business mobile phones. This is another very good reason to utilise our services as we can take care of all of your telecom requirements as part of a package, saving you money and streamlining your administration.

One bill, one point of contact and the best rates across all of your telecom products and services. This includes business mobiles, landlines, broadband and data solutions, tracking, websites and lots more.

We offer a free review service for any or all of your telecom services. This is available to small and large companies across all sectors of business. It can be done by visiting you at your convenience or by phone/fax/email if you prefer.

As well as cost reductions we also look at ways in which your current communications can be improved. You might have offices in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire all operating their own phone systems - could a hosted VoIP solution which does away with the need for individual systems, offers a full range of features including call management, and allows free communication between offices save you money and make your life easier?

Have you thought about unified communications? The ability to merge your landline and mobiles into a seamless solution meaning that you never miss a call and improve your response to customers and new enquiries. We can give you advice regarding Vodafone One Net and alternative offerings which could improve your connectivity.

With 15 years industry experience we have the technical knowledge to put together a package which resolves your current issues and offers an enhanced communication platform both internally and externally. This applies equally to small local Derbyshire businesses as well as multi-site national companies.

We regularly have offers and deals running across our range of business mobile products and contracts. Some of the latest deals can be seen below.

iPad 2 only £266

The iPad 2 is thinner, lighter and faster than its predecessor. More and more businesses are seeing real advantages to using tablets within their daily working life, and this is the best tablet about currently.

We are offering it for only £266 when taken with a new data connection. If you sign up before the end of July the data connection will only cost you £18 for a large 5GB of data per month, plus you also receive 2GB of BT Openzone wi-fi.

This contract is with Vodafone who offer excellent coverage around the UK. The price of £266 applies to the 16GB version. Other versions are available and we also offer a range of different data plans.

Quotations subject to VAT and a 24 month contract.

25% of leader line rental

With a shared minute tariff you have a leader, with the bulk of the contract costs, and sharers which are added at a flat rate. We currently have 25% discount on leader line rental on selected tariffs. For instance, a 3,000 minute tariff normally charged at £155 is now only £116.

Should you sign up for a new contract today this discount will apply for the full 24 months of your contract saving you a considerable amount. The maximum saving on the largest tariff works out at more than £7,000 over the course of the contract!

£5 off mobile email

On certain tariffs which do not include data as standard, it is charged extra on a per handset basis. Providing the underlying line rental is £25 or more you will receive a £5 discount on your data bolt-on which applies throughout your contract.

New mobile broadband tariffs

We have new mobile broadband prices which are more flexible. Starting at just £3 per month for occasional users. New roaming rates also apply which make it cheaper for you to access mobile broadband overseas. Contact us for all of the different options and pricing.

Vodafone continue to push their One Net integrated telecoms solution heavily in the media. This merging of devices, having a single number which rings wherever you are, enables more flexible working and is ideal for users who are away from their office/home a substantial part of the time.

Whilst the Vodafone One Net solution offers a lot features, it is not always the best option for businesses looking for a call management package. There are alternatives, one of which is Inbound Call Management.

Vodafone One Net Express

The most popular One Net product is the Express variant, which is squarely aimed at SMEs with up to 10 users. Larger companies can use it but their needs are usually better served by the One Net package.

One Net Express offers a quick set up, no need for any type of installation or fancy hardware, making it ideal for small business users. It also features inclusive calls, texts and data making budgeting much easier and reducing the chance of "bill shock".

The landline number (or numbers) you choose are contained within the Vodafone network, meaning that there are no diversions when people call the number. This is the main distinction between One Net and its competitors.

Because most people carry their mobiles wherever they are these days, you can be taking important business calls out of hours, on holiday, or wherever you are, leading to the Vodafone One Net slogan "never miss a business call again".

The advantages of Vodafone One Net Express are the features it offers which are not usually available to small businesses, such as music on hold and hunt groups, and the flexibility of configuration. Whilst a price of £55 per user might not seem cheap at first glance, this is the cost for a combination of landline and mobile bills and unlimited calls. Add into this the improvements in customer service and the opportunity to win more business by answering more calls and it becomes more appealing.

Inbound Call Management

With the call management option you can have a virtual landline number which can be diverted to any other numbers, landline or mobile. It can also be diverted to multiple numbers which ring at the same time or call a single number with multiple failover options. For instance it could ring a landline number first and if not answered failover to a mobile or group of mobiles.

With this option you are charged for the diverted calls, however the monthly charge is only £9.95 per month. Diverts to landlines cost 1.25ppm and to mobiles 9.95ppm, charged by the second subject to a minimum 1p call charge. It is highly configurable and you can change your options at any time via the intuitive web interface.

Which option suits your business best depends upon the number of users and how many calls are being received. We can run through the different options with you calculate the most cost effective for you.

Recent research, conducted on behalf of Vodafone across a range of businesses, has shown that one fifth of British workers believe the way their own business runs its communications is preventing them from carrying out their job properly.

For workers out in the field this is particularly important as the ability to work wherever they need to could improve their productivity enabling them to communicate in the way that best suits them and the job that they do.

However, it also applies to workers who do have a desk in an office, with 23% saying they do not spend most of their time sat at it.

SmartPhones are the most desirable communication tools, with 31% of those surveyed saying it would enable them to carry out their job more effectively. 37% said they currently have no access to flexible communication tools.

The conclusion of the survey was very much that businesses should take an individual approach to their employees communications, tailoring the tools available directly to the job they do. Whilst a flexible communications policy does throw up security issues, these can usually be addressed without too much trouble.

The research is clear evidence that increased productivity can be gained by strengthening employee collaboration and customer interaction. Better communications technology will also help organisations attract the best employees and improve staff retention.

For many businesses, particularly small businesses, the costs of implementing better communications could be perceived to be high. However, in reality SmartPhones are now available cheaply on a range of small business tariffs.

Even small changes to the type of handsets available to staff, offering enhanced communication features, will make a difference to their ability to get the job done whilst away from the office.

There are also SmartPhone based employee management solutions which allow you to keep track of where your staff are at any given time allowing you to make better decisions based on real-time data and therefore reduce costs and improve productivity.

For total communication solutions, integrated with your existing telecoms, contact us on 0115 944 8977.

For the many business users who prefer to have a BlackBerry phone rather than an iPhone or Android phone the Curve 3G 9300 could fit the bill.

Released late 2010 it is a fairly standard looking BlackBerry when compared to the 9800 Torch with its full QWERTY keyboard and 2.4 inch screen. Some of the features and spec include:

• 256MB RAM
• Storage up to 32GB via microSD card
• 3G and Wi-Fi
• 2MP Camera
• BlackBerry OS 5
• Push Email
• GPS with A-GPS support
• Organizer

It is a step up from the BlackBerry 8520, which is only a 2G phone, but it is still available free of charge on most of our business mobile contracts. For instance, you could take out a Vodafone Business Essentials tariff at £25 per month and receive the following:

• 500 mobile minutes
• 3000 landline minutes
• 250 texts
• 500MB of data

Higher tariffs are available for users who need more mobile minutes and the BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300 is also available in multiple units on a range of shared minute packages for businesses with more than one mobile phone. Larger users can also mix and match handsets, for instance taking a range of 9300s, 8520s and 9800s for different employee types.

Higher tariffs include extra mobile minutes and include a 750 minute tariff at £30, 1,000 minutes at £35 and 2,000 minutes at £50. These also include the free landline calls and texts, plus data allowances increase for the larger tariffs. Contact us for full details.

Quotations are subject to VAT and 24 month contracts.

 

 

Would you like a free mobile phone for your business? We have a range of mobiles available free of charge on a variety of tariffs. Our basic business tariff starts at £25 and includes the following:

• 500 mobile minutes
• 3,000 landline minutes
• 250 texts
• 500MB of data

This includes a free mobile handset. You could choose from the following:

• BlackBerry Curve 8520
• HTC Wildfire
• Nokia X6
• Sony Ericsson Elm

For business users looking for more mobile minutes the tariffs rise as follows:

• 750 mobile minutes - £30
• 1,000 mobile minutes - £35 (data increased to 750MB)
• 1,250 mobile minutes - £40 (data increased to 750MB)
• 2,000 mobile minutes - £45 (data increased to 1GB)

All of these tariffs include texts, data and landline minutes as above. They are on the Vodafone network and subject to 24 months contract.

With higher tariffs the choice of free business mobile available becomes greater. This brings in the likes of the BlackBerry 9800 Torch, Apple iPhone, HTC Desire HD and a host of other SmartPhones.

Large business mobile tariffs

For business users looking for more than one handset contact us to get the best deals. We can supply multiple free handsets, either the same or a range of different ones to suit different tastes and jobs.

We can cater for SMEs with 5 or more mobiles and corporate mobile users with several hundred handsets. The greater the number of handsets the more value we can bring to your business in terms of cost reductions and communication improvements.

As well as Vodafone business mobile tariffs we also offer Orange and O2 contracts. We can help you with upgrades and with solving problems with your existing mobile dealer.

For a free no obligation discussion on your business mobile needs call 0115 944 8977 or complete our online enquiry form.

As well as providing mobile phone solutions to businesses we can also assist with landlines. These can be provided as separate products at different times or as part of a package. Our landline service provides your business with a range of savings in the following areas:

• Line rental
• Call charges
• Cheap calls to mobiles
• Phone systems
• Telephone numbers
• Call management
• Call recording

To compare our line rental and call prices with your current landline supplier all you need to do is fax or email a copy of your latest bill and we will analyze it and prepare a report showing you exactly how much you could save by transferring your services to us.

This is a free, no obligation service. Should you be happy with our report and want to transfer, the process is straightforward and does not involve you in any loss of service.

Bespoke Landline Solutions

For phone systems, larger companies and more complex solutions such as multi-site MPLS networks, we can undertake a full review of all of your services and put together a package that provides your business with cost savings and offers real improvements in your communication infrastructure including greater reliability and failover options.

We also offer unified communication solutions. This is your mobiles and landlines working together as one. There are a range of products and new technologies which can be utilised to achieve seamless integration of landline and mobile and we can offer advice and put together a package to address your own company's requirements.

One such solution, particularly aimed at small business users, is Vodafone One Net. This gives you a virtual landline number (or multiple numbers) which rings your mobile when dialled. This allows you to take calls when out and about as if you were in the office. There are no diversion charges and an easy to understand tariff with unlimited calls.

Depending upon your usage other unified communications solutions might suit you better. Call us for a quotation embracing all of the different options.

 

 

In an ideal world you would never miss a business call. Missed calls mean that new business will be going directly to your competition or existing customers will be left feeling unwanted. Up until now the barrier between fixed line (landline) and mobile has meant that solutions were clunky or costly. But these barriers are coming down.

Many small businesses, particularly one-man bands, rely upon diverting landlines to mobiles, even though the cost can be 15p per minute or more. In SMEs with a few staff time is wasted daily trying to find people and get calls through to them on the right number. The solution is at hand.

Vodafone One Net Express, designed specifically for small businesses with up to 10 employees, is revolutionising the telecoms market by offering what are effectively mobile landlines. Single numbers can ring on multiple devices allowing the intended recipient to pick up the call wherever they are straight away.

You can choose the numbers you want, and can have multiple local numbers for increased presence or even several national numbers to give your business a bigger feel.

This number will ring simultaneously on your landline phone, mobile phone, computer and any other compatible devices and you can choose to answer on any of them. You can also transfer calls between devices when necessary.

The benefits of Vodafone One Net Express include:

No installation

Works with existing mobile and landline phones

Keep existing numbers or choose new ones

Add local landline numbers across the UK

Never miss a business call again

Reduce administration with a single supplier

No call forwarding costs

No on-site system to maintain

Perfect for small teams, remote or home workers

This solution is hosted and supported by Vodafone and they are bringing new features and enhancements on board regularly to keep their system at the forefront of unified communications.

Vodafone One Net Express is available quickly and without any expensive hardware or software. Vodafone do everything for you. For small businesses with a few users you benefit from a virtual phone system which offers features normally only found in corporate systems.

For more information get in touch with us.

Question: when is a freephone number not a freephone number?
Answer: when you call it from your mobile phone

Most people are aware that calling an 0800 or 0808 freephone number from their mobile phone is not a free call. In fact it can cost up to 40p per minute. Ofcom have now issued proposals that freephone numbers should be free of charge from mobile phones.

They are also looking to simplify how non-geographic numbers (0844/0845) and premium rate numbers are charged due to confusion and uncertainty about how much it costs to make a phone call to them from a mobile.

The price structure of these calls would change so that the phone company's charge and the charge made by the business would be presented separately, enabling customers to compare the different rates charged by phone companies and even shame some of them into reductions. Similar rules would apply to 118 services.

Transparent pricing of these calls should improve competition between operators and bring down the call costs.

When we analyze business mobile packages we often see these type of calls bumping up bills considerably. These "out of bundle" calls can be a real problem but there are now business tariffs which offer some inclusivity.

For instance Vodafone offer an "Extra" on their business essentials tariff which allows 0800, 0870 and 0845 numbers to be decremented from your inclusive bundle of minutes. This can represent a real saving for businesses who call these numbers regularly.

Any business looking to reduce its mobile call spend can submit their bills to us for analysis. This service is free of charge and gives you the opportunity to see where savings could be made.

 

The Business Mobile World website is powered by 21c Telecom Ltd Business Phones. This means that we are able to offer a wide variety of telecoms services backed up by a multi-million pound turnover company.

21c Telecom Ltd have recently been awarded Vodafone Platinum Partner status, one of only 23 companies in the UK to have been granted this honour. This is the highest tier of Vodafone's partner programme.

What does this mean for your business? When you become a customer of Vodafone via 21c you are benefitting from the very best deals on offer and receiving the highest level of customer service available. Your business receives the same expertise you would receive from Vodafone direct plus our own expertise in mobile communication technology.

You do not pay any more for this service, in fact this partnership is likely to deliver cost savings for you from the moment you become a customer throughout your contract term.

With a dedicated account manager looking after you, backed up by a friendly and helpful customer service team, you will be well looked after and any problems or issues quickly resolved.

To find out more about Vodafone's partner programme visit the 21c Vodafone Platinum Partner page where you can download a free pdf with more information.

Being a Vodafone Platinum Partner does not mean that we exclusively offer Vodafone's products and if you are looking for business mobiles on other major networks, such as Orange or O2, then we can help you with that too.

 

Ofcom, the communications regulator, is advising the Government that the time is right to free up some 2G spectrum for 3G services, including mobile broadband. The specific frequencies are 900MHz and 1800MHz.

These are currently licenced to O2 and Vodafone exclusively and it was always competition issues that stopped any progress being made with regards to the carrying of 3G on these frequencies.

However with the merger of Orange and T-Mobile in the UK to form Everything Everywhere, and their network sharing plans which are already underway, the competition argument carries much less weight.

2G, particularly on the 900MHz frequency, is already well established even in rural areas. Switching on 3G on this frequency would provide instant benefits for consumers who are currently struggling to get a decent 3G signal.

The possibility of this change happening swiftly is increased by Ofcom's latest statement but there is no indication whether the Government's original date for settling this matter of the end of 2011 will be brought forward.

We are able to offer mobile internet broadband from £12.77 per month (plus VAT) including a FREE USB modem stick. This provides you with a usage limit of 3GB per month - more than enough for the average business user.

As always there is plenty going on in the world of business mobiles. We will shortly be seeing the first handsets with the Windows Phone 7 operating system. This OS would seem to be a radical departure from past Windows Phone efforts but Microsoft are very much playing catch-up at the moment.

Windows Phone 7 includes plenty of features that Smartphone users now take for granted such as touch technology, social networking and cloud based services. Is there any innovation built in? The views so far seem to indicate it will be good to look at, fast and user friendly - will that be enough to compete with Android and iPhone?

Many new mobile handsets will also have the capability to make and receive calls in HD. Orange are the first network supporting this. HD should ensure a better quality call.

Birmingham City Council are trialling 4G technology. Much quicker than 3G and more stable this is expected to become widely available throughout the UK in 2012. The UK sits 24th in the latest global survey of mobile broadband.

4G mobile broadband could be up to 50mbps or greater, compared with the current 7.2mbps. The EU is making noises with regards to closing the gap between browsing in your home country and overseas, the difference between the two being up to 30 times in terms of cost. The EU would like to see this figure much closer to zero, reflecting Europe as a true single market.

The Apple iPad is gaining popularity amongst business users and is replacing laptops for many employees. It does have a number of business features built-in as well as numerous business and enterprise apps available to download.

As part of the 21c Telecom Ltd group of websites we are now Vodafone Platinum partners. This puts us in an elite group of around 25 telecoms consultants and enables us to provide you with excellent service on the Vodafone network.

 

 

The latest operating system from Microsoft, Windows Phone 7, is due to be released on UK handsets this month. It is said to be the most tested and, therefore, bug-free operating system for mobile smartphones released from MS.

The length of time in the making does mean that it is significantly behind the Apple and Android OSs and it is yet to be seen whether their features such as Xbox  integration will have enough appeal to gain them significant market share.

Their new devices will feature social networking heavily as well as device integration. Is this enough to reverse their declining smartphone market share? (from 20% to around 5%).

Key partners include the mobile phone manufacturers LG, Samsung, HTC and Dell, and they have all five of the network operators (Orange, Vodafone, O2, T-Mobile and 3) on board too.

From a business perspective the new handsets should integrate with existing Microsoft IT in a seamless manner. Many businesses prefer to use a Windows based operating system for their smartphones as it makes their life easier using a familiar platform.

Initial handset releases will focus on the consumer market with business mobile phones to follow in due course. Once handsets have been officially announced we will carry more information about Windows Phone 7 mobiles here.

 

 

 

Only 21 days to go until our special September offer ends. This is 6 months free line rental on our mobile broadband product. Take a look at what you get:

• FREE USB modem stick (pictured right - plugs into any USB port - laptop, netbook or desktop)
• Up to 7.2mbps download speed - the UK's fastest mobile broadband network
• 3GB of data each month - enough for nearly all business users (higher limits available if needed)
• 6 months free line rental (rebated in month 7)
• Only £12.77 plus VAT per month

Buy one stick or multiple sticks for all of your team. Offer applies to all orders made and connected during September.

This offer can also be used for personal (non-business) customers. Get in touch with us for further details and to make an application by calling 0115 944 8977.

For more information about mobile broadband visit the 21c mobile broadband page.

 

The first real tangible benefits of the Orange T-Mobile UK merger will soon be felt by their customers. Starting from October users of either network will be able to utilise the other network signal when their own is struggling. Effectively they will have a sort of UK roaming.

When the service rolls out in October it will not be automatic, as there are handset issues which need to be addressed, however you will be able to opt-in to the service if you use either network.

New handsets issued by the companies will no doubt come pre-configured to switch between networks automatically and over time the whole service will therefore become totally automated.

This could be a huge selling point for the merged companies and it will be interesting to see if O2 and Vodafone consider a similar type of arrangement in the face of such strong competition.

For users of Orange business mobiles this is great news as a better signal in more areas can only be a good thing for businesses with their team spread throughout the UK.

 

 

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.

 

There doesn't seem to be a lot of interesting mobile news currently, certainly not since we last posted on 10th February. The most interesting news from the world of mobile phones, both business mobile phones and consumer mobiles, is posted below.

Firstly it looks like the Orange/T-Mobile merger is going to go ahead without regulatory inspection in the UK. The decision is with the EU and it would appear that the companies involved have made enough concessions for the OFT to withdraw its objections and the EU to approve it. The decision is expected early next week.

Hopefully once regulatory approval is granted we will then get a timescale for the merger and perhaps more details of the direction that will be taken by the newly-merged network. Fingers crossed it will bring lower prices and more innovative products but don't hold your breath.

Vodafone would appear to be the fastest network for web browsing on mobile phones according to a recent independent survey commissioned by O2. The figures are general across the UK rather than region specific and the actual differences in speed between the major networks is unlikely to be noticeable by the average user.

Vodafone have also launched what is thought to be the world's cheapest phone. The 150 should sell for around £10 and is aimed at the developing world. The developing world is seen as the main growth area in the coming years as phone sales in the developed world fall.

TalkTalk are looking to enter the mobile phone arena by becoming a MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) later in the year. This service is in addition to the home phone, broadband and digital TV products it already offers.

Sony Ericsson have been censured by the ASA (Advertising Standards Agency) over claims it made in a TV advert with regard to it's Satio handset and its ability to connect to Facebook. The handset does not come with a Facebook app and initially could not even run the app due to software problems. However the Facebook app is now available for download onto the Satio.  

 

This may be the last post before the 25th so a Happy Christmas to all of our customers, new and old, and a prosperous New Year.

Talking of New Year, the date for Vodafone's iPhone launch is now known. It will be on the 14th January 2010. Pre-orders are now being taken direct via their website although there don't appear to be any tariff details as yet.

Don't expect to see any startlingly different tariffs from either Orange or O2. It is likely that they will follow the other two networks both in terms of pricing and length of contract.

For the cheapest iPhone deals the best option could be Tesco Mobile who are offering 12 month contracts. It does mean that you have to contribute towards the cost of the phone initially but you are better off in the long run in terms of total cost. It also allows you to upgrade after 12 months which could be useful as it is likely the next generation iPhone or a variant will be released by then.

These are the deals for individual customers. For iPhone business mobile contracts get in touch with us for your tailored quotation. We have a wide range of business mobile tariffs from all of the major networks and can assist with a single iPhone or multiple iPhones for all of your employees.

The New Year is an ideal time for businesses to take a look at all of their outgoings. Remember we can help with a wide range of telecoms providing your business with an integrated solution and saving you money in the process. Our quotes are free and without obligation.

Orange have reported that they sold more than 30,000 iphones on their first day of offering the handset to their customers. There is no stopping the momentum behind the iPhone, particularly now that Tesco Mobile have announced they will be selling it online and in their mobile shops.

Tesco currently have around 100 mobile shops within their stores, a number which is set to grow to 200 during 2010. No tariffs have been announced but they claim they will be offering a little "Tesco value" to their customers.

Does this herald the start of a price war? Orange getting the iPhone certainly didn't, with tariffs set almost exactly the same as O2. Vodafone come into the market in 2010 and this extra competition may start the prices heading ownwards.

However, how much room for manoeuvre is there in the price? If you are paying £30 per month over 24 months your total outlay is only £720. With an iPhone GS costing in the region of £500 (probably a bit less to the major networks) there isn't much of a profit margin.

Whilst we can supply the iPhone to our business customers, we find that other handsets from Nokia and RIM (BlackBerry) are much more popular. It did pop into our Top 10 business mobile handset chart for August 2009 but hasn't been seen since.

As a business phone it doesn't offer any extra features above many considerably cheaper handsets. Businessmen with their heads screwed on understand value and understand that every extra penny spent on their mobiles is a penny off their profits.

So if you are looking for a business mobile phone and are considering the iPhone get in touch with us for some free advice and some cheaper (and better) alternative handsets that will save your business money month after month.

 

 

Further to the meeting held by Peter Mandelson with all 5 major network providers to have a Spectrum reframe (to hit Labour's Mobile broadband targets by 2012).

 

T-Mobile and Orange are now telling the UK regulator that they do not want to give up spectrum in exchange for regulatory approval of their planned merger. This isn’t going to please OFCOM as the merger will have 37% of mobile customers and over 50% of all available spectrum.

 

It will be unlikely that Vodafone and 02 will give up any of the 900mhz bandwidth if T-Mobile and Orange are not going to let go of any of their spectrum to meet Mandelson's 2012 targets. It should be remembered that there is a General election coming up next year which could change things!

 

What is Spectrum?

 

According to Wikipedia it is "the range of all possible frequencies of electromagnetic radiation". For more information read the Ofcom pdf relating to the Frequency Allocation Table which contains 224 pages of further info.

 

 

Author: Simon Hunt

Position: Telecommunications Consultant with 21C Telecom

 

 

The latest news on the release date of the iPhone on the Orange network is that it will be 10th November, a day after O2's exclusive deal expires. This will make them the only official competitor in the run up to Christmas as Vodafone will not be carrying the iPhone until next year and neither 3 nor T-Mobile have officially announced that they will carry the phone.

3 are rumoured to be considering carrying the handset, with no offical announcement, whilst T-Mobile have ruled themselves out, although they are importing iPhones on an unofficial basis for some of their high spend and valuable customers.

So if you are looking for an iPhone on contract this Christmas your choice is likely to be O2 or Orange. This could drive prices slightly lower although a real price war is unlikely until Vodafone start their iPhone sales in the New Year.

If you are an Orange customer looking to upgrade to an iPhone and your contract is due for upgrade in the next couple of months get in touch with us as we also offer consumer upgrades on the Orange network in addition to our core business mobile sales.

Similarly if you are on O2 customer we can help you with upgrading to the Apple iPhone. You just have to be nearing the end of your contract.

The tariffs for a free iPhone on O2 start at around £35 for a 24 month contract. This includes 600 minutes, 500 messages and "unlimited" data. This is for the basic 3G 8GB. If you are looking for the iPhone 3GS 32GB you are going to have to pay around £75 per month to get one free of charge.

There are no details of tariffs yet on the Orange website but there is the option to pre-register for news of release and the opportunity of getting one as soon as it is released.

If you are a business customer we can help you with a new iPhone on a wide range of tariffs. Just contact us for a free no obligation quotation.

 

Nokia are releasing a Windows 7 Netbook. Initially available in the US, but shortly available in Europe, this netbook release shows that mobile device convergence is continuing apace.

With Apple, a traditional computer company, gobbling up its mobile phone market share with the iPhone, Nokia are switching the tables with their new hi-spec netbook. Bridging the gap between the SmartPhone, which offers a limited browsing experience, and the full-blown laptop which is so much larger to carry around, more netbooks are being released and sold daily.

Convergence is the new watchword in the telecoms marketplace. There is no sign to the end of device convergence and increasingly the line between phone and computer is becoming blurred.

To keep your business ahead of the curve you need to be thinking about how you can best use the new technology and how your fixed and mobile devices connect with each other. The days of having mobiles with one company, landlines with another, computers supplied by someone else are disappearing fast for companies that want to embrace new technology.

Even the big networks are getting in on the act. Vodafone have, in recent weeks, announced a rollout of landline services for SMEs plus a deal to offer online cloud storage to its existing business and consumer customers. They realise that convergence is inevitable and offering a fully-integrated telecoms solution will help preserve their market share in the future.

At Business Mobile World we can tell you how your business can best take advantage of new technologies to ensure that your communications keep up-to-date. This may be across continents, work sites, or just across the next desk.

Shopping around for all the seperate parts of your business telecoms no longer makes any sense - it could cost you a lot more in the long run. An integrated telecoms solution will save your business money, in terms of reduced tariffs for packaged deals, enhanced problem resolution and better customer service.

Well no, not just yet, but there will certainly be fewer of them in the coming years.

The merger between Orange and T-Mobile UK, if it goes ahead, could see up to 8,000 masts decommissioned as the two networks share infrastructure. The 3 network have also agreed a deal with T-Mobile to use their network which could see up to 5,000 masts disappear.

Now O2 and Vodafone are looking to cut costs. With 24,000 masts between them, a deal to share masts means several thousand could go over the course of the next few years.

If this trend continues it could well mean that, in the fullness of time, the mobile phone infrastructure will be shared by all networks. Differences in coverage would no longer be an issue and with all of the major networks sharing the investment, coverage could well improve in more remote areas where it is currently problematic.

A shared network would also help with the rollout of future technologies such as 4G which will become necessary to increase mobile data usage amongst customers who currently are sceptical about coverage and speed on mobile devices.

 

 

Yes, you read that right, you can now get a free USB modem stick with 5GB download limit per month on the Vodafone network for only £10 (plus vat) per month.

This tariff is normally £18 per month. There must be a catch?

Well, yes, there is! The £10 mobile broadband is offered as part of a bundle package. Take out a mobile phone on the Vodafone Total Business Tariff (24 months) and you are entitled to this offer, saving you 44% each month.

Other bundles include BIS (BlackBerry Internet Solution) and BES (BlackBerry Enterprise Server) saving you around 35% on each.

Other reasons to take out a Vodafone Total Business tariff:

• Free calls to company mobiles (when you have more than 1 handset)
• Free calls to UK landlines (not out of your inclusive minutes)
• 50 texts per user included
• Tariffs start from £20 for 300 minutes

Is the Total Business Tariff the best for your business? Contact us for a free quote on a variety of tariffs from the major networks.

We will find you the best deal free of charge. Speak to one of our friendly staff members on 0844 880 8116.

 

The Apple iPhone has been an incredible success amongst individual consumers. For business mobile users the pull is not so great. The need for the "gadget of the moment" is less and functionality is far more important than style.

Most of the iPhone features can be performed just as well, if not better, by other phones on the market. Apple are also going to have trouble retaining their current advantage in the future as all of the major manufacturers are "out to get them" with every new SmartPhone release offering something to make it an "iPhone killer".

Not only that, but by signing exclusively with O2 they also have the other networks gunning for them. Vodafone, whilst being the largest network globally, are only second in the UK (and shortly to be third with the merger of Orange and O2).

They need something to entice the iPhone buyers onto their network. Or alternatively the many people who would like an iPhone but just cannot afford the hefty monthly bills or handset price!

Their answer, at least in the short term, is Vodafone 360. This service aims to pull together all of the social networking people do now, both on mobile phones and computers. A common address book will span email contacts, Facebook and Twitter friends and other online communities.

There will also be a store for Vodafone apps for music, games and mapping plus new content drawn from a range of developers. New phones will be launched to take advantage of this new service and to show it off to its full potential. Samsung are rumoured to be manufacturing two of the new handsets.

The first we are likely to see of Vodafone 360 is in the run up to Christmas. Watch this space.

There has been speculation in the mobile world about the possible takeover of the UK arm of T-Mobile for a little while. Vodafone were thought to be bidding, as were 02.

However T-Mobile UK look set to merge with Orange in a deal set to create a mobile phone goliath with 37% of the UK market (over 28 million customers), overtaking 02 as the largest network.

The deal could be signed by November and will mean the companies make large ongoing savings through sharing network resources and streamlining their admin and customer service operations.

These savings could well result in lower tariffs for their customers in the future however for the time being all accounts will run as normal as both brands will be retained, at least for the time being.

It is unknown what will happen to Virgin Mobile, which runs on T-Mobile's network, or 3, which has recently signed up to do the same. These issues could be affected by possible intervention by the competition authorities who are likely to want to scrutinise the deal and the effect it will have on the UK mobile phone market.

Business mobile phone users with both networks should be unaffected in the short term but, as we always recommend, when their contracts are due for renewal should look around for the best deals by contacting us.

 

 

 

Vodafone's 3 months free line rental on 24 month Your Plan for Small Business tariffs is now extended until September 30  2009!* 

The Your Plan for Small Business tariff offers a number of benefits for small business mobile users:

• Unlimited calls to landlines (01, 02 and 03)
• Inclusive 500MB BIS or WME (Instant personal emails and internet usage)
• 250 inclusive Text Messages

Inclusive mobile minutes start at 500 for only £25 per month and rise to 3,000 (with 3,000 inclusive texts) for £70 per month.

Ideal for BlackBerry and SmartPhone users with its inclusive data.

Contact us for more information or for a free quote and handset choice.

 
 
 
 
*Customer’s first 3 months are free and will be credited back from month 4 – This is not available as cash back. Offer applicable to new 24 month customers and additional connections to existing contracts.

It has finally arrived, our best BlackBerry business mobile deal ever. For only £25 per month you get a free BlackBerry 8520 mobile phone handset (pictured right) with 500 inclusive mobile minutes (plus unlimited calls to UK landlines - 01, 02 and 03), 250 texts and 500mb of data in the form of BlackBerry Internet Solution (BIS).

This is on the Vodafone Your Plan for Small Business. Best of all if you order before the end of August you get three months free line rental! (if you cannot order before September please contact us as these free line rental deals are often extended)

Contact us for your FREE BlackBerry Curve 8520

The BlackBerry Curve 8520 features include a 2.64 inch screen, full QWERTY keyboard, touch-sensitive optical trackpad, memory expandable up to 32GB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 2MP camera, BlackBerry OS (512mhz processor), BlackBerry's legendary mobile email, Organizer and MP3/MP4 player.

Stocks are likely to be limited on this deal so please contact us ASAP to get your handset.

Full details of our best ever BlackBerry business mobile deal can now be posted.

Here is what you get:

1. Free BlackBerry 8520 handset
2. Unlimited landline calls (01, 02, 03)
3. 500 inclusive minutes to mobiles
4. 250 inclusive texts
5. 500MB of inclusive data (email/internet)

This is on the Vodafone network and costs £25 per month (plus VAT) for a single BlackBerry handset. If you want more than one handset please contact us for a free, no obligation quote.

In addition Vodafone are running two special offers valid until 31st August 2009:

1. 3 months free line rental
2. No connection charge on Vodafone Passport

For more information on this handset please visit the BlackBerry website for full specifications or give us a call on 0844 880 8116.

Vodafone have confirmed they are extending their three months free line rental deal until 31st August 2009.

The business tariffs to which it applies are:

1. Your Plan for Small Business

2. Mobile Broadband Small Business 5GB

They have also announced the extension of their Free European Roaming on Vodafone Business Clarity until the same date.

Contact us for your free business mobile quote.

We are currently working on our lowest ever BlackBerry package which will include a free phone handset, inclusive minutes and texts, plus inclusive data.

Watch this space for more information.