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.

On local radio a couple of days ago was a debate on what age should children be given mobile phones. Whilst the host was rather unrealistically saying he thought around 14 years old, many of the listeners were advising their kids had mobiles at 7 years old.

More as an emergency aid and to keep track of them rather than for them to make calls or texts. There are a couple of reasons why mobile phones could be harmful to kids.

The first is the health factor. Whilst there has been no major research which can conclusively confirm a link between prolonged mobile phone usage and cancer the technology is in its infancy and therefore long term risks have not had time to be assessed.

Many cancer experts believe the radiation from mobile phones could pose a significant risk for long term usage over a long period (say 10 years). The dangers for children are that much greater, so caution is advised.

The second is the effect it could have on their education. Recent reports suggest increased use of mobile phones (and the internet) leads children to copy homework directly from websites and use text-speak in their written schoolwork.

This is in schools where mobile phones are banned. In the USA there have been trials where mobile phones have been integrated into pupils learning and have shown achievement scores increase by 25% on average.

We can conclude from this that it is not the mobiles themselves that are harmful, more the way in which they are used. Used sensibly and sparingly mobile phones can be of great benefit.

We have written from time to time on this blog about the increasing convergence between devices, particularly the advance of mobile phone technology and how phones are replacing computers, at least in part.

Over the coming years, and it may not be that long with the pace of technological advances, landlines, mobiles and IT are going to become more entwined and having separate providers for each of these services is going to cause headaches and wasted time sorting out problems.

For instance, if you have a problem with accessing the internet is it your broadband supplier, your telephone line provider or your IT guys? Will any of them admit their responsibility and sort it out or will they all tell you "it's the other guys fault".

With a converged communications solution incorporating landlines, business mobiles, IT (and possibly other services like device tracking) you have one point of contact, one person to call who will sort it out. You don't have to worry about contacting all of the individual suppliers, that is all sorted on your behalf.

Best of all it is not going to cost you any more. In fact, in all likelihood you could save your business a sizeable sum by employing specialists to review all of your communication requirements.

As businesses evolve and expand the individual communication requirements tend to grow without any clear direction. This random growth often means over-complication and increased costs. Getting a free review is a no-brainer - after all what have you got to lose?

No business, in a recession or otherwise, should turn down the opportunity of saving money. Every penny saved is a penny added to your bottom line.

Getting the right tariffs for your business mobiles, reduced line rental and call costs for your landlines, business grade broadband helping your communications run smoothly and a solution integrating all of these services will help your business in the future.

As part of the 21c Telecom group we are at the forefront of converged communications. We would welcome the opportunity of helping your business save money and improve its communications.

Just contact us for a free review. We can call at your premises to look at your current communication provisions and see where improvements can be made.

Currently there are around 4 billion people worldwide using mobile phones. This is forecast to rise to 5.2 billion by 2011.

Mobile phones are now a part of most peoples lives and increasingly taking over from other devices such as MP3 players, SatNavs and cameras.

Modern SmartPhones are now replacing mobile computers for many with their incredible speed and processing power. These are particularly popular with business users who can take advantage of the extra memory now available for email and documents.

As people are just as likely to have their mobile phone with them as their purse or wallet they will be used as payment devices for small transactions. Swipe your mobile (installed with the correct software) and pay for your shopping.

They can be used for bus and train fares in the same way as an Oyster card or similar payment card.

You can also interact with your environment. With GPS functions the phone knows where you are all of the time. So if you are looking at the Tower of London it will know and can automatically download interesting facts and information about places of interest. This is known as augmented reality.

Watching TV on your mobile is possible. It doesn't have to be via the internet it can be picked up from a local television mast, thus saving your inclusive minutes and data.

Banking on your mobile is now common so you can move your money around (if you have any!) whilst on the move.

You can get fit with your phone. You can download apps to tell you how far you have run and even have routes for you to run/cycle downloaded to your phone and it will guide you.

Twitter and Facebook and all of your social networking can be done by phone. In fact phones can now be used for every aspect of your life making them indispensible.

With the proposed merger of Orange and T-Mobile the number of networks available to business users is set to shrink. Which one is best for your business?

There are several factors to consider when thinking about which network to place your business mobiles on.

Firstly, and certainly most importantly, is coverage. Although all of the networks claim to have large percentages of the UK covered in reality the signal strength can vary wildly within a few metres distance and many places get little or no signal at all.

If you already have mobile phones and get a strong signal with your current network make sure you do your homework before changing. You might be offered a very sweet deal to move to another network but that's no good if you can't talk or text.

Try and get a sim card from the new providers to see if their signal strength is as good where you need it before signing up to a new contract. If you sign up to a long term contract and only find out about poor coverage later you could find yourself paying a large sum to buy out your contract and go back to your original network.

Next you have to think about tariffs. Most networks offer broadly similar packages but occasionally you will find one deal that perfectly suits your usage or requirements. It might be unlimited texts or an offer of free insurance (useful if you are always losing your phone).

If you are only looking for a single phone and have a particular model in mind it might be that the phone is exclusive to one network (eg. iphone on O2) in which case your choice is very limited, although there are always ways around this with imported sim free phones for instance.

You might have dealt with another network before and had a bad experience with their customer service. You may have vowed never to use them again. However, if it is only one instance it might have been an isolated incident and it might be worth giving them another try if your business stands to benefit from a great low tariff.

Whichever network you want your business mobiles on at Business Mobile World we can help you with expert impartial advice, getting you the best deal and making sure you are a happy customer. 

On paper it really is no contest. The Nokia 3510i (pictured) was released in 2002 and basically has no features. No camera, no bluetooth, tiny screen.

On the other hand the Samsung U600 was released in 2007, has a 2.2 inch TFT screen, 3.2 MP camera with video, bluetooth, stereo radio, MP3 player, document viewer etc. etc.

So when my Samsung U600 broke and I had to borrow a Nokia 3510i from a friend I was not too pleased. However, I'm still using the 3510i even after my U600 has been replaced under warranty. Why?

I work in an area where signal quality is not too good. With my Samsung I always struggled to get a signal at all and put it down to the area and lack of signal strength.

When I took my Nokia into work I expected the same thing, after all I was using the same SIM card on the same network, and with it being an older phone I anticipated getting nothing at all.

In actual fact I now get a signal. Not brilliant, but enough to make and receive calls without too many problems, something that I could not do before with my "superior" handset.

Maybe the size of the handset (it is a big old beast) has something to do with it, or the fact that it is a Nokia rather than Samsung, but it really doesn't make much sense.

However when my upgrade comes in November I will be looking for a Nokia and trying it out in the building before deciding whether to buy. It is a phone, after all, and the ability to make and receive calls is more important than the flashy features that are packed into modern handsets.

So when you are looking for your next phone remember that the best phone is not always the latest one or the smartest looking one. Function over form every time.

We specialize in mobile phones for business users, however we also upgrade individual consumers on a range of different networks.

If your current contract is due for renewal shortly, or you are due for a mid-term upgrade, please contact us to see what we can offer you before going direct to the network.

The upgrade process

Depending on your usage the network allocate a banding to your account. Light users will get a low banding which means they will have a limited choice of inexpensive phones when it comes to upgrade time. Heavy users get a high banding and can choose from a large range of the latest mobile handsets.

We can provide you with a list of phones you can choose from and advise you about the best one for your particular usage.

At upgrade time we can also change your tariff. This includes changing minutes, texts and add-ons such as data (email and internet).

Everything can be done in one simple phone call and your new phone can often be despatched the following day. You keep your existing number and if you need help moving your contacts to your new phone or have other questions about your new handset we are only a phone call away.

Do you know when your business mobile contract is due for renewal? If it is due to expire in the next six months contact us to see what we can offer you before agreeing your renewal.

Our aim is to save your business money and we will look at your current tariff, handset/s, bills showing your usage and tailor a plan for you that could well save you a substantial amount.

Over the term of your contract your business is likely to have changed in some ways. This might mean that you are using your phones differently or that new phone features could help your business. Renewing your current contract without a full review could leave you on the wrong tariff with inferior handsets incapable of doing the job you really want them to do.

We deal with businesses across a wide range of sectors and it is very likely that we have a current client doing a similar job to yourselves. This knowledge can be used to give you the best advice on the handsets you need and the best tariffs to make the most of them.

We can do everything over the phone or meet you at your workplace if you prefer. We aim to make it as easy and convenient as possible for you and offer you a number of different tariffs with different networks as required.

What have you got to lose? There are no charges involved and a free quote from Business Mobile World will either save you money or confirm that the tariff you already have is the best for your business. It's a win-win situation.

As well as business mobile phones and landline telephony we can also provide your business with tracking solutions.

We have a dedicated tracking website at 21c Vehicle Tracking which provides more information.

Why does your business need tracking? If you operate vehicles as part of your business, for delivery, sales reps, even your own employees using their vehicles on company business, you have health and safety legislation to comply with.

The use of tracking can also yield cost savings on fuel, mileage, overtime claims, speeding fines, improved customer service, reporting and administration, and the system could pay for itself in a relatively short time frame.

Vehicle Tracking

Tracking hardware is fixed in the vehicle and uses GPS to report on the vehicle position, direction and speed which can be seen online in real time.

Device Tracking

No hardware is required, instead software is downloaded onto compatible GPS SmartPhones (eg. BlackBerry phones). When in a vehicle the phone will provide the same information as above, but you will also be able to track employees whilst out of the vehicle too.

Depending on your type of business and how you will be using the information will determine which system suits you best, however we can demo both systems for you so you can see how they work and how your business could benefit.

Visit our dedicated tracking website at 21c Vehicle Tracking to find out more and to arrange for a free quote.

Modern mobile phones are prone to all of the failures of most types of electronic equipment. Add to this the bangs, drops and scrapes they can often endure and it is little wonder we are telephoned regularly about repairing mobile phones.

The latest SmartPhones are also crammed with software that can cause problems in the same way as a regular computer.

If the phone is less than 2 years old and the damage has not been caused by yourself you will likely be able to get a warranty repair. This usually means sending the phone back to the manufacturers, the manufacturers nominated repairers, or taking it in yourself if you are local.

The repair itself is free although you may have to pay to post it to them.

For older phones, or where the damage is caused by yourself - for instance dropping it in a bucket of water (or toilet bowl!) - you will have to get the phone repaired elsewhere.

We have a number of repairers where we send our broken handsets. However there is a cost involved and it is often more expensive to repair than to buy a new handset.

Whilst mobile phone insurance is available, it is not cheap, particularly for small business users who have more than one phone.

Also, whilst your handset is away being repaired, you will have to make your own arrangements with regards to a replacement phone. It makes sense to keep a cheap unlocked phone spare to use in the event of a repair being needed.

If you have a question about mobile phone repair please contact us for a quick chat.

As well as offering business mobile phones, we also offer a full range of business telecommunications products and services. This includes landline telephones.

We can install new telephone systems, telephone lines (analogue/ISDN2/ISDN30) and reduce your call costs. If you are currently with BT you could be saving up to 40% on your calls.

There is no interruption to your service and you keep your current number. We take over your billing and put you on one of our bespoke tariffs. Calls start from 0.75p per minute.

You get a simple to understand monthly bill detailing all of your calls.

We can also take over your broadband, providing business-grade broadband with low contention ratios, giving you excellent bandwidth and quick resolution in the event of problems.

We have a dedicated landline department, including telephone engineers, so we are only one phone call away if you have any concerns.

So, if you are approaching the end of your current contract, (NB - beware getting trapped into another lengthy contract by your current provider without your knowledge!) then get in touch and see what we can offer your business.

Identity Theft

Identity theft in the mobile phone arena is reportedly on the increase. If fraudsters are able to get hold of your personal details they can add extra handsets to your account, get them sent to another address and use them to run up extremely large bills.

The first you might know about it is when a whopping big bill comes through your door! For those that don't check their bills every month, try to keep a close eye on them and report any suspicious activity as soon as you become aware of it.

Better still keep your data safe in the first place. Shred bills when throwing them away and if a bill doesn't turn up chase it up to make sure it isn't being sent to a new address.

Bluetooth anti-theft device coming soon

The Nio is designed to connect to a key ring (or belt) and communicates permanently with the handset you want to keep safe via bluetooth. If the handset goes out-of-range (for instance you might set the range at 5 metres) then an alarm sounds on both the mobile and the Nio device, alerting you to the problem and also to where the handset has moved to.

You could also attach the Nio device to other items of value such as a laptop to keep them safely in range at all times.

This device is ideal for business users where it is not only a matter of losing a piece of hardware, with its inherent cost plus employee downtime, but also the potential loss of important company data that's at stake.

Our aim at Business Mobile World is to make your business communications simple, straightforward and cost-effective. One of the ways we can cut your costs is by including free calls within your package.

We offer many business mobile tariffs that include free calls to UK landlines. These are numbers beginning 01, 02 and 03. Eg. 0115 944 8977 (our number for you to call us).

If you have an inclusive package with free landline minutes this leaves the remainder of your minutes solely for mobile-to-mobile calls. This could mean a serious reduction in the number of inclusive minutes you need, a reduction in tariff, and best of all a reduction in your monthly costs.

If you have more than one mobile handset we can include free calls between all of your company mobiles. Again this can reduce the number of minutes you need and therefore the cost.

You need to analyze your current bills (or let us do it for you) and see where your minutes are being used. From this we can ensure you get the best value-for-money package.

We can also offer a GSM gateway (or Premicell) which you use for your landline calls to mobiles. This device automaticaly routes all calls starting 07 (mobile numbers) via a dedicated sim card meaning that these minutes can come out of your monthly inclusive allowance.

All of these ideas can be used together to ensure that you pay as little as possible for every business phone call and therefore maximise your profits.

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.

A couple of the latest releases and upcoming phones are previewed below.

Nokia N900

Not due until October 2009 (probably) this phone features a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard, 3.5 inch touchscreen, 5MP camera with Carl Zeiss optics, 600Mhz processor, 32GB storage, GPS - basically everything you can put into a phone these days! So don't expect it to come cheap.

It could be seen by many as a rival to the iPhone and is very much being aimed at the "must-have" gadget market. Our experience is that these top of the range all-singing all-dancing handsets prove very popular, but most people, particularly small business users, are unlikely to use all of the features and would be better off with lower spec phones that do what they need on cheaper tariffs.

However, if you really want one we can happily supply you with one (once it is available in the UK) and will quote you a variety of tariffs to suit your usage.

LG GW520 (aka LG Calisto)

This is a cross between an LGKP500/501 (LG Cookie) and the LG KS360. Featuring the Cookie touchscreen but with the addition of the 360 slide-out QWERTY keyboard.

It comes with a 2.8 inch touchscreen, 3.12mp camera, up to 16GB storage and a variety of colours! Not as well featured as the N900 but a whole lot cheaper and available on our lowest business mobile tariffs.

Other new phones coming out later this year include the HTC Touch 2, Nokia X3, LG GM750 and the Nokia N97 Mini.