Jola Cloud Solutions' Blog

Many roaming SIMs in the UK come from foreign mobile networks and have profiles that allow roaming in the UK and the rest of Europe.  However, through the UK channel, most M2M and IoT applications, using un-steered roaming SIMs, actually never leave the UK. These customers are paying for European roaming they never use and because they often come with a European IP address they may be suitable for some applications but not usually anything that requires web browsing.

In response to this, Jola has created a competitively priced, UK IP addressed, un-steered roaming SIM that provides access to all the UK mobile networks the customer needs with none of the networks the customer doesn’t. Private APN options are also available for customers who need to build a secure private network using mobile connectivity.

Adrian Sunderland, CTO, commented, ‘Jola has built a fully redundant, highly scalable IP edge network specifically designed to deliver high performance and secure mobile data services.  The network is built on technology from Amazon Web Services, Cloudflare and Cisco and underpins our Fixed IP and Private APN services.

Our Private APN enables partners to establish secure, private 4G networks, with no set-up charge, and low monthly fees. All of these services are delivered via Jola’s award-winning, self-service management portal, Mobile Manager.

We have a trusted six step process to help partners uncover and win opportunities and we believe we are best-placed to help the channel grow lucrative revenue streams by offering the widest range of differentiated mobile data solutions in a market-leading, automated management portal.’

According to Ofcom 8500 organisations in the UK have a RID code but, despite it being the fastest growing product in the world, only around 1000 of these sell mobile data. Why is this?

Resellers feel it is dominated by the mobile networks direct.

Well, yes it is, or at least until recently it was. However, early movers in this market are now hoovering up huge deals by working with aggregators offering products (like Multinet and eSIM) that the networks cannot deliver but their customers demand.

Managing thousands of SIM assets is difficult and resellers have been burned by high overages in the mobile voice and data market.

Agreed but aggregators that offer a real-time comprehensive portal remove the headaches associated with ordering, provisioning and managing SIMs and have eradicated unexpected data overages completely.

It’s hard to sell and too niche.

Resellers often conflate mobile data and IoT. IoT is a subset of mobile data and requires resellers to either partner-up, or develop their own sector ecosystem. Conversely M2M projects for applications like CCTV, coaches, signage and car parks often only need a specialist router and a SIM.

The ARPU is too low and the margin is eroded by the MNOs direct.

Again, you’re probably thinking of IoT projects and the mobile data market is far bigger than just IoT. That said aggregators now have powerfully differentiated IoT solutions that help resellers beat the networks and at decent margins.

The market is not worth the effort.

Seriously, does anyone really still believe this? Mobile data is now the fastest growing ICT product in the world and mobile data companies are valued by the market at 3x the value of traditional comms companies.

The healthcare sector has been adopting new technology to assist with medical activities for some time. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, technology has developed at a much faster pace in this sector, which presents opportunities for the channel.

Medical professionals are adopting new ways to treat patients and avoid unnecessary in-person treatments, and IoT devices have helped make this possible. Smart thermometers have been used to measure temperatures, and wearable IoT devices are used to track patients’ vital signs. Smartwatches and heart rate monitors gather data that can be remotely analysed by a physician.

Challenges

Data security and patient confidentiality are critical in healthcare. The industry must protect itself from hackers, and patients must feel comfortable that their personal data is secure.

Opportunity for the channel

The healthcare sector is in desperate need of technology to avoid unnecessary visits to surgeries and hospitals and to protect frontline workers. Opportunities for mobile broadband, cloud-based telehealth software and mobile data flooded the market, as demand increased for real-time communication and remote monitoring.

Patient experience has changed dramatically during the pandemic, with patients encouraged to wait for doctor call-backs or arrange video calls. Phone systems are being upgraded, telehealth software is being rolled out and smart devices are provided to mobile healthcare workers. Some exhibition centres have been turned into vaccination centres, and the channel was called upon to set up communications and monitoring equipment.

Andrew Dickinson was the only mobile data representative on the panel “How will next generation digital infrastructure revolutionise channel business models?” at Connected Britain alongside panellists Carl Peters, European VP Solutions Engineering, Zayo Group, Chris Fraser, Managing Director, Aspire Technology Solutions and Aidan Piper, Chief Executive Officer, Welcomm.

The messages were clear.

1. There has been a silent revolution in mobile data with download speeds up to 300Mbs available in most parts of urban UK. These technologies have recently been made available to the channel. Jola’s partner base has more than doubled in two years and smart MSPs and resellers accept that mobile data must be in their portfolio.
2. Every reseller/MSP has at least one significant IoT/M2M opportunity in their existing base of customers, and mobile data aggregators like Jola are helping them find and win them.
3. The financial markets value mobile data EBITDA at least twice the multiple of fibre and broadband. With self-service portals like Mobile Manager, it is easy to sell, manage and bill.

Jola

Jola is a multiple award-winning mobile data aggregator, which means that we offer services from all the major UK networks and hundreds of networks globally. We sell a wide range of options and are a well-established, channel-only company. We are innovative and we launch on average two new products and product extensions every month. We operate in many different vertical markets with market-leading specialists, so we understand the specific needs of each vertical and can help you productise differentiated solutions. We give you complete control over your global SIM estate with Mobile Manager. Your customers can also have access to our white-label portal so they can see directly how much data they are using in each device and make decisions accordingly. We help you uncover opportunities and win them with solutions end users just cannot buy from anyone else. Our objective is to help you reduce churn, increase ARPU and the overall value of your business.

There are many reasons MSPs decide to migrate mobile databases. It is often driven by the needs of their end user. Because of the hassle of potentially swapping out thousands of SIMs, the decision is usually not made lightly. However, there are driving forces such as the need to access newer technologies, the need for a better deal and the flexibility to change suppliers and not be tied in.

4G is preferable for M2M and IoT customers because of its speed, but moving to 4G may involve switching thousands of SIM cards deployed globally and upgrading devices, which is an operational headache with a large associated cost.

The ability to manage data estates directly to track usage is also preferable. End users do not want to run the risk of regular data overage charges and need to know that they can upgrade and downgrade their data SIMs to meet their specific requirements.

No one wants to be tied into a long-term contract with fixed pricing. The ability to protect margins and remain competitive is essential to MSPs, and end users require solutions to be flexible.

Mobile data collection solutions deliver a broad range of positive results and are implemented for different reasons. Often, both internal and external pressures can drive business needs, which demand immediate resolution. 

Mobile data collection solutions are often brought in to solve one of the following problems:

1. Inefficient manual processes

Spending too much time and resources gathering and reporting data may affect the supply chain and incur additional costs if teams are being asked to wait around for supplies to be delivered, leading to delays in the construction process.

2. Market forces

With high competition in the market, revenues may be affected, causing a need to streamline the business. Adopting new technologies may increase efficiency and cut costs.

3. Infrastructure limitations

Where fixed-line connectivity is slow or unavailable, mobile data is often the next option. 4G devices can be deployed quickly and are easy to set up and use.

4. Need to leverage existing systems

Data collected on site can be fed into existing systems and analysed in real time allowing further actions to be taken, which can improve efficiency and reduce operational costs. 

5. Need for compliance

As new regulations come in, they need to be implemented and monitored to ensure compliance. 

SMEs no longer have to worry about going over their monthly data allowances and getting big monthly bills containing data overage charges, as unlimited data packages are now available. Resellers won’t have customers complaining about overage bills and risk losing them to the competition.

Use Cases

Unlimited data SIMs are being used in 4G routers to provide fast, reliable internet connectivity to homeworkers. They are also used in 4G devices for primary and secondary connectivity.

Wholesale Options

The first thing resellers need to look at when signing up with suppliers for unlimited data packages are the terms and conditions. Are the SIMs fit for purpose? Are they designed to be used permanently in routers? Are they available without speed restrictions? Are they available on short-term contracts? Can they be easily ordered, provisioned, managed and billed? How much margin can be made on these packages?  

Jola

Jola is an award-winning, channel-only supplier of business communications, specialising in unlimited data SIMs. We have over 700 partners including global MSPs, CSPs, ISPs, Systems Integrators, Telecommunications resellers, IT Resellers, and IoT vertical specialist. 96% of partners would recommend us. In a recent partner satisfaction survey, Jola scored a Net Promoter Score of 61, which categorises the company as ‘great’. Our unlimited data SIMs are available on Vodafone and O2 networks. We offer a range of contracts from 30-days to 24 months. Our tariffs support 5G subject to device compatibility and network coverage.

With the public demanding immediate 24/7 news, broadcasters need nimble mobile solutions. Until recently they have had to rely upon inflexible, expensive satellites or low-bandwidth, low quality mobile data networks. However, with new multi-SIM cameras and managed 4G networks they can now deploy lightly-equipped news teams immediately, anywhere in the world. This lower cost of transmission and transmitting equipment is lowering the barriers to entry into this market allowing smaller news agencies to challenge the dominance of traditional broadcasters.

The challenges

Broadcasters are looking for cost-effective mobile data packages, easily managed within a portal, to avoid the hassle of contracting with multiple, global operators and the high cost of unexpected overages. MSPs are partnering with Jola for mobile data to address this issue.

Jola’s solution

Jola provides a wide range of 4G data packages including cost-effective multi-network roaming packages, controlled within Mobile Manager. Our multi-network SIMs roam to the strongest signal in each area and usage is monitored.

According to a recent report by Transport Focus, passengers listed value for money, punctuality, Wi-Fi connectivity and safety, as their main priorities. These factors are driving a rise in demand for smart transport networks around the world, creating 4G data opportunities solution providers are well-placed to provide.

Smart transport networks offer significant benefits to passengers, operators and local authorities, enabling urban services to become more efficient, effective and safe. Cities from London to Singapore are already building them. Madrid is leading the way, with a central control room that receives and integrates data from 40 urban control rooms. They cover over 100 bus routes, 300 railway lines and 200,000 cameras, delivering end-to-end surveillance and security solutions.

There are many experienced providers offering end-to-end solutions to the transport industry, involving 4G routers and cameras. Trams, buses and trains are tracked, and arrival times accurately estimated and advertised, factoring in potential delays. These devices need 4G data SIMs, often with a fixed IP or delivered via a secure Private APN. On average there are seven SIMs per bus, for logging into the cameras to download relevant footage, Wi-Fi, secure card payments, passenger trackers, applications tracking hours worked, petrol levels and miles travelled.

Challenges

Service providers face a few challenges with 4G. Some networks are stronger than others in specific locations requiring relationships with multiple network providers. Secondly, they have no way of tracking data usage and if devices use more than their allocated monthly allowance, they get high data overage charges. Thirdly, they need a secure channel for transmitting financial data.