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.

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!

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).

As SmartPhones continue to sell by the bucketload and increase their market share month on month it brings another factor into the equation when buying your business mobiles - the operating system.

There are currently several different Operating Systems for mobile phones on the market including:

• Windows Mobile
• Android
• Symbian
• BlackBerry OS
• iPhone OS
• Maemo
• Bada

The OS making the headlines at the moment is Android, an open source operating system developed by Google. This features on a number of phones from a range of different manufacturers including HTC, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and LG.

Being open source means that anyone is free to develop applications for the Android operating system meaning that the number of apps available is increasing daily. These can be obtained from the Android market which contains many free (and paid for) applications making your business life easier.

One factor in the choice of business SmartPhone is the need to sync it with your existing server for email usage. Many IT workers find it easier to get the Windows Mobile OS up and running with a Windows server leading them to recommend this OS. However all operating systems should be capable of delivering push email for business users.

The range of applications available could be another factor, particularly if you rely upon particular applications which make your life easier when out and about. Also familiarity will play a role - once you get used to a particular OS it can be a pain to transfer to another. Even if they largely work the same and provide the same features their GUIs (Graphical User Interface) can be radically different leading to confusion and a steep learning curve.

For SmartPhone advice get in touch with us and we will guide you through the various options, getting you both the best handset for your usage in combination with the best business mobile tariff.

Whilst Nokia always show up well in our Top 10 business mobile phone lists, April proved to be an even more successful month than usual for them with 6 entries, including all of the top 5!

At number 1 was the Nokia 1209. A no frills handset this one has not been seen before in any of our lists so it's a bit of a shock to see it go straight into the top spot. However fulfilling an order for a single large company can skew the figures a bit so don't expect it to retain its crown next month!

The Nokia 6303 shows up at number 2. Rarely out of the top 5 and the deposed number 1 business mobile handset from February and March. At 3 is the Nokia 2323 retaining its top 10 slot from March.

New entries at 4 and 5 for the Nokia E52 and Nokia 2600. And another Nokia E-series phone, the E55, rounds off the top 10.

In between are the usual suspects. Two BlackBerry phones in the form of the 8520 (6) and 8900 (9), the hard wearing Samsung M110 (7) and the Apple iPhone (all variants) at number 8.

No major surprises in the list overall in terms of manufacturers. Sony, LG and HTC are noticeable by their absences. May's top 10 business mobile phones will be provided here around the 2nd June.

The latest business mobile despatch figures are in for March 2010. From these we have compiled a Top 10 business mobile phones.

No major surprises, the list is still very much dominated by Nokia, Samsung and BlackBerry, with one notable exception (can you guess?).

At no 1 is the perennial favourite the Nokia 6303. The successor to the 6300 this stylish little handset does the job for most business users in terms of talk and text. Reliable and easy to use it is a solid business phone choice.

The second best seller is another old favourite, the BlackBerry Curve 8520. Keenly priced yet providing most of the necessary business features and legendary BlackBerry email. This is destined to be in our top 10 for a while yet.

Third place goes to the Nokia 2700. Another solid Nokia business handset. And similarly in fifth is the Nokia 2323.

By contrast, in fourth place we have our old friend the Apple iPhone. We have lumped together all of the different versions to give a single sales position.

Will it ever make number 1? Certainly there is plenty of demand for it amongst business users and if the price drops significantly this will see the major barrier to ownership disappear and we will certainly sell plenty more. The current price for the 3GS is just a bit too high for most business users to justify.

Sixth place goes to the durable Samsung M110. This tough phone continues to sell well with business users needing reliability and toughness. Two more standard Nokias occupy 7th and 8th in the form of the Nokia 6300 and Nokia 1208.

At 9th is a new entrant, never been seen before in the lists - the Samsung Tocco Lite. And finally completing the 10 is the Nokia 6600i.

The figures are in for February. Based on our despatch records these are the Top 10 most popular business mobiles:

At number 1 is the Nokia 6303. A good, solid business phone, great for calls and texts and keeping you organised. No frills but a reliable business tool.

Coming in at number 2 is the BlackBerry 8520. This budget BlackBerry remains popular as it can do the majority of functions that its bigger, more expensive stable mates can at a fraction of the price. Great entry level BlackBerry mobile phone.

At 3 is the Samsung M110. We call this the builders phone, or the tradesmans phone, as it is a rugged, rubberised mobile designed to withstand shocks, dust, water and pretty much anything you can throw at it. In a similar vein is the Samsung B2100 which makes its entry at number 4.

Number 5 brings the Nokia 2700. Another no frills handset but reliable and easy to use. These features are often overlooked by those looking for a more flashy mobile.

Which brings us to number 6 - the Apple iPhone. We've actually lumped all of the variants 8GB/16GB/3GS together which brings it the no 6 ranking. We're sure we don't have to explain much about this phone, you will all have seen the adverts and the hype! We're not going to knock the phone, as many people seem to love it, but before you order one for your business do think about whether you need such an expensive phone when others can do the same job for less.

The last four places are all ocupied by Nokias. In order 7-10 are the 2330, 3110, 5800 and 6300. Not the most exciting of phones (or names!), with the 5800 standing out as a touchscreen phone with a lot of media features which we haven't seen in our list too often.

And that's it for February. No major surprises again with Nokia, Samsung and BlackBerry dominating. It's hard to see their dominance being challenged in the near future as they seem to best understand the needs of the business user.

A collection of stories, snippets and interesting information from the world of mobile phones.

• Some of the latest mobile phone apps include one from the AA listing 14,000 places to eat, stay and drink in throughout the UK. This guide will also tell you about local points of interest based upon your location. For those that regularly misplace their phone or have terrible memories where they last put it down a new app called Where's My Phone could be the answer. It allows you to whistle and the phone rings in response, allowing you to locate it.
  
• SmartPhones represent 25% of the mobile phone market yet nearly half of all phone based web traffic comes from them. The average SmartPhone user utilises around 300 minutes per month. Facebook is the most popular website accessed by mobile phone users.
  
• New mobile phones - the Sony Ericsson X10 is due to arrive in April, although it could be earlier. This phone makes use of the Android operating system and features a full touchscreen, 8.1mp camera with auto focus and 16x digital zoom, Timespace (a social networking aggregator), 1GB built-in memory expandable up to 16GB and GPS.
  
• Business Mobiles - companies, particularly corporate users, are spending up to one third of their mobile phone communication bill on personal calls made by their employees. This represents a total spend of £1bn which could possibly be saved by better management and procedures for company mobiles.
  
• The OFT are lobbying for an investigation by UK authorities into the Orange/T-mobile merger. The deal will already be scrutinised by the EU but fears of reduced competition and increased prices for consumers have led to the call from the OFT. A UK investigation could further drag out the merger timescale for several extra months.
  
• Apple - O2 have sold their 2 millionth Apple iPhone in the UK despite losing their exclusivity late last year. The next big thing, the Apple iPad, due for launch later this year, is also on the radar for all of the networks looking to tie up deals with Apple. No news yet of an exact release date or pricing.
  
• O2 continue testing on the 4G mobile network. Speeds of up to 150mbps are potentially available using this technology, however this has not been achieved yet and a full rollout of this is a little way off still.
  
• Nearly 97 billion text messages were sent in the UK in 2009. This represents an hourly rate of 11 million! These figures show a steady increase from 2007 and 2008 despite competition from social networking sites such as twitter and facebook.
  

There can't be many people out there who missed the launch of Apple's latest gadget, the iPad. We now have a tentative date for launch in the UK of March for the wi-fi version and April for the 3G iPad. UK prices are not known but in the US it will sell for $499 (a little over £300).

So what's all the fuss about? Is it really worth getting so excited about?

There's no doubt that the iPad will sell well amongst the Apple devotees and will certainly shift some units to the growing base of iPhone users, but it will be mainly a consumer device and we don't expect much take up amongst business users, although we could be surprised.

There's no news yet on a UK network carrier, although it looks likely that a similar exclusive deal to O2's original iPhone deal might be in the offing with all of the major networks in talks with Apple. A free iPad, heavily subsidised by one of the phone networks on a monthly contract is likely to be appealing in the same way as it is for the iPhone.

The iPad will certainly improve the mobile internet experience over SmartPhones with its large screen, although a lack of flash support will hold it back on many sites. As it doesn't have built in phone capacity it is not going to replace people's SmartPhones, and because of its size it is unlikely to replace netbooks/laptops. However it could find a niche market with users who don't currently own either device and are casual, light users looking for a "fun" device which is easy to use.

Those looking for serious business tools are still more likely to stick with their trusty laptops, at least for the time being, although as we have seen with the iPhone the iPad will likely spawn several similar products from other manufacturers and will drive laptop/netbook development in new directions. Expect to see plenty more tablet PCs coming out soon.

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 figures are in for December 2009 and we can now reveal the best selling business mobile phone for the month. And the winner is........

The Samsung M110. Back on top after a four month break, although it has never left the top 6. This hard-wearing phone, ideal for those in manual trades, is dustproof, water resistant and shockproof. Free on even the lowest of tariffs it makes sense for businesses where breakages of "ordinary" mobile phones are commonplace.

A re-entry at 2 for the Nokia 6303. A solid unit for business users everywhere, this no fuss handset sells by the bucketload to businesses with basic mobile needs of talk and text.

Third place was occupied by the Apple iPhone. The intuitive nature of the iPhone's user interface is catching on with business users who like their touchscreen phones. Plus the constant media attention means that this handset is never far away from the thoughts of many looking for a new phone.

RIM take fourth and fifth with their BlackBerry 8520 and BlackBerry 9700 respectively. We have no problem selling BlackBerry phones to businesses where email is a prime driving force behind their choice of handset. Still the first choice manufacturer for many business users.

Nokia fill four of the remaining places with their 6300, 2700, 6600 and 7100. Samsung break in at 7 with their B2100. Another phone built along the lines of the aforementioned M110 this is a rugged phone for hardworkers.

A top 10 filled with sensible business mobile choices (iPhone excepted!). Each month is becoming fairly similar with only 4 manufacturers represented. No sign of LG or Sony Ericsson, they seem to be very much concentrating on consumer mobiles.

No entries for HTC either. They make good phones for the business user but many seem to shy away from them as they are not a household name. Their recent TV advertising may address these issues so look out for them making an appearance in the top 10 in the coming months.

Finally a reminder - we can help your business with its mobile phones and we don't only stock the phones shown in our top 10 listings. We can get you any handsets on a variety of business mobile tariffs with all of the major mobile networks. Contact us for your free quote.

Reports are that over the Christmas period Samsung have been outselling Nokia and have gained the crown of most popular mobile phone manufacturer. This is for all mobile phone handsets, including consumer phones, rather than just business mobile phones, where Nokia are still the best sellers, at least according to our own in-house figures.

The rise of Samsung is led by a series of fun and funky handsets, often low cost, that appeal to the generation buying the most handsets. For business users the colour and design of a phone is less likely to impress. It's the phone features at the top of the list when choosing a handset.

Samsung do make mobile phones for business users, notably the durable and hardwearing "builders" phones. The Samsung Solid Extreme is one such example offering water and dust resistance and compliance with MIL-STD-810F. This means it can survive military standard testing including exposure to high and low temperatures, rain (including wind blown and freezing rain), humidity, sand and dust exposure, shock and random vibration.

Nokia, on the other hand, are still producing good, solid phones, ideal for business users but without any great innovation or fanfare that is going to rival Apple's iPhone or Google's new Nexus One. They persevere with series phones, such as the N series, even though they are tarnished by bad reviews and software problems in the past. Once people become aware of such problems they are less likely to trust such phones in the future, even when the problems have been sorted.

Expect a fightback from Nokia soon, although with a host of non-traditional manufacturers such as Apple and Google entering the market as competition with their own USP it is going to be hard work to win back a sizeable chunk of market share in the consumer arena.

The business mobile market is moving too and new technologies will be adopted by business buyers looking for better ways to interact with their customers. It moves much more slowly but it is definitely moving. BlackBerry and Nokia need to be on their mettle if they are to keep up with the young guns, particularly if Google do decide to aim their next handset at the business user as is rumoured.

Business mobile buyers also need to keep their eyes on the new technology and think how it could help improve their business efficiency. For some free advice get in touch with us and let us show you how the latest handset technology can help you connect with your customers and make more sales.

Technology moves on apace and no area is moving faster than mobile phones. With the continuing rise in sales of SmartPhones, including GPS and always-on connectivity, the possibility to provide location-based services combined with mobile phone payment will be here soon.

This will allow you to receive information, offers and discounts on products and services based on your location. You might be walking along the high street nearing a large retail store and suddenly your phone beeps and a discount voucher appears on your screen. You visit the retailer, swipe your voucher to receive your discount, and swipe again to pay for your goods.

This will undoubtedly make life easier, particularly in paying for small items when you don't have any cash in your pocket. However the temptation to overspend will definitely be there for some. Also a lot of small impulse purchases can soon add up to a tidy sum at the end of the month.

It is also be possible to use your phone as a shopping assistant, taking a photo of an item in a shop and using an app to find info about it and get the best price. Apps could also be involved in money transfer between phones, so you could see car boot sales where the goods are bought by a shake of a couple of mobile phones and the money transferred from buyer to seller.

The security of the mobile payments will need to be excellent and combined with transaction limits to limit spending if people are going to adopt this technology. But any minor objections from people are likely to be overcome and many of the iPhone generation are going to want to get involved with this straight away.

They are the same people who will be using the new features on social networking sites which will enable you to see where your friends are and broadcast your location to your friends to meet up. The issue of privacy here is paramount but not insurmountable. There may be plenty of people who you don't want to know where you are!

Business applications for location tracking are already in use by many businesses who use device tracking systems to keep track of vehicles and employees during working hours. This enables the business to make savings and efficiencies and the systems can pay for themselves within a relatively short space of time.

The use of wi-fi hotspots is set to treble within 2 years, fuelled mainly by the popularity of the Apple iPhone.

Wi-fi enabled mobile phones can access the internet and email via hotspots, often free of charge. They can also access these services in your home if you have a wireless router. The advantage of this is that wi-fi access falls outside of a standard contract and does not incur data charges.

However, not all mobiles have wi-fi capability and you need to check before you buy. Some cheap phones do have it yet some more expensive phones don't. It is likely that the vast majority of new phones will feature wi-fi.

The free public wireless network in Swindon, allowing all of the towns inhabitants free wi-fi access, is due to be completed in April. Should this prove successful it is likely other towns will follow suit. Access to Swindon residents will be time-limited each day with a charge for use beyond their initial limit. Visitors to the town will also be charged.

A solid choice if you are looking for a wi-fi mobile phone with internet and email is the BlackBerry Curve 8520 (pictured right). Ths features a full QWERTY keyboard which is useful for email and also for entering URLs for web browsing.

It doesn't cost a packet either. Contracts start at £25 per month with 500 mobile minutes, unlimited landlines, 250 texts and 500 MB of data. This includes a free handset (this deal is for business mobiles users).

Other features include:

• 2.64 inch screen
• full QWERTY keyboard
• touch-sensitive optical trackpad
• memory expandable up to 32GB
• Bluetooth
• 2MP camera
• BlackBerry OS (512mhz processor)
• BlackBerry's legendary mobile email
• Organizer
• MP3/MP4 player.

We offer a full range of wi-fi mobile phones for business users. Get in touch to find out more and for a free quotation.

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.

Well, the best sellers for November 2009 despatched by us in any case.

We start with the best selling business mobile, which was also the best seller last month, and that is the BlackBerry Curve 8520. This "budget" BlackBerry has a full QWERTY keyboard and offers the usual BlackBerry email and data experience which is why business users love them so much!

In second place is the Nokia 6300. This has occupied a top 3 spot in 5 out of the last 6 months and in the other month was the fifth best seller! Again a solid performer for business users looking for a phone that does what they need without any frills.

Making its debut at 3 is the BlackBerry Bold 2 (9700). A new phone which builds upon the already excellent BlackBerry Bold and adds new features. At 4 is the BlackBerry Bold 9000.

Rounding out the top 5 is the "builders phone" the Samsung M110. It retains a position in the top 6 which it has held every month so far since we started reporting the top 10 business mobiles.

At 6 is the phone people seem to love or hate - the Apple iPhone. Very much overrated for business users, and thus overpriced too, it retains a following with business people choosing style over substance!

Nokia fill three of the remaining four places with the Nokia 2330 (7), Nokia E72 (9) and Nokia 3110 (10) with the Samsung S5230 spoiling the Nokia run at 8.

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.

Following on from our recent blog post, Mobile Phone Form Factors, the differential in exterior design is becoming less important than the internal operating system and software for customers who know their mobiles.

There are still consumers who just want the latest "in" gadget, or a phone because it "looks pretty", but more and more people understand how mobiles work now that they are becoming more like computers. This is particularly so for companies looking for business mobiles.

The latest SmartPhones can run operating systems that are already familiar to anyone who has had a computer for the last few years. So if you are a fan of Windows on your PC it makes sense to hunt down a Windows Mobile device which will provide you with an OS that you can quickly understand and are broadly familiar with.

Using similar operating systems on all of your devices will also make it easier to integrate them and to transfer documents and files between them.

With so many manufacturers making similar looking devices, and with physical limitations to just how different mobiles can be, plus only a handful of different operating systems out there, how are they going to make their handsets stand out?

Firstly they can add to the OS. Open Source operating systems such as Google's Android can be customised by the manufacturer's development teams. So whilst you would broadly expect to be getting a similar experience with all Android based handsets, there could actually be quite a bit of difference with interfaces and usability dependent on your handset choice.

The next step could also be niche handsets. Rather than trying to be all things to all men new handsets could appeal to different sectors. For instance in Korea they have released a "golf" phone with maps of 280 golf courses built in and a host of other features to appeal particularly to the golf market. This is definitely a way to differentiate handsets based on the users lifestyle.

When comparing handsets the first thing to look for is if it has an operating system (ie. it's a SmartPhone) or not. If you only want to make calls and texts then you don't need an OS and should go for a basic model, there's no point paying for features you don't need.

Next look for which OS it's running. You are likely to come across the following systems:

• Symbian
• Android
• Windows Mobile
• BlackBerry
• iPhone
• Palm Web OS

You may not have a preference initially, but if there is specific software (apps) that you want your phone to run you will need to make sure the Operating System can handle it and do some research to make sure it works OK. Online reviews and blogs from real users will usually tell you how well it works!

If you have family/friends/acquaintances who are already using a phone with your chosen OS see if they will let you give it a try to see how well you get on with it. All UIs (User Interfaces) calim to be intuitive yet work in different ways. What is intuitive to me may not feel intuitive to you.

For company mobile users give us a call for a chat about the different handsets and operating systems. We can supply business users with a single handset or multiple handsets as required.

Sales of SmartPhones continue to soar and are predicted to exceed those of PCs by 2012. The average SmartPhone is now so packed full of features that they could possibly replace a number of devices in the fullness of time.

When you invest in a SmartPhone you are likely getting a

• camera
• media player (MP3/4/Radio)
• computer
• satnav
• TV
• communication device (phone/sms/mms/email)

All of these features are rolled into one device that you can carry around and, as processing power and memory increase, the potential for replacing all of your other gadgets with a single SmartPhone are being realised.

As more manufacturers enter the SmartPhone market prices are coming down and obtaining a free SmartPhone can now be done with even the most basic of business mobile contracts. For consumers, SmartPhones can be obtained free on contracts as low as £18 per month including data usage.

Research In Motion (RIM), the BlackBerry device manufacturers, now have units available on £25 per month contracts. These include minutes, texts AND data, giving you everything you need to use all of the phone features.

If you do intend using the email and internet features of your SmartPhone make sure you have data usage included within your package as charges per MB out of bundle can be very steep and it doesn't take much browsing to run up a big bill.

Alternatively you can use a Wi-fi enabled phone utilising your home or office wireless network to download data. This should not incur any charges from your network.

If you are looking for a free iPhone you are going to have to pay a fair bit more, particularly if you want the latest model. However for a business user there are many handsets available free that offer better features without the need for an expensive tariff.

Researching handset models is easy, we use the GSM Arena website which details of all of the handsets released throughout the world. You can see photos, reviews, full specs and user comments.

When doing your research on this site make sure the model is released in the UK as some phones are US or Far East only. Once you have a model in mind give us a call or let us know the features you require and your budget and we'll let you know the best combination of handset and tariff giving you a free mobile SmartPhone.

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.

New handsets - BlackBerry Storm 2 is coming (26/10). This touchscreen smartphone is another attempt by RIM (Research In Motion) to compete with the iPhone. In a similar vein the much vaunted Palm Pre has now been released. "The first phone on the new Palm webOS™ platform allows you to keep multiple applications open at the same time so you can flow effortlessly between the people and events that make up your life" - well that's what it says in the blurb anyway.

Sony Ericsson have released the Satio with a staggering 12mp camera. It's not just a camera phone though as it also incorporates Sony's Walkman music features making it a great all-round entertainment phone.

None of these phones are going to be cheap with long-term contracts starting from around £35 per month if you want one free.

Spectrum Auction - The Government has cleared the way for the 5 major UK mobile phone networks to bid for the airwaves best suited for mobile broadband. This will not only help dedicated mobile broadband access (eg. via dongle) but should also improve data connections for SmartPhones.

Currently around 80% of the population have access to the 3G network, mainly in urban areas. For business users on the road increased coverage will mean less chance of signals "dropping out" or being stranded with no signal at all.

Emergency Calls - should you get in trouble up a mountain, or indeed anywhere where coverage on your own network is not so good, calls to 999 or 112 will now use the best coverage available from all 5 networks making it easier to get in touch with rescue services.

iPhone on all 5 networks - It won't be long now before the Apple iPhone is available on all 5 major UK networks. T-mobile and Three have not announced deals with Apple but are believed to be sourcing sim free iPhones from Europe to keep hold of their best customers. Expect monthly contract prices to fall by around £5 once all of the networks are involved.

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.

Microsoft are going all out to increase their share of the SmartPhone market with their new operating system Windows Mobile 6.5. It's been a while coming and in the meantime Google's Android and Apple's iPhone have gained a chunk of Microsoft's market.

Up to 30 phones running the new OS should be launched by the end of the year, and these should demonstrate the improvements that have been made to their best effect. Ease of use and better browsing are two key elements of 6.5, plus their MyPhone service enabling users to remotely back-up their data, track lost/stolen phones and lock them against unauthorised access.

Microsoft's new OS should look and feel familiar for all of us using Windows based computer systems. Already a solid choice for business SmartPhones, the new Windows Mobile OS should appeal more to consumers, backed up by a new app store, Marketplace, with around 250 apps available at launch.

Expect some great deals in the run up to Christmas as networks and handset manufacturers battle to corner as much of the SmartPhone market as possible. Sales of SmartPhones this year are expected to be up over 20% on 2008 and continue to climb into 2010.

Sales of "cheap and cheerful" phones are also set to remain steady with the middle-market phones the big losers.

Although the iPhone has only been around for a couple of years (it seems like longer) it has established itself, in its various guises, as the top selling handset in the UK and US.

This is mainly due to individual customers impressed by the TV ads, and it is undoubtedly a very good entertainment phone. But can it be used for business?

It made it into our Top 10 business mobile phones at number 6 in August but has disappeared in September's chart. More "sensible" phones occupy the top 10 positions, providing solid voice and data options at a much more reasonable price.

However there are many business users who swear by their iPhones. They find the intuitive nature of the operating system and touchscreen much easier to use than other SmartPhones. Plus there is a range of apps now available for business users, up to 75,000 in total (business and leisure) via the App Store.

The large screen and excellent built-in web browser make it particularly useful in businesses where "proper" internet access is needed. Plus the native email client is certainly up to the job of handling business email.

The battery however is a letdown. Plus the processor, although reasonably powerful, does not compare to recently released phones and is unable to run simultaneous applications.

If an iPhone is the apple of your eye then we certainly won't put you off buying it (providing you can afford it!) but before you jump in give some thought to the many other business mobile phones available which may offer you exactly what you need at a fraction of the price.