Jola Cloud Solutions' Blog

This is a question many small businesses are asking their communications providers. Many already sell 4G solutions, packaged for SMEs.

Small businesses are often early adopters when it comes to using the latest technologies, out of necessity. Few are keen to invest in upfront payments when it comes to financing business communications, so packages with no upfront costs are attractive.

4G presents many opportunities for small businesses. It is widely available and, in many locations, offers faster speeds. 4G routers are plug-and-play and can be up and running within 24 hours. Traditionally the downside has been usage. Businesses needed to remain under their monthly data allowance to avoid high, data overage charges every month. Jola solves this problem with their no bill shock guarantee.

Jola partners are selling managed 4G router packages to SMEs with temporary offices and pop up retail stands, They are packaging 4G routers with primary circuits for pre-Ethernet and back-up solutions, as required.

Demand

According to a recent report by Nester, the global electronic security market is expected to be worth £104.5 billion by the end of 2024. Predicted growth is being driven by increasing demand for safety and surveillance systems.

The market is segmented by product type such as; video; surveillance systems; intrusion alarm systems; fire alarm systems; access control systems; CCTV; electronic article surveillance and detection systems; electrified door hardware; hybrid video recorder and network video recorder.

The CCTV segment has the highest predicted growth, due to increased utilisation in newly constructed buildings and offices.

Opportunity

Partners who sell security solutions are partnering with companies like Jola, for a wide range of 4G data packages for their pre-configured 4G routers. Data SIMs with static IP addresses within 4G routers allow users to access their CCTV camera footage when fixed line connectivity is not available, for example on construction sites and in remote areas.

Partners use engineers to test the signal strength in each location to advise on the best 4G network to connect to. Multi-network roaming SIM packages are popular as they always connect to the strongest signal. External antenna can increase signal strength and routers are generally pre-configured for a plug-and play solution.

According to a recent report by Market Research Hub (MRH), the global Push-To-Talk market is due to grow 10.3% annually for the next eight years. Push to Talk (PTT) is a service that enables users to instantly communicate. Users activate this feature by pushing a button on a device.

Two-way walkie-talkie radio technology, frequently used by police officers, engineers, truckers and taxi drivers is being upgraded to 4G. This has created an opportunity for resellers, who are already familiar with selling 4G data solutions. However, suppliers are finding identifying the strongest 4G signal for each device challenging.

Jola provides a wide range of 4G data SIM packages, including cost-effective multi-network roaming packages, controlled within Mobile Manager. Our multi-network SIMs roam to the strongest signal in each area. Our white label management portal allows partners to place orders, manage SIMs, usage and alerts. Private APNs can add an extra layer of security.

The challenges

Resellers providing SIM cards to large corporates often contract with more than one supplier. Their biggest challenges are lack of automation, lack of control and billing issues. Orders need to be placed and chased via email. Resellers have no way of knowing when SIMs go live and data used, until they receive their bill, which can often be late. This results in customers complaining about high data overage charges.

The Opportunity

With IHS forecasting 58 billion connectable devices by 2022, demand for 4G data is on the rise. Enabling data analysis from a wide range of devices from trains, to agricultural machinery, the 4G sensor market has grown significantly within a short amount of time. Many resellers do not see how they can benefit from this opportunity but know that they service industries with a current requirement. Partnering with Jola, resellers are winning more and more 4G data opportunities and benefitting from a profitable recurring revenue stream.

Physical Space Analytics

4G sensors at exhibitions offer key insights into how visitors interact at events and within retail spaces. 4G sensors gather metrics about users visiting and their engagement. Sensors track how many visitors attended, how long they stayed, how they moved around the space and engagement and conversion rates. Clients can view their data in real-time to view a live graph of visitors over time, length of stay and a heat map to show visitor flow and distribution within the space.

Primary detection is via WiFi sensors powered by 4G. These pick up 3G and 4G signals from all smartphones, laptops and tablets carried by visitors. Signals contain a unique identifier, which is used to build a picture of visitor data per event. Data is encrypted and anonymous, therefore is only used for monitoring purposes.

The opportunity

According to McKinsey, revenues from mobile data are set to increase dramatically in the next 7 years. Factors driving growth are the availability, speed and reliability of 4G and the trend of embedding data SIM cards into devices such as routers for 4G back-up.

Retailers like supermarkets, department stores, restaurant chains and petrol stations are creating private networks to carry financial transactions over IP, from multiple POS systems, often favouring SD-WAN networks with 4G back-up. Depending on their size and the complexity of their requirement, they typically choose a trusted supplier, with experience rolling out and managing solutions in their sector.

The customer’s problem

They are not sure which network is best in each location, when the 4G back-up will be used and how much data they will use. Sending engineers to site to establish the strongest signal is a timely and expensive exercise. In addition, they regularly receive high data overage bills, which can be as much as tens of thousands of pounds a month.

The solution provider’s problem

Managed Network Providers are experienced at designing, rolling out and managing solutions, however have struggled with the 4G element, managing multiple in-country suppliers, with multiple manual ordering processes and a lack of visibility across the SIM estate. They have no direct control over SIM assets and cannot aggregate data across countries.

The opportunity

Revenues from mobile data are set to increase dramatically over the next few years. This has certainly been Jola’s experience. We have partners benefiting from the availability, speed and reliability of 4G back-up solutions for fixed line services installed in a range of devices including door entry systems and gates.

Door entry systems are popular in gyms, hotels, laboratories, warehouses, factories and large corporates. Some simply check validity of membership/room cards and grant access, others include more complex biometric systems and video.

The customer’s problem

4G data SIM cards on a single network can fail if there is an issue with, or congestion on, the local mast. It costs money to send out an engineer to look at the problem and swap the SIM card to another network.

The solution provider’s problem

The solution provider needs to establish the mobile network with the best signal in each location. They then need to contract with multiple providers to be able to provide the strongest mobile signal in each location. They have no visibility or control over the whole SIM estate and regularly receive high data overage charges, when single sites use up more data than anticipated.

There are over £6 million lone workers in the UK. Lone workers are employees who conduct tasks without the supervision of colleagues. Employers usually provide lone workers with a basic mobile phone to make calls. Typically, they bought from the networks, but with the availability of low-cost phones and the flexibility of 30-day SIM-only contracts, employers have started shopping around.

Channel partners are providing SIM cards to employers with lone workers such as mobile vets, healthcare workers, postal staff, social workers, drivers, estate agents, construction workers and agricultural workers.

The opportunity

Lone workers typically need a cost-effective voice and data SIM, they can use in an emergency. Employers want the best deal they can find.

The solution

For this type of solution, many channel partners use Jola, as they have very cost-effective SIM packages on 30 day contracts.

The next opportunity

To stay safe, lone workers are increasingly equipped with GPS location devices, with alert buttons and/or smartphone apps, enabling them to raise an alarm if they run into trouble. Some lone workers are being provided with body cameras, to capture conflicts, similar to dash camera technology.

Large Corporates with voice and data SIMs

Corporates typically have a large estate of mobile phones. Many have relationships with the carriers directly and benefit from the latest handsets. Those coming out of contract are looking to compare deals. They don’t want to sign lengthy contracts and are looking to overcome overage charges and billing challenges. They often contract with more than one carrier.

The Solution

By analysing bill data, resellers can understand the mixture of high and low data users and create a compelling proposal. By creating an aggregated pool, resellers can build their pool size by assigning data SIMs to it. Pools and SIM packages are available on 30 day terms. There is a selection of packages and carrier networks to choose from and alerts can be set up to track usage. If usage exceeds pool allowance in any month, resellers can negate overage charges by drawing from their buffer pools, which offer a much more competitive per MB rate.

Multi-sited organisations with 4G back-up

Multi-sited organisations such as supermarkets, retailers, restaurants, gyms and hotels are using internet connectivity to run digital Point of Sale screens and door entry systems amongst other things. These customers want reliable internet connectivity and don’t want to pay huge overage charges when the 4G failover kicks in.

Coverage

EE is the UK's biggest mobile network, with 89% 4G coverage in the UK, 74% 3G and 85% 2G coverage. EE has the most phone masts, 18,500 sites, most of which are 4G. They are investing £2bn in network growth, with the objective of having 95% 4G coverage by 2020. 

Network

EE was named as the best mobile network, in terms of reliability and performance, by a number of independent sources. Ofcom’s report stated that consumers on the EE network were the most likely to connect to a 4G network.

EE M2M SIMs

Jola offers a range of EE M2M data-only solutions from 2GB to 200GB packages with 2GB to 100GB monthly bolt-ons. Fixed IP data-only SIMs are available on EE and Vodafone networks. EE products are available on 12 month contracts. Vodafone Fixed IP SIMs are available on monthly or 12 month contracts. EE SIMs are managed through APIs, so all controls are real-time. Vodafone guarantee execution within 2 hours during working hours. Pooled data options and buffers are available for partners looking to negate overage charges.