Jola Cloud Solutions' Blog

For Jola, ESG means building products and partnerships that deliver technology responsibly — with consideration for environmental impact, ethical practices, and social value. We focus on reducing waste through smarter hardware design, driving efficiencies via cloud-provisioned connectivity, and supporting inclusive solutions that benefit customers and communities alike. Social and environmental outcomes are integrated into how we innovate, support partners, and scale mobile data solutions.

Expectations
End users increasingly expect partners to deliver value beyond price, including solutions that reduce waste. Employees want to work for organisations with purpose, innovation, and impact. At Jola, our focus on solutions that reduce deployment emissions (e.g., zero-touch provisioning) and technology that enables broader social value reflects these evolving expectations.

Implementing a strategy
Start by clearly prioritising measurable environmental and social outcomes that align with your business strengths — for example, reducing packaging and transport waste, supporting digital inclusion, and delivering secure, resilient connectivity.

Suppliers
At Jola, ESG is built into our everyday operations rather than managed by a separate HR function. Companies should partner with suppliers who take the same approach — removing barriers and providing meaningful employee support.

Key Priorities
Companies should consider the carbon impact across digital services and connected devices, responsible supply chain practices, data security, and the ethical use of technology. As ESG expectations evolve, companies that fail to take proactive steps — such as celebrating cultural diversity, offering real flexibility, and supporting mental health — risk falling behind and losing both talent and customers.

IoT opportunities in the channel

With technologies being switched off (PSTN, ISDN, 3G) and the current economic climate, demand for cost-effective, managed IoT connectivity solutions from the channel has never been so high. We are seeing an exponential rise in demand for SIMs for monitoring and smart devices. Resellers, manufacturers and service companies are finding new uses for IoT daily, and with more 5G available, this is unlikely to slow down.

In demand

Some of the most popular IoT solutions our resellers are involved in are vehicle telemetry and tracking, connected security and fire systems, machine monitoring, asset tracking, smart healthcare and smart city applications.

Opportunities for you

There is no reason why the channel can’t be involved in any IoT opportunity by partnering with the right suppliers. Jola provides IoT connectivity, hardware, and solutions through our 1,600 channel partners. Where we don’t have all the elements required for an end-to-end solution, we can help direct a reseller to the vendor partner that can provide the missing pieces of the puzzle.

Every reseller and MSP has significant IoT opportunities in its existing customer base. We’re observing opportunities ranging from simple connectivity for applications like payment processing and vehicle tracking to complete end-to-end solutions such as smart cities and connected healthcare. We help partners find and win these opportunities.

With IoT connectivity, the most common requirement is for multi-network un-steered SIMs to provide resilience and the best coverage. Mobile operators cannot typically provide these themselves. The channel can provide the correct SIM for its customers without being tied to any single mobile operator’s network footprint or product portfolio.

Monitoring

MSPs help property owners and developers monitor carbon levels. They have created solutions to monitor energy consumption across many different devices within the home. Their devices need 4G to report usage information and for general maintenance.

The opportunity for the channel is massive. The challenge is finding the opportunities each partner can win. Suppliers that can help resellers target opportunities they can win are crucial. Solutions need to be easy to sell, roll out and manage.

Trends

A key trend driving the as-a-service model is the move to IP and the imminent PSTN switch-off. Millions of PSTN lines in the UK are soon to be end-of-life. Upgrading to broadband is expensive, and the capital costs of converters and 4G routers soon mount up. Device-as-a-service models have solved this problem with no upfront hardware costs, low monthly charges, and added benefits of ‘advance replacement’ and free returns for faulty routers.

Support

All resellers and MSPs working with a trusted supplier like Jola can describe themselves as having an IoT practice, much like how they might have a cybersecurity practice today. Instead of considering IoT as a product, consider it a toolkit that can solve many of your customers’ problems. Your customers have problems that you can solve using IoT.

The best suppliers will have the products, portals, and people to help their channel partners succeed. Although IoT is complex, with the right supplier, it isn't difficult.

If you’re new to IoT, your choice of IoT provider could be the difference between success and failure. At Jola, we have developed a complete go-to-market process to help our partners assess their strengths and weaknesses, learn essential skills, find opportunities, and secure their first deal. When we go through this process, and one of our partners secures their first deal, the confidence it gives them can be transformational.

Compelling events

The best opportunities are always those where a compelling event affects organisations. The PSTN Switch-off and the 3G Switch-off are great examples of such events.

You’d be surprised how many things are connected to PSTN lines that don’t need broadband. We’ve replaced PSTN lines with IoT solutions in applications as diverse as remote wind farms, lift shafts and sheltered housing developments.

The 3G switch-off is causing users of payment terminals, ATMs, vehicle trackers, and door entry systems to search for new devices, new SIM cards, and new solutions.

Two of the most significant issues we face are climate change and the quality and productivity of our public services. IoT is being used extensively in both areas in exciting ways, which is an opportunity for the channel.

Find an IoT supplier who cares as much about helping you grow your market share as they do about growing their own business.

IoT

The IoT market used to be the preserve of a small number of IoT specialists and the IoT departments inside the Mobile Network Operators. IoT applications were limited to some mega-scale consumer-focused services and B2B remote sensing services focused on specific vertical markets, such as utilities.

Almost every business can benefit from IoT, and thousands of applications are available. Public cloud providers such as AWS and Azure complement these with mature and secure IoT development environments, allowing organisations to develop their bespoke solutions.

Look for a channel-only supplier with

• A real-time, fully automated, API-enabled, white-label portal that connects to every mobile network in the world
• A network and internal systems protected from DDOS attacks
• Global eSIM networks
• OPEX and CAPEX financial models on hardware
• Financial stability and demonstrable growth
• A wide range of SIM options across several different networks
• Cost-effective SIP-enabled 4G/5G PSTN replacement products
• Routers with proprietary auto-configuration and management software built-in
• A programme to help you identify opportunities you can win
  

They are adding mobile data to their portfolio, but why?

High Demand

With technologies being switched off (PSTN, ISDN, 3G) and the current economic climate, demand for cost-effective, managed mobile data solutions from the channel, has never been so high. We are seeing an exponential rise in demand for SIMs not only for use in 5G/4G routers, pre-Ethernet connectivity and Ethernet back-up but also for digital signage, monitoring and smart devices. Resellers, manufacturers and service companies are finding new uses for mobile data daily and, as we accelerate towards 5G, this is unlikely to slow down.

Quick-win Opportunities

Public Sector

The NHS has rolled out iPads to ambulance crews all over the UK recently. The iPads will help them access medical records to help inform their course of action. MSPs have found that partnering with aggregators offering multi-network services and a management portal gives them so much more control and removes the headache of dealing with multiple carriers and manual requests for changes.

Retail

AV Specialists are ordering complete, secure connectivity packages for digital signage, to arrive plug-and-play to each site, and consisting of an intelligent 4G router, a SIM and some clever configurations to prevent hackers from accessing the signs. Devices arrived pre-configured with an app, allowing auto-configuration, saving time and money.

Transport and Logistics

Specialists are novating SIMs on various tariffs and price plans with their Private APN for bus and coach companies for cashless ticketing systems and WiFi. End-users can manage data usage directly on their own management portal.

Tracking and Monitoring

MSPs are helping property owners and developers to monitor carbon levels. They have created solutions to monitor energy consumption across many different devices within the home. Their devices need 4G to report usage information and for general maintenance of the equipment.

Suppliers that can help resellers target opportunities they can win are crucial. Solutions need to be easy to sell, roll out and manage. Jola has a tried and tested six-step process called the Mobile-data Revenue Generator™ to help partners win their first deal. To find out more visit https://www.jola.co.uk/partners/.

One of Jola’s unique differentiators is their Mobile-data Revenue Generator™ (The MRG™) programme. It uses Harvard Business School teachings to productise repeatable processes that generate reliable, successful outcomes. The programme was developed to help channel partners grow mobile data revenue streams successfully.

Jola’s analysis shows that partners in the MRG™ grow 41% faster than those not in the programme, so all partners are encouraged to get involved. MSPs already have significant opportunities within their existing customer base. The MRG™ helps identify and win them. MSPs receive excellent training and support across every department, giving them their very own in-house IoT practice.

One partner recently won a global opportunity for a leading fashion retailer. Using Mobile Manager, they use aggregated multi-network SIMs to support payment solutions and in-store Wi-Fi. Another partner won a UK-wide Fixed IP opportunity for mobile data back-up for care homes.

Cherie Howlett, Jola CMO commented: “The MRG™ is more than a go-to-market strategy, it’s a growth engine for the channel. We’ve seen partners transform their businesses by winning innovative mobile data solutions they can’t buy from anyone else. The programme is designed by the channel for the channel, perfected over many years and has a 100% approval rating.”

Trust

Partnerships in the channel are built on trust. Personal relationships are key to their success, as well as accountability, responsiveness and delivery. Establishing new partnerships takes an integrated, consistent strategy to identify targets and build profiled information. It is important to learn more about each target and their needs, carefully crafting multiple touch points to introduce yourself as a supplier, recognising needs and promoting unique solutions. Timing is incredibly important, as well as influencing key decision makers. Successful new partner acquisitions take careful segmentation, targeting and positioning, as well as multiple communications, establishing trust and building credibility until an opportunity arises.

New partnerships

The basics of targeting and acquiring new partnerships has not changed much over time in the channel, however changes, such as remote working, has had an impact. Companies dedicated to putting in the time and visiting partners face to face, are finding this strengthens relationships, increases information flow between both parties and helps to facilitate successful relationships.

Challenges

Challenges occur with inconsistency. Vendors need to be consistent, are they invested in the channel or not? Is it their primary focus or not? Are they building the solutions the channels need now and into the future? Are they priced competitively? Do they offer differentiation? Are they easy to sell, manage, provision, bill and support? If the answer to any of these questions is no, problems will occur, which will impact trust, and the relationship could suffer as a result.

What does success look like?

Successful relationships, like all relationships are built on trust, understanding, give and take, listening and understanding, meeting needs and working together to achieve common goals.

Making the most of relationships is key. Do you know exactly what your vendor can offer you in terms of support and incentives? Are you taking advantage of everything on offer? Equally, vendors are you close enough to your partners? Do you understand all their requirements now and in the future? Are you meeting them better than any alternatives? Technology can help support relationships and be the driver for growth, adding new recurring revenue streams.

Strong, trusted partnerships which deliver for both parties are key and moving forwards the vendors who invest in their relationships and the partners who invest in their vendors will ultimately be successful if both parties are working to support each other’s goals.

2025 has been a pivotal year for the UK’s transition to All-IP. We’ve seen a significant acceleration in the migration away from PSTN and ISDN services, driven by a combination of industry readiness, better communication from providers, and increased end-user awareness.

At Jola, we’ve helped hundreds of channel partners seamlessly migrate their customers to IP-based alternatives. Thanks to automation, APIs, and flexible provisioning, partners can now deliver voice and connectivity services that are not only more reliable and scalable but also easier to manage.

While the national migration figures look strong, there’s still a noticeable divide between large enterprises—who began planning early—and SMEs, who are only now starting to make the switch. That’s where the channel has played a crucial role, and Jola’s partners have been at the forefront of that movement.

Challenges

Early in the process, confusion over product equivalence and interoperability was a major barrier. Many organisations were unsure how to replace legacy life lines, alarm systems, and other critical monitoring equipment that depended on analogue lines.

Through 2025, these technical challenges have largely been addressed. The industry now offers mature connectivity solutions—like 4G and 5G LTE products—that can meet the reliability and resilience needs of these systems.

For Jola and our partners, automation has been key to overcoming the operational complexity of mass migration. Our SIM management portal (Mobile Manager), and provisioning APIs have simplified what was once a highly manual process. This has allowed resellers to migrate thousands of lines efficiently while maintaining customer confidence and minimising downtime.

Work to do

Although awareness is improving, the final stretch is always the hardest. Many small businesses and service providers still underestimate the urgency of migration—particularly those using legacy equipment such as life lines, fire and security alarms, and building management systems that rely on PSTN connectivity.

The challenge now is education: helping every business understand that the PSTN switch-off isn’t just about phone lines; it’s about ensuring that every device and service dependent on analogue connectivity is ready for the digital future.

Jola continues to invest in supporting partners with the right products and resources to manage that transition. Whether that’s through 4G/5G failover, VoIP-ready Fixed Wireless Access products, or specialist M2M SIMs for critical infrastructure, we’re making sure no customer gets left behind.

Government Support

Government awareness campaigns have improved in 2025, particularly through collaborations with Ofcom and the major network operators. However, the most effective communication has come from the channel.

Local resellers and MSPs—often supported by wholesale providers like Jola—are the ones engaging directly with the businesses still reliant on legacy lines. We’d like to see even greater clarity and coordination from central bodies to reduce mixed messaging, but overall, the visibility of the 2025 deadline has never been higher.

Innovation

All-IP isn’t just a replacement for legacy networks—it’s an enabler for innovation. Once every connection is digital, the possibilities for integration, automation, and AI-driven service delivery expand dramatically.

We’re already seeing partners bundle IP voice, mobile data, IoT, and unified communications into end-to-end solutions that deliver measurable value to customers. At Jola, we’re excited about the opportunities this creates for our channel. With a fully digital network, partners can deliver more intelligent, data-driven services, faster provisioning, and greater control than ever before.

The switch-off marks the end of an era—but more importantly, it’s the beginning of a smarter, more connected one.

In today’s competitive environment, partnership has never been more essential to deliver unique solutions, competitive offerings and excellent customer service. Jola has worked with Teltonika to launch a range of affordable, intelligent 4G and 5G routers for the channel. Teltonika routers, supplied by Jola, feature unique capabilities that aren’t available elsewhere, helping partners deliver secure and scalable connectivity solutions.

Jola has been awarded Gold Partner Status by Teltonika, recognising its expertise, technical capability, and continued success delivering innovative IoT and mobile data solutions to the channel.  Teltonika’s Gold Partner status is reserved for top performing partners demonstrating outstanding product knowledge, sales growth, and service delivery.  The partnership enables Jola’s partners to access a range of intelligent 4G & 5G routers with custom firmware, designed to deliver secure, zero touch configuration and seamless integration with Mobile Manager.

This recognition strengthens Jola’s position as a leading aggregator in the channel, combining innovative hardware with intelligent connectivity solutions that are simple to package, sell and manage. Jola continues to help partners find and close opportunities using the MRG™, lead generation programme.

Jola’s CTO, Ben Merrills, commented, “We are delighted to achieve Gold Partner status with Teltonika.  It’s a great reflection of the expertise within our team and the value we offer to partners.  Together, we are helping the channel uncover new opportunities in IoT, M2M and mobile data.”

Demand for reliable VoIP and VoLTE solutions increases as the PSTN switch-off approaches. Many businesses, including lift operators, require a seamless transition to digital connectivity, ensuring security, compliance, and ease of management. They cannot risk installing a solution which will not work in a power cut.

Jola introduces the EV8100, an innovative 4G router with a built-in battery UPS compliant with EN 81-28 safety standard. It is an ideal solution for customers where power continuity is critical. It is designed to deliver high-quality voice and data connectivity with remote monitoring and integrates seamlessly with Jola SIP Overlay or Jola voice SIMs. Robustel’s RCMS management platform has detailed reporting and alerting functionality specifically for this router.

Jola partners can order the routers via Mobile Manager. They will arrive at the required site pre-configured for easy deployment.

Jola’s CMO, Cherie Howlett, commented, “The EV8100 presents a robust, fully featured mobile connectivity solution for customers who need to call when the power is out. Our solution is cost-effective, easy to deploy, highly secure, and compliant with industry standards.”

Jola has launched a community-focused donation initiative to support Broxtowe Youth Homelessness (BYH), a regional charity dedicated to preventing and alleviating youth homelessness across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

The charity delivers crucial assistance to young people aged 16–25 who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of it. Its services include early-intervention support, emergency food parcels and toiletries. For those taking the significant step into their first independent tenancy, the charity provides Home Starter Packs containing essential everyday items such as kitchen equipment, towels and cleaning products.

In support of this mission, Jola employees have organised a collection of non-perishable food items and supplies which can be used within the charity’s Home Starter Packs. The collection was delivered to BYH earlier this week.

Cherie Howlett, CMO, commented “We were pleased to support such a great local charity. This initiative allows us to contribute in a practical, meaningful way to young people who are facing incredibly difficult circumstances locally.”

Finding talented staff in a competitive market can be tough. Businesses often face a choice: invest heavily in recruitment campaigns or grow their own talent from within. At Jola, we believe the best option is to invest in people early, giving them the skills, experience and opportunities to thrive in the Channel.

That’s why we run a range of initiatives, including work experience placements, apprenticeships, and graduate schemes. Jola are passionate about creating career opportunities for like-minded, bright, entrepreneurial individuals. Over the years, we have trained and supported many young professionals who have gone on to build successful careers with Jola. Noor Ali is the latest example.

Noor joined Jola during her placement year, working within our sales team. During that time, she gained hands-on experience, training, and insight into how Jola supports its partners. After returning to the University of Birmingham to complete her Business degree, Noor re-joined Jola as a full-time Internal Sales Executive, building on the skills she developed during her placement.

“Our placement programme has been a real success,” said Magnus Wright, Jola Head of Sales. “It gives undergraduates valuable industry experience and the chance to develop their skills in a fast-growing technology company. At the same time, we benefit from fresh perspectives, new ideas and a pipeline of talented graduates who already understand our culture and values.”

Noor added “My placement at Jola gave me invaluable experience and confirmed that this was the industry I wanted to build my career in. The support and training I received made it a very easy decision to come back after graduating.”

At Jola, we’re always on the lookout for ambitious individuals to join our growing team. If you’d like to build a career in the channel, please send your CV to careers@jola.co.uk.