Jola Cloud Solutions' Blog

5G

There has been enormous progress on 5G over the past twelve months. The standout development has been the completion of the Vodafone and Three UK merger in May 2025, creating VodafoneThree – now the UK’s largest mobile operator with around 27 million customers. They’ve committed £11 billion of network investment over the next decade and have already begun deploying MOCN (Multi-Operator Core Network) technology across more than 8,000 mast sites, allowing customers on both networks to automatically connect to whichever signal is strongest. That’s a tangible, immediate improvement for millions of users.

Beyond the merger, 5G Standalone continues to mature across all the major networks, delivering on the full promise of 5G with lower latency, higher speeds, better efficiency and support for massive-scale IoT. The 5G footprint has expanded significantly, and we’re seeing the technology become a genuinely viable primary connectivity option for businesses that would previously have defaulted to a fixed line.

Shared Rural Network

The Shared Rural Network has delivered ahead of schedule on its headline target, with 4G coverage from at least one operator now reaching 95% of the UK’s geography. Over 110 government-funded mast upgrades have been activated across Wales, Scotland and England, and total not-spot work continues through to early 2027.

For the channel, this is significant because it removes one of the lingering objections to mobile-based solutions – that coverage in rural areas isn’t reliable enough. That argument is increasingly difficult to sustain. We’re seeing reseller partners confidently proposing 4G and 5G solutions to customers with sites in locations that would have been a concern even a couple of years ago. Multi-branch businesses – whether that’s retail chains, schools, petrol forecourts or EV charging networks – can now realistically be served with mobile connectivity across virtually all of their estate.

2026

2026 will be a year of acceleration. The VodafoneThree network integration is targeting over 10,000 MOCN sites by March 2026, with 95% of the rollout expected within six years. That will meaningfully improve mobile coverage and capacity across huge parts of the country, eliminating thousands of square kilometres of not-spots.

We also expect continued expansion of 5G Standalone capabilities, which will unlock new use cases around IoT and private networks. 

For our reseller partners, 2026 should bring even more options to solve customer connectivity challenges with speed and flexibility. The toolkit available to the channel has never been stronger.

PSTN Switch-off

The PSTN switch-off deadline was pushed back from December 2025 to January 2027, largely due to challenges around migrating vulnerable customers and telecare devices. But the commercial reality hasn’t changed – if anything, the urgency has increased. Openreach recently warned that over 500,000 business lines still haven’t migrated, and legacy line prices are set to double by October 2026. There are still 2.8 million lines on the old network that need to move.

For Jola and our reseller partners, this continues to be the single biggest driver of growth. The PSTN switch-off is a compelling event that forces businesses to re-evaluate their entire telecoms infrastructure. When they do, many discover that 4G and 5G mobile data solutions can deliver more for less, without the complexity and lead times associated with installing replacement fixed lines. A cellular solution can be deployed in days rather than weeks or months, and with improving coverage and speeds, the performance gap has effectively closed for the majority of use cases.

The delay to 2027 simply extends the window of opportunity for the channel. The message to resellers is clear: if you’re not already having these conversations with your customers, your competitors will be.

Opportunities

The opportunity for the channel is enormous and growing. 

The VodafoneThree merger and the continued expansion of 5G SA will drive new use cases around IoT and private networks. As device connectivity grows and data consumption increases, the demand for managed mobile data solutions through the channel will only strengthen. 

For Jola’s reseller partners specifically, the combination of the PSTN deadline, improving mobile coverage, and growing business appetite for flexible, rapidly-deployed wireless connectivity means the addressable market is expanding significantly. Businesses don’t want to wait twelve weeks for a fixed-line installation when a 5G can be live in days. The partners who invest now in understanding and selling these converged wireless solutions will be the ones who capture the biggest share of what is becoming a very substantial market opportunity.

Resilience has become a board-level concern rather than a technical afterthought. For most organisations, digital services are now fundamental to daily operations. When connectivity, power or systems fail, the impact is immediate. Revenue is lost, reputations are damaged and, in some sectors, safety and compliance are put at risk.

Several factors are driving this shift. Businesses are more dependent on always-on systems than ever before. At the same time, the risk landscape has broadened. Cyber attacks, power instability, supply chain disruption and extreme weather are no longer rare events. Expectations have also changed. Customers and regulators increasingly expect services to be available at all times, not just most of the time.

As a result, resilience is now viewed as an investment in operational continuity and risk reduction rather than an optional cost.

Opportunities

One of the biggest opportunities is in connectivity resilience, particularly through the use of diverse access technologies. Many organisations are moving away from reliance on a single network and instead combining fixed connectivity with 4G and 5G cellular and low-Earth orbit satellite services.

Cellular connectivity is already well established as a failover option, offering fast deployment and broad coverage. LEO satellite has recently become a credible additional layer of resilience. It provides high-bandwidth, low-latency connectivity that is independent of terrestrial infrastructure. This makes it especially valuable when fibre or mobile networks are unavailable, whether due to power outages, civil works or extreme weather.

There is also growing interest in multi-path designs where traffic can be routed dynamically across fixed, cellular and satellite links depending on availability and performance. This approach is particularly relevant for organisations with distributed estates, mobile operations or critical sites.

Beyond connectivity, resilience opportunities are expanding at the edge. Temporary locations, vehicles, construction sites and remote infrastructure increasingly require reliable connectivity and power from day one. The combination of cellular, satellite, compact UPS systems and remote monitoring is enabling levels of continuity that were previously difficult or expensive to deliver.

Importantly, customers are no longer buying individual components. They are buying assurance. That creates a clear opportunity for channel partners to deliver resilience as a managed service rather than a collection of products.

UPS Technology

UPS technology has changed significantly in recent years. While traditional lead-acid systems are still widely used, lithium-ion solutions are becoming increasingly common. They offer longer lifespans, faster recharge times, smaller footprints and lower overall operating costs.

More and more devices now come with built-in battery backup, negating the need for a standalone UPS in many cases. For example, Jola’s cellular-based PSTN replacement solution provides a single-box solution that includes battery backup.

Services

Resilience is increasingly being designed in software rather than hardware alone. On the network side, intelligent routing, automated failover and policy-based traffic management allow services to adapt to failures in real time rather than relying on simple backup links.

Security now plays a central role in resilience planning. Continuity is no longer just about equipment failure. It must also account for ransomware, data corruption and malicious activity. Immutable backups, zero-trust approaches and continuous monitoring are becoming standard elements of resilient architectures.

Another important change is visibility. Customers increasingly expect dashboards, alerts and reporting that show resilience in action. They want evidence that systems are protected and that recovery processes work as intended.

Channel 

The most successful channel businesses treat resilience as a service, not a standalone product set. That means focusing on outcomes such as uptime, recovery time, and visibility, and backing them with managed services and clear accountability.

Building a strong resilient offering typically involves:

• Combining expertise across connectivity, power and security rather than selling them in isolation
• Developing standard architectures that can be deployed consistently and profitably
• Investing in management platforms that provide real-time insight for both partners and customers
• Training sales teams to sell continuity and risk reduction rather than technical specifications

For partners, resilience provides an opportunity to deepen customer relationships and increase recurring revenue. By taking responsibility for availability and continuity, channel companies position themselves as trusted advisors rather than commodity suppliers.

In an increasingly uncertain environment, resilience is no longer an add-on. It is becoming one of the most valuable services the channel can deliver.

Having a supplier you trust, who understands the market and provides live examples, gives the customer confidence.

Jola has over 1500 partners selling mobile data solutions to vertical markets such as retail, transport and logistics, security and the public sector. We have SIMs in digital signs, ticketing systems, CCTV cameras, ANPR cameras, alarm systems and tracking and recording devices.

Resellers can significantly build traction in a specific vertical market by creating case studies illustrating how they have resolved issues within that sector. You will appear more credible and achieve greater success in a vertical market when you can discuss how you have assisted others in that area.

Retail

Supermarkets, clothes shops and bus and train stations are investing in digital signage solutions. Digital advertising boards require 24/7, reliable connectivity that can be rapidly deployed. Typically the advertising screens belong to a third party who needs a mobile broadband solution they control and manage across multiple sites.

Security

Security specialists are investing in mobile broadband in rural locations, where 4G/5G speeds are fast and fixed-line services are slow. 4G CCTV is growing in popularity, as it doesn’t require direct power or a WiFi connection. 

4G/5G CCTV

Data SIMs with static IP addresses within 4G or 5G routers allow users to access their CCTV camera footage when fixed-line connectivity is unavailable. An external antenna can increase signal strength and routers are generally pre-configured for a plug-and-play solution, that works in every location.

Security specialists require access to a wide range of cost-effective, large data packages on short-term contracts. They need a supplier to send out SIMs and pre-configured devices on time, with a portal they can manage their entire SIM estate.

5G

Significant progress has been made with 5G. We’ve seen the 5G footprint improve across all networks. EE, O2, and Vodafone have also deployed 5G standalone in the last 12 months.

Standalone 5G delivers on the full promise of 5G with lower latency, higher data speeds, better efficiency, improved reliability and support for large-scale IoT.

2025 will continue to see both the 5G footprint and 5G capabilities improve.  2025 will also see the merger of Three UK and Vodafone, which should provide improvements for customers of both networks.

The PSTN Switch-Off

The PSTN switch-off will have a huge impact on the channel. For Jola, it has been the underlying reason for the majority of the growth we’ve experienced over the last 12 months. This compelling event leads businesses to reevaluate how they use telecom services to meet their business needs.  The conclusion in many cases has been that 4G and 5G services can do more for less without the complex or time-consuming installation of replacement fixed lines.

Satellite Connectivity

Satellite has the potential to have a significant impact on the channel.  Most resellers will be familiar with the need to deliver solutions to multi-branch businesses.  These businesses could be offices, retail locations, petrol forecourts, schools, EV charging stations, etc.  The reality is that a single operator is unlikely to be able to deliver the right service, on time and budget, to all these locations.  5G and satellite are an ideal solution to be installed rapidly and provide fibre-like performance, either as a precursor to fibre being installed or as the permanent solution.

We recently worked on a large retail rollout where satellite was chosen as the standard delivery mechanism and alternatives chosen only where satellite couldn’t be installed due to landlord restrictions.

4G and 5G MultiNetwork Connectivity

Low-cost 4G & 5G data multi-network SIMs have solved the affordable reliability conundrum that end-users have faced for years. Broadband connections can be unusable for days with no compensation, while Ethernet circuits cost ten times as much and still offer no guarantee of 100% uptime. A second fixed line is expensive and offers little comfort because it relies on shared infrastructure. If you were climbing a rock face, you wouldn’t attach your second rope to the same piton. Multi-network SIMs further improve SLAs and negate the need for expensive site surveys, while Private APN options steer traffic away from the public internet, considerably improving security.

Continuous Connectivity

In today's all-IP world, maintaining continuous internet connectivity is crucial. Implementing 4G or 5G backup solutions ensures that operations remain uninterrupted during primary connection failures. An ever-increasing number of devices are being connected therefore a resilient network is of utmost importance. A prime example of this is in the retail market. Keeping retailers online to ensure they can continue to transact and collect customer data is vital. 5G backup solutions mean no lost revenue during primary failover.

Reliable Connectivity

MSPs & resellers can capitalise on this demand by offering reliable mobile connectivity to ensure seamless backup during unexpected disruptions. Mission-critical applications such as lift lines requiring battery backup and a move-off PSTN will benefit from 5G backup.

Routers that provide in-built battery backup for power autonomy in the event of a building outage allow businesses to remain online.

Mobile Data

Mobile data provides a separate network path, reducing end-user vulnerability during a DDoS attack. Jola is the first mobile service provider to route all our public fixed IP SIM traffic through Cloudflare to provide best-in-class, always-on, real-time threat protection.  As a result, our partners and their end-users are protected from reputational damage, financial impact and data loss that could otherwise result from the 1000s of cyberattack attempts.

By focusing on mobile data connectivity as a backup strategy, channel companies can deliver effective solutions that minimise downtime, protect against disruptions, and enhance business resilience.

Demand for high-speed, low-latency mobile connectivity for M2M/IoT solutions is growing. The logistics of distributing physical SIMs to multiple locations, potentially at short notice and on a network which is known to have coverage at each site is challenging. To solve this problem, Jola launches a range of multinetwork tariffs, with 5G connectivity via QR codes or physical SIM cards.

Site surveys are expensive to check mobile network connectivity in each location and ensuring SIMs are distributed to the right people at the right time is essential. End-users need the benefits of 5G connectivity and the resilience of a single SIM that can connect to multiple networks. Jola 5G-enabled, MultiNet QR codes meet these needs and reduce costs considerably.

Lee Broxson, Jola’s CSO commented, “Our channel partners have been asking for SIMs that tick all these boxes and they now have access to them via Mobile Manager. Customers want 5G as soon as it is available and LTE-A access until they do. A single SIM that delivers the above but with connectivity on 3 UK networks, 4 UK networks or 3 UK/European/USA networks is a game changer.  Offering QR codes helps to reduce operational costs, simplify rollouts and reduce carbon footprints, which is win for our partners and their customers.”

The channel has an essential role in educating businesses to adopt new technologies. It is our responsibility to highlight products being switched off, such as 3G and PSTN, to help companies prepare, with improved, more cost-effective solutions.

Vehicle trackers, payment terminals and industrial handheld devices will stop working as 3G is switched off unless companies are presented with a future-proof solution.

5G is becoming more widely available and 5G hardware is reducing in price, making 5G a viable alternative to fixed line connectivity in some areas, offering customers a faster, more reliable solution.

Improving online security is becoming more of a priority with Denial-of-Service attacks on the increase. Jola has been running Fixed IP traffic over Cloudflare for many years protecting connected CCTV cameras and smart devices from attack.

Trusted advisors

End-user businesses don’t ask for information about a product, they ask for help solving a problem. The supplier who understands the challenges and proposes a simple, cost-effective solution, becomes the go-to advisor for similar challenges in the future.

Jola took home two awards at the Comms National Awards last Thursday night at the Park Plaza Hotel in London. We won Best Partner Programme over £10m turnover and Best Partner Portal for Mobile Manager. We also won Highly Commended for Diversity Equality & Inclusion.

The judges shortlisted over 200 entries, a record number, from 101 suppliers and resellers including other well-known channel businesses such as BT Wholesale, Talk Talk Wholesale, Giacom and Gamma.

Adrian Sunderland, Jola's CEO, commented, “We are thrilled to win these awards and proud to sponsor the Mobile IoT Reseller categories. This is an incredible achievement, and I want to extend my thanks to our suppliers, partners, and amazing team for their continued support and dedication. It was a fantastic evening.”

5G in the UK

Investment

The UK was one of the first markets to launch 5G. As soon as this happened all mobile network operators in the UK ramped up investment in 5G. Three UK invested over £2 billion as part of a five-year program to deliver the UK’s Fastest 5GNetwork. These investments included network intelligence to enable data-driven network improvements. As a result of their network investments, Three has won the Speedtest Award™ for Fastest 5G Network for four consecutive award periods including Q3-Q4 2022, Q1–Q2 2022, Q3–Q4 2021, and Q1–Q2 2021.

Spectrum

When the United Kingdom auctioned off spectrum licenses in 2021, Three acquired the largest dedicated band of 5G spectrum — 140MHz frequency across several 5G spectrum bands, including a 100 MHz block of contiguous spectrum in the 3.3-3.8 GHz band.

Three has the largest single slice of 5G spectrum of any network provider. The contiguous spectrum is dedicated to 5G, allowing uninterrupted data flow across the Three Network, providing higher speeds and lower latency. Three has the world’s first 5G-ready fully Cloud Core Network managed from 20 new data centres across the UK and currently provides over 61% of the UK with 5G coverage.

Demand

Demand for cost-effective, unlimited SIMs from the channel, has never been so high, for use in, phones, 5G routers, pre-Ethernet connectivity and Ethernet back-up. Applications range from digital signage and mobile broadband to bus and train WiFi, monitoring and smart devices.  Every day, resellers, manufacturers and service companies are finding new uses for 5G mobile data and this is unlikely to slow down.

According to the Ofcom Connected Nations 2022 report, the pool of 5G capable devices increased from around 10% in 2021 to 20% in 2022, while data traffic carried over 5G tripled — from 3% of all traffic in 2021 to over 9% in 2022. In April 2023, as part of the new Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, the government set out its ambitions for all populated areas to be covered by “standalone” 5G by 2030, increasing from 77% of the population already having access to 5G from one provider using 5G NSA. 

Speeds

If you have customers with a need for 5G, trial Three Business unlimited SIMs. Packaged with 5G Routers they are perfect for primary and secondary connectivity in remote areas with external antenna speeds can far exceed those of available fixed-line connectivity and are faster to install and more cost-effective.

New hardware for FTTP and 5G

We are seeing significant demand for single devices that support Gigabit Ethernet and 5G or for 5G devices that can sit alongside Gigabit Ethernet routers.  Internet connectivity is now mission critical to virtually all businesses whether they are SMEs, mid-sized or the largest of enterprise or public sector.  For the channel, these devices need to be robust, reliable and manageable out of the box.  At Jola, every single device that we supply includes unique software that we’ve developed in-house to make the device provisioning zero-touch and to enhance the remote support that the reseller can provide.  Supplying hardware isn’t just a case of shifting a box anymore, now the reseller needs to make sure it will work perfectly with the customer’s particular mix of connectivity as well as any wide-area network-specific requirements such as SD-WAN or VPN connectivity to other locations.  

Benefits

The latest generation of equipment is significantly more powerful than what’s gone before.  Two years ago, using the best external antennas, a typical cellular router, even from a premium brand, would struggle to perform much beyond 40Mbit/s.  The constraint was both the device itself but also the cellular service available.  In a recent test, our entry-level 5G router, inside a building, using its internal antenna delivered 490Mbit/s.

The other major benefit of the new equipment is the cost savings.  Our average leased line customer has 100Mbit/s of bandwidth but our average FTTP customer has 300Mbit/s available to them.  On average our 5G customers achieve speeds of 276Mbit/s (using the Three UK network).  FTTP is around 80% cheaper than a leased line and 5G is around 97% cheaper than a leased line!