Technology is moving at such a pace that it is difficult to keep up, never mind stay one step ahead. Things that were once only thought of in sci-fi movies are now being developed and brought to life.

For instance, Tom Cruise's character in Minority Report wandered the streets with targeted ads appearing as he moved through the cityscape. This is now being developed, and with SmartPhone technology and GPS it is possible that this will be happening very, very soon.

Businesses that embrace new technology and can see how this can help them improve their interaction with new and existing customers will be the winners going forward into the next decade.

Of course all of the technological infrastructure will need building and maintaining, not to mention updating as new developments and breakthroughs are made.

The news today that Rentokil Initial plc have signed a landmark deal with Google to improve the communications of its 78,000 employees across 50 countries shows that forward thinking companies are already looking to new technology to integrate their systems and keep ahead of the competition.

You don't need to be the size of Rentokil Initial to get your business involved. We can help SMEs with a range of new communications technology making their business life easier and reducing costs at the same time.

To find out how we could help you get in touch with us for a free communications review.

When thinking about your business telecoms, and in particular your sales telephone number, it has long been the conventional wisdom that a freephone number (0800, 0808) increases enquiries by up to 40% compared to a regular number.

However, this was in the days when the majority of calls were made from landlines, meaning that your customers were not charged for their call to your business.

Those days are long gone, and the rise of the mobile phone means that many of your customers will actively avoid freephone numbers as they could be charged up to 20p per minute to call them.

It is forecast that 2010 will see the majority of UK phone calls made via mobile phones rather than landlines. Even now mobile phone calls account for around 45% of all calls made.

So what is the answer?

It could be an 03 number. This is a non-geographic landline number which can be called free of charge from a mobile phone's inclusive minutes. An 03 number can also be cheaper for your business than a freephone number.

With an 03 number you also have portability and flexibility. You can redirect incoming calls to any landline or mobile that you specify and benefit from a range of call management features.

Business Mobile World can offer you an 03 telephone number, or you can choose from a range of other telephone numbers which we provide. Just get in touch for a free quote.

As you may know we have a number of websites within the telecoms arena. One of these, Best Business Phone Deals, has had a number of pages added today.

The pages added are:

• Business Phone Systems
• Business Phone Numbers
• Business Phone Lines
• Business Phone Services
• Business Phone Packages

This site gives a broad overview of the types of services we can offer rather than get bogged down in great detail. Every business is different and, as a consequence, the solutions that we offer are likely to differ in each case.

It is exactly the same within the business mobile world, two businesses who are neighbours in the same building will want different handsets and use them in very different ways dependent upon their business type.

Similarly the landline solutions for these companies would also likely differ based upon the number of employees, whether call traffic is mostly inbound or outbound, the numbers they are ringing (local, national, international) etc.

So rather than dryly listing a number of phone systems with all of their features, which only telephone system anoraks are likely to appreciate, we explain how we can help your business improve its communications and reduce costs and invite you to contact us for a free quote or review.

Business decision makers have nothing to lose by contacting us. For a few minutes of time your business could reduce its costs, improve communications and receive ongoing help and support including the integration of new technology as it becomes available.

Some of the new releases and mobiles that are coming soon.

First up is the Sony Ericsson Naite (GreenHeart). A candy bar phone with 2mp camera and relatively basic features for a phone these days. However its main selling point is its green credentials.

It is made from eco friendly materials, has an e-manual on the phone instead of a paper manual, and contains Ecomate, a CO2 calculator pre-installed on the phone. It also has a low power consumption charger and reduced packaging.

At the other end of the spectrum is the Samsung B7620 Giorgio Armani. A SmartPhone running windows mobile with a 5mp camera plus most of the features you would expect from a just-released SmartPhone in 2009. It is Armani-badged and contains Giorgio Armani fashion applications, whatever they might be!

There is no news on a UK release at present, so don't get too excited, especially as it would cost a considerable amount to get your hands on one!

Breaking the mould is the newly released Nokia 6350. It's a clam-shell design that most of us would be familiar with from a few years ago before slide and touchscreen became all the rage. Again, this one is not available in the UK but it is interesting to see a manufacturer going back to this old design style.

It could herald a few more calm-shell type phones coming onto the market as there are customers who swear by their old folding phones.

For more details of the latest phones and business mobile news please contact us for a quick chat or to find out how much your business could save with a new deal.

Lack of mobile coverage for users has lead Ofcom to suggest that consumers should be offered a "try before you buy" period in which, if you are new to a network, you can try out the coverage at home and in your local area and if it is not up to scratch return the phone without further charges.

At the moment you have to sign up to a contract, often for 18 months or more, "blind" without knowing how the coverage will be. If it's useless then tough luck! You are locked into the contract and if you want to get out of it you will have to pay ALL of the remaining monthly payments.

The figures quoted by Ofcom are quite startling - up to 91% of small business users are said to have had difficulties with mobile coverage. Reception at your workplace or in the office is absolutely imperative for running your business.

Going direct to a network for your business mobiles might seem like a good idea but when problems like these arise you are likely to get little sympathy. They are not going to make it easy to move to another network no matter how bad your signal is.

By using Business Mobile World you have a choice of networks. Forget the rather unreliable "coverage checkers" on the mobile networks websites, let us demonstrate the signal strength of a variety of networks and handsets at your place of work.

It doesn't cost you any more, we can get the best business mobile tariffs from the networks and they pay us, not you. It's a win-win situation for your business.

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.

Did you know...

...that almost 70% of the worldwide population now have some form of mobile phone subscription?

...that by the end of this year mobile broadband will have overtaken fixed line broadband?

The modern business needs to embrace this trend and ensure that it remains in touch with the latest technology and is able to move quickly with industry developments.

As the distinction between phones and computers becomes more blurred, with each device able to do the other's job, business users will need to make a decision - are you staying fixed or are you getting mobile?

Make the SMART decision, get a SmartPhone and release your business from the fixed telephony shackles. Better still, get an integrated solution from Business Mobile World involving your mobiles, landlines, broadband and IT.

Bundling them all together not only saves your business money but it improves the overall communications of your company by ensuring that all of your devices interact with each other seamlessly.

When there's a problem (modern technology doesn't always work correctly ALL of the time!) it's just one phone call to speak with a human being, not a robot, and the solution is at hand.

Want to know more? Let us show you how it all works. We can quote you for any or all of our many telecoms services, just get in touch.

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.

We've compiled the despatch figures for September 2009 to give you a picture of the handsets that are requested most by our business mobile customers.

1. Nokia 6300

2. Nokia 3110

3. Nokia 2630

4. Blackberry 8520

5. Nokia 2680

6. Samsung M110

7. Nokia 6220

8. Blackberry 8110

9. Nokia 6303

10. Nokia 7100

No real surprises for last month. Nokia dominate with 7 entries, BlackBerry remain popular with 2 and the remaining phone is the Samsung M110, also known as the "builders phone" as it is made for tough conditions - splash, dust and shock proof.

The Nokia 6300 (pictured) is a solid business phone with no frills. Excellent voice and text functions without any of the costly extras making this a good choice for business customers.

It's only 80 days to Christmas now! Some people will already have started their Christmas shopping or making their Christmas lists. Have you thought about a mobile related gift for your family or friends?

Have you ever run out of battery on your phone when you are nowhere near a charge point? A wind-up mobile phone charger is what you need.

There are wind-up torches that also charge your mobile phone so you get two gifts for the price of one! Ideal for camping trips. They will also provide charge for iPods via the many inclusive adaptors.

You could also try a battery powered charger, perhaps to keep in your glovebox, and all of these gifts cost less than a tenner.

For a little more you could buy a bluetooth car kit. They attach to your sun visor and work with any bluetooth enabled phones for a hands free in-car solution.

Or protect your phone with an invisible film that is resistant to scratching. It can protect your phone body as well as the screen. For a little more buy a leather case which gives a more stylish protection.

Sim free phones are now cheap enough to be bought as Christmas gifts, and memory cards make ideal stocking fillers as they can be used in so many different devices now including mobiles, mp3/4 players, digital photo frames and digital cameras.

The choice of mobile phone networks is farly limited, and set to become more so if Orange and T-Mobile UK merge. If you fall out with one and have limited coverage on another you are going to have little choice where you can arrange your contract and limited tariffs.

However, there seems to be a rise in "virtual" mobile phone networks offered by MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) which will give you a better choice. For instance Virgin Mobile does not have its own infrastructure or masts, it utilises the T-Mobile network but can offer a range of different phones and tariffs.

Other virtual mobile phone networks include BT mobile and Tesco mobile, and new ones that we could see soon include Red Bull mobile and GiffGaff.

So if your best coverage is with T-Mobile, you don't have to restrict yourself to their tariffs, check out Virgin Mobile, Fresh or Easy, all of whom piggy-back on the T-Mobile network. They might have better tariffs or the handset you want, lower prices or shorter contracts.

Wise advice for consumers is always to shop around and don't jump at the first deal you see. For business mobile users the choice of network is much more limited.

The MVNOs above focus only on individual consumers with one handset. For business users the best plan is to utilise the services of a business mobile specialist who can find you the best deal. Their services are usually free of charge and they are likely to save you money on your mobile bills, adding profit to your bottom line.

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.

Are your current business phones and business mobile contract fit for purpose? Do your handsets do what they want them to and are you on the correct tariff?

It is likely that when you last renewed (and reviewed) your mobile phones you entered into a contract of 18 months or more. During this time technology has advanced to such an extent that it is extremely likely that your current handsets are obsolete or incapable of doing all of the things you need to propel your business forward.

During this time business mobile tariffs have changed considerably too. More minutes are available as standard, free landline calls are on offer and large data bundles can be included/added for internet and email usage.

If you are approaching the end of your current contract it is worthwhile sitting down and compiling a list of all of the mobile phone features that could be of use in your business.

Similarly take a look at your current bill and see where your minutes are being used and charges racked up. Break them down between:

• Landline calls (01, 02 and 03)
• Mobile calls (07)
• Non-geo calls (08)
• Texts per month
• Data usage (MBs)

Then give us a call or contact us online! We can analyze your bills and obtain the best tariff for you. Then we can give you a choice of handsets that satisfy all of your criteria.

Our aim is always to save your business money whilst enhancing your communications. We don't charge for our services so get in touch for a free review for your business.

The choice of SmartPhone for your business is getting larger day-by-day. Each phone offers slightly different features but behind the glossy screens the operating system will largely determine which is best for your business.

The most popular operating systems for business mobile phones are:

• Symbian - used to power the majority of Nokia SmartPhones
• Windows Mobile - found across a variety of phones from different manufacturers
• Android - Google's linux-based open source operating system is slowly being adopted by more manufacturers 
• BlackBerry - the BlackBerry OS from RIM (Research In Motion) powers their range of BlackBerry mobile phones
• iPhone OS - used solely for the different versions of the Apple iPhone

So which one should you choose?

The iPhone OS only applies to the iPhone and is aimed more at the individual consumer with its range of music and games although it also has push-email facilities.

The BlackBerry OS does without many of these frills (although more are included with each new release) in favour of providing a solid business phone, particularly for email.

Android powered devices are harder to find and the operating system is in its infancy so is evolving fast with each new update. Many people have complained of "teething problems".

The Symbian S60 OS restricts you to a Nokia device, but is an excellent choice if Nokia is your favourite manufacturer as there are a large number of applications available to download.

Finally there is Windows Mobile. A solid all-rounder which is available on a number of handsets from a range of manufacturers. Its user interface is a little tired now by comparison with others but this should be addressed when version 7 of the operating system is released.

Some startling figures have been produced regarding accident and offence levels amongst company car drivers last year.

In 2008 around 45% of business drivers were involved in accidents and 17% committed a driving offence.

Of the accidents 70% were at fault and repair bills were around £850 on average. Offences were mainly speeding and mobile phone related.

It does seem that business drivers don't treat their company vehicles with as much care as they would their own! In some ways understandable but when lives could be at stake better road safety should be observed.

Employers can find it difficult to enforce company policy for people away from the office however with a vehicle or device tracking solution some of these accidents and incidents could be averted.

For example it is possible to see the speed of your company vehicles in real time online and receive alerts when speed limits are exceeded. A stern word with the person involved may get them to slow down before they get caught and fined or cause an accident.

Persistent offenders can easily be identified at the touch of a button, even when they may have been lucky enough not to have got caught, and appropriate action taken.

Tracking your business vehicles need not be expensive and is within the reach of small businesses and large fleets alike.

We all live in a fast-paced business world, particularly those of us based in the world of mobile phones and telecoms.

Take mobiles for instance; processing power doubles every 18 months, storage capacity increases, and faster download speeds and higher bandwidth are available.

In the next couple of years the standard mobile phone will have the processing power of your average PC of today. The possibilities are nearly limitless.

With so many SmartPhones being sold, more and more customers have powerful operating-system based devices in their pockets. New apps are being released daily offering new services to both consumers and business mobile users.

When planning your next business mobile contract you not only need to think about what you need today but what is going to help your business in the future.

How are new mobile devices and the range of services they offer going to help your staff be more productive and, where they are used in a customer facing situation, improve your customer service?

For instance, I recently had a few estate agents around my house to value my property. Several of them brought around paper print-outs of similar properties in the area to show me. Not very interesting.

The one that stood out from the crowd whipped out his iPhone and connected directly to the Right Move website. He scrolled through similar properties and from there could click on any details of interest, show me all of the photos, provide an interactive service which offered so much more than a flat piece of paper. He got my business.

Think about how technology could improve your presentations to customers and prospects. Utilising the features of a modern SmartPhone will save you time, money and, ultimately, increase your profits.

If you are looking for your first business mobile, or an upgrade to your existing business mobiles(s), it pays to do some research to make sure your new phone is going to do everything you want it to.

First you need to make a list of the features it must have. Then you can list features you might like if they were within your budget, and finally features you are not interested in.

We recommend contacting us in the first instance with your list from which we can compile all of the available handsets offering the features you need.

Some of the things to think about include:

• Screen size and type - you need a bigger screen for internet usage and you could consider a touchscreen method of entry.
• Memory size - do you need to store music/photos/documents - if so choose a phone with large expandable memory.
• Camera - Do you need a camera in the course of your business? Resolutions up to 12mp are now available.
• Email - receive emails on your handset. Also think about input type (QWERTY, half QWERTY, touchscreen keyboard)
• Connectivity - bluetooth, Wi-fi, 3G
• GPS - do you need full satnav or just a basic mapping program.
• Business tools - document viewer, organizer
• Operating system - do you need computer-like processing power and access to apps to help your business

This is not an exhaustive list. There may be other features you need or want - just let us know and we will find you the right business mobile handset for your usage.

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.