Jola Cloud Solutions' Blog

The current climate has been a catalyst for change in the public sector and demand for 4G data, for home learners, delivery services and the NHS, is increasing.

4G solves a few key problems. It does not require an installation. In many cases, it is plug-and-play. The device comes out of the box and when switched on, automatically connects to the network and allows the user access to the internet. 4G can roam. Multi-network, un-steered variants are available which can connect to the strongest 4G signal in any location. It can easily be posted as a physical SIM card or installed into a device and posted to where it is required.

Home Learners

MSPs supporting local councils and private schools, colleges and universities are being asked for 4G devices to support home learning. Online learning materials are being distributed and online classes organised, often involving multiple students at once.

Delivery Services

Delivery services are in demand delivering essentials to those self-isolating.  The Government is using local councils to deliver essentials boxes to those shielding. Supermarkets are increasing their deliveries to keep up with demand. All deliveries are being tracked via PDAs containing 4G SIM cards.

NHS

There is high demand from the NHS for 4G devices for healthcare workers visiting patients and ambulance crews updating patient records.

Businesses are adapting the way they work to meet changing market conditions. Existing services are being packaged and sold in a new way.

We have seen farm shops and pub kitchens offering home delivery services, and supermarkets offering ‘essential’s boxes’ for those self-isolating. Joe Wicks is offering free P.E lessons for kids on YouTube, which has inspired gyms, dance schools, and music clubs to start charging for lessons on-line.

How are your customers adapting to change?

If principals of your customers are still working, it is important to keep in touch with them and support their changing needs. Send emails, arrange calls or webinars with them. Do they have adequate internet connectivity? Can they run their phone system from home? Do they have the collaboration tools they need to operate effectively from home? Can they access their network and store files securely? Do they need additional devices? Do they need support setting up new online products and services? What new services can you package and sell to support them?

4G for Homeworking

We are seeing huge demand for unlimited data, as businesses are running from home, and families are also sharing the home broadband connection, to shop, stream content and game.

Home broadband is typically slower than the connectivity in the office and applications can be interrupted when other family members are downloading files or streaming. Having a separate unlimited 4G connection for business is a good solution. 4G routers are inexpensive and unlimited data packages are widely available. Are your customers looking for a good unlimited 4G data solution to help their team work more effectively from home?

4G for the Public Sector

Hundreds of thousands of public sector employees are now working from home, with a need to keep data secure. Health professionals are in desperate need of 4G for devices to access patient files remotely when visiting vulnerable patients. For added security, all Jola mobile products are available with fixed IP.

For students without broadband, schools want to send 4G devices to access study materials and keep in touch. Do you serve these markets?

4G in Logistics

Logistics has never been busier. Supermarkets have increased their deliveries to keep up with demand. 4G is required for tracking devices to ensure goods arrive safely and on time. Do your customers need 4G solutions to help track goods delivery?

Direct Routing

2 million new Microsoft Teams licences have been activated in the last three weeks. Do these users need Direct Routing to be able to make and receive local calls outside of Teams? Do they need help routing numbers?

MSPs offering resilient internet connectivity for companies managing mission-critical devices such as fire alarms, will have multiple back-ups for each site. For example, a leased line may have an FTTC back-up and a 4G back-up.

The main issue with single network 4G, is that it can fail. Multi-network roaming SIMs offer resilience, because if one network fails, it will roam to the next strongest network. Multi-network eSIMs can also be over-laid with a Private APN to reduce the risk of device hacking.

Other key challenges are dealing with multiple carriers, manual processes, lack of direct control, the high cost of site surveys and monitoring data usage. MSPs won’t know which sites are going to go down and how much 4G data will be used, until the primary connectivity is fixed. Corporate clients often complain about unexpected data overage charges, post incident, especially if the 4G speeds were slower than expected.

In areas where fixed line connectivity is not available or fast enough, 4G may be an option. It is often cheaper and faster to install than satellite or external wireless solutions and is available on short term contracts.

JolaMobile

Resellers focussed on vertical markets, such as retail and construction, are offering bespoke mobile broadband solutions for pop up retailers and construction sites. They package rugged 4G routers with bespoke JolaMobile data packages with up to 500GB monthly data allowance.

End-users benefit from plug-and-play solutions, often live and working on-site, within 24 hours. Jola partners benefit from healthy recurring revenues and the ability to monitor data usage and prevent bill shock before it happens by adding back-dateable bolt-ons, sharing data across sites or having buffer pools in place.

JolaNet 4G is Jola’s managed 4G router with an integrated data SIM on Vodafone, O2, EE, Three, Fixed IP or multi-network. The solution is managed by Mobile Manager, where partners have complete control to view real-time data usage, set-up alerts, apply SIM-swaps, add bolt-ons and bar SIMs. Using Mobile Manager, they can maximise margins and completely eliminate overage charges.

With JolaNet 4G, resellers send a pre-configured router to their customers, which works out-of-the-box, doesn’t need cabling or a land-line and can be monitored in real-time.

Resellers selling voice and data SIMs to businesses often find themselves up against the carriers directly. How do they compete?

Compare and contrast

They gather as much information as they can on the competition. If they have a good relationship with the customer, they may obtain details about the exact deal they are up against. By analysing the customer’s bill, existing requirements and competitive offer, they pitch a customised deal with an edge.

Offer a mix of networks

Some customers have a network preference, but some networks are stronger than others in particular areas. Users also have a preference. Offering a mix of networks rather than the single network offering from the carrier, can be powerful.

Contract terms

Often the carriers demand longer contract terms. More flexible contract terms can sometimes be the difference to clinch the deal.

Demand 

4G is widely available in the UK with typical download speeds of around 20Mb/s and theoretical speeds of up to 150Mb/s. We have seen a surge in demand for data-only SIMs for mobile broadband solutions in rural areas, on construction sites and in retail outlets.

Benefits

4G is fast, reliable and quick to set up. Jola, offers up to 500GB data packages on short-term contracts. Data SIMs are available on all the major mobile networks, with back-dateable bolt-ons and management tools.

Bill shock

The issue for many is bill shock. Unlike FTTC, which is largely unlimited (usually with a fair use policy), mobile broadband is sold with monthly usage allowances and financial penalties for over-usage.

Mobile Manager

To allow resellers to manage large estates of mobile data SIMs, Jola developed Mobile Manager. Mobile Manager handles SIM activations, ceases, suspensions, reports, alerts and bolt-ons. SIMs are managed in real-time. Pooled data and data buffers are available to share data usage across estates and avoid bill shock. Self-serve Private APNs can be set-up and managed within Mobile Manager for private 4G networks and seamless private 4G fail-over solutions.

JolaNet 4G

For resellers wanting to send a pre-configured 4G routers to site, they are available next day, JolaNet 4G is a managed 4G router with an integrated data SIM. Choose from a selection of data SIMs from all the leading mobile network operators, multi-network and Fixed IP options. Resellers can view data usage directly from the device in five minute intervals. It comes with a no bill-shock guarantee.

According to a recent report by ICOMIA, there are around six million recreational craft in Europe, with 32 million people boating every year. The market continues to expand between five and six percent per year.

There is a huge demand for faster, more reliable internet connectivity in port, for business and leisure. For example, the captain may need to run payroll, the chef, may need to download recipes to accommodate new dietary requirements and children may want to download music, movies and games using available 3G and 4G networks.

Resellers serving his market have put together competitive bundles consisting of routers and data SIM packages, which often work with in-vessel communication systems. The solutions allow users good 3G and 4G coverage and monitor data usage to help avoid bill shock.

Jola is providing Multi-network EU Roaming SIMs, which roam to the strongest network in each European country. Since no single network is prioritised, devices can roam to the strongest signal seamlessly.

Having a SIM card that can switch between networks enables businesses to get more from their device. Devices are less likely to stop working due to poor signal. Un-steered SIMs are important for mobile WiFi.

Bus and coach companies are installing dashcams in vehicles to improve safety. 4G streaming devices are mounted on dashboards. They capture 12 seconds of video and audio when incidents take place. Systems record events which cause a higher than normal G-force automatically, as well as recording footage on demand.

The objective for many companies is to identify risky behaviours, to prevent accidents and improve safety. Companies installing dashcams have reported a 23% reduction in preventable collisions.

Typically, MSPs and specialists serving this market with M2M and IoT solutions, have partnered with the mobile networks directly for SIMs, however many have struggled with a lack of flexibility and control.

Jola is proposing an alternative to dealing with mobile networks directly. We offer a range of competitively-priced mobile data SIMs, including unique products you can’t buy from the mobile networks directly.

Our 1GB SIMs are cost-effective and meet common requirements, alternatively multi-network roaming SIMs are available. Using Mobile Manager, partners are able to order new SIMs and pools from a single supplier, add SIMs to pools, set up alerts and monitor the pool to monitor data usage.

Many MSPs and resellers think that they need to buy direct to get the best prices, however in the mobile data market, this is usually not the case. There are also additional downsides such as lack of flexibility and control.

How flexible is your carrier?

Can they deliver a tariff that exactly meets the needs of your customers, or are you making do with an off-the-shelf package?

How easy are the carriers to do business with?

How do you find dealing with multiple in-country carriers? Are you struggling with paper ordering? How do you manage the time differences? Are processes manual?

How much control do you have over your SIM estate?

How do you manage SIM changes within your estate? Can you monitor and manage data usage per site? How do you manage data overage charges?

Many MSPs are looking to simplify business infrastructure and reduce operating costs for their multi-sited corporate clients. Often, they provide consultancy services to analyse security risks and propose solutions. 4G back-up is commonly used to back up primary networks to add an extra layer of resilience, however managing 4G has been challenging for the MSP and expensive for the client, until now.

The challenges

The key challenges are dealing with multiple carriers, manual processes, lack of direct control, the high cost of site surveys and monitoring data usage. MSPs won’t know which sites are going to go down and how much 4G data will be used until the primary connectivity is fixed. Corporate clients often complain about data overage charges, they were not expecting post incident, especially if the 4G speeds were slower than expected.