Jola Cloud Solutions' Blog

All mobile data management portals are not the same

Posted by Cherie Howlett on 22-Mar-2023 11:46:57

With demand for 4G and 5G data at an all-time high, resellers and MSPs need a way to manage global SIM estates in one portal. Jola’s Mobile Manager® gives resellers full control in real-time. Resellers using the portal are able to monitor data usage and add bolt-ons to avoid monthly data overage charges. Mobile Manager® allows partners to order and manage voice and data SIMs, data-only SIMs, mobile broadband SIMs, M2M and IoT data SIMs and pre-configured hardware.

Mobile data revenues are growing rapidly, with high demand for smart devices, such as digital signage, CCTV and tracking and monitoring. Jola has partners deploying pre-configured, intelligent 4G/5G connectivity for projects globally, negating the need for site surveys and manual configuration. Mobile Manager® allows our partners to monitor and manage each SIM in one easy portal. One of our partners showed us a tender they were working on recently and one of the questions was,

“Do you have your own real-time SIM management portal or are you providing third-party access to the Networks’ portals?”

The project was for thousands of SIMs in physical security devices. 2.5 years into a 36-month term, the incumbent had not been invited to tender. For redundancy, every device had two SIMs, one unlimited and one multi-network. The end user had found having to log on to two completely different websites exasperating. They had different features, and different CDR formats and not all the processes were automated, creating delays, especially out of hours. If that’s the experience of the end user, imagine the frustration of MSPs who want to sell all the networks to multiple end users.

Most suppliers will say they have a self-service portal but if they don’t have their own they are putting their partners at a significant disadvantage. How many of these portals are fully automated? Is data available in real time? Can intelligent devices be ordered and managed on the portal? How many people use the portal on a daily basis? How fast is it?

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Topics: Mobile Manager;

Getting the balance of automation right

Posted by Cherie Howlett on 12-Oct-2022 12:10:38

At Jola, we always start with the desired outcome and work back and are good at defining and measuring KPIs, which drive our business and partner satisfaction. We can do this anywhere. Our partners want complete control over their own customer experience, preferring to manage products directly in real-time portals themselves, rather than picking up the phone to us.

During the pandemic, we changed the way we liaised with partners and have not really changed back. All face-to-face meetings were done on Teams and partners didn’t feel obliged to small-talk for 30 minutes just because their Jola account manager had driven an hour to see them. Teams meetings were shorter and more frequent, partner training was easier and more effective and, most importantly, Jola partners closed bigger deals, more quickly. 

We hope we have the balance right between self-serve portals and customer service. Portals are available so partners can order, make changes and support customers directly, although they can rely on us to help identify and win new opportunities. Information is readily available for partners to find in our knowledge base however, we answer the phone within 20 seconds if you need us. All our marketing is designed to reflect the needs of our prospects and follow-up processes are managed by responsive humans, who understand them.

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Topics: Mobile Manager;

Automated portals helping partners to win bids

Posted by Cherie Howlett on 05-Jan-2022 16:54:25

Partners bidding to win mobile data opportunities for M2M and IoT solutions such as 4G SIMs in tablets in the public sector or MultiNet SIMs in smart water meters are being asked very specific questions about their portal. End-users want to know how real-time the data is and how automated the portal is. It is essential in the public sector, who are working to tight budgets who have been burnt before with high data overage charges, no visibility and no direct access to make changes to their estate.

Adrian Sunderland, CTO, commented, ‘I have noticed a trend when working with MSPs on IoT bids. End users do not want multiple supplier portals to deal with, they want the ability to order a wide range of technologies from multiple network operators in a single portal. They want direct access to activate SIMs, add bolt-ons and share data across accounts. They need access for their end user to be able to monitor usage in real-time. Suppliers who can offer real-time, automated portals are better placed to win the deals.’

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Topics: Mobile Manager;

Portal ‘Essential’ for Jola Partners’ £2m/m pipeline

Posted by Cherie Howlett on 05-Jan-2022 16:47:59

In October 2021 Jola reached a new milestone with over £1 million of Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) in Jola’s major bid (over £5k MRR) partner pipeline. This equates to nearly £2m MRR for Jola partners. Jola reached over 1000 partners last year.

M2M and IoT is not as difficult to get into as you may think. There is a huge demand for mobile data for IT projects, which is predicted to increase dramatically over the next few years. Mobile data is easy to sell, support and bill, with a real-time automated portal and access to a wide range of unique and differentiated solutions. Partners who have developed their portfolio and become successful at selling mobile data have driven up their EBITDA multiple.

When Jola first started working on major mobile data bids with their partners, none of the tenders even mentioned self-service portals. Today nearly 30% include parent-child online management panels as a minimum requirement.

It’s no surprise to see this change primarily in second generation projects. End-user companies that have rolled out multi-site IoT/M2M deployments have found them impossible to manage manually. From capacity management to usage and fault diagnosis, everything is so much easier with real-time control.

When these projects come up for renewal the need for a comprehensive portal moves from Desired to Essential. With specialist third party bid consultants involved in helping companies write tenders, this is only going to increase.

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Topics: Mobile Manager;

What makes Mobile Manager multi-award winning?

Posted by Cherie Howlett on 05-Jan-2022 16:36:57

Mobile Manager is Jola’s unique mobile data management platform. It is multi-carrier and has the ability to eliminate bill shock for end users.

Mobile Manager is used by MSPs and resellers to order and manage global mobile data estates in real-time. The white label portal communicates in real-time with multiple mobile networks. Partners can grant access to their end users to view data usage and manage SIMs. Mobile Manager handles SIM activations, ceases, suspensions, reports, alerts and bolt-ons. It also allows you to create and manage data pools and Private APNs.

Why was Mobile Manager developed?

It was designed to help channel partners grow profitable revenue streams from SIM-only solutions. Our partners win opportunities for DSL and Ethernet back-up, fixed line replacement, IoT and M2M projects as well as SIM base moves from large corporates. Resellers can brand and package their own mobile data data solutions for multiple devices all over the world.

How does it manage overages?

Mobile Manager solves the problem of bill shock from data overages by allowing partners to track usage and add bolt-ons to help eliminate overage charges completely. This is the exact opposite of what the market typically does. Carriers earn super-profits from overage charges and the channel loses customers because of it. We are the first company in the channel to challenge this and put the resellers and their customers first.

Can it support multiple networks?

Yes. For applications where it is critical to have a strong internet connection at all times, businesses are opting for un-steered multi-network roaming SIMs. These SIM cards have no preferred network.

We offer a range of multi-network and roaming options. Our Tariff Tool allows MSPs to select the countries and data allowance they need and obtain all the in-country 3G, 4G and 5G roaming network packages available.

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Topics: Mobile Manager;

Taking Control

Posted by Cherie Howlett on 15-Dec-2021 18:22:30

MSPs and specialists using 4G for connectivity on short-term contracts, or for back-up, often struggle to control data usage, so get regularly hit by overage bills. They manage large estates of data SIMs on different networks, often using manual order processes, with no visibility of data usage throughout the month.

Jola developed Mobile Manager to help partners manage data usage in real-time and avoid bill shock. Our unique portal gives partners complete control over ordering, alerting, ceasing, suspending and swapping SIMs. They can also add their own bolt-ons, create and manage their own data pools and set up and manage private APN networks. Jola’s white label portal communicates in real-time with multiple 4G networks. Partners can brand the portal as their own and grant access to their end users to view data usage and manage SIMs.

Mobile Manager was designed to help channel partners grow profitable revenue streams from mobile data. MSPs productise their own solutions using Jola’s wide range of single-network and multi-network SIMs.

IoT

There is a wide range of devices that need an internet connection and M2M/IoT SIMs fit the bill. Opportunities are flooding in via partners from multiple sectors such as retail, construction, logistics and the public sector, all with different requirements. Some need IP addresses, others need multi-network SIMs, but all need the ability to monitor and manage usage remotely. Jola developed products for the channel to address these markets.

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Topics: Mobile Manager;

Taking Control

Posted by Cherie Howlett on 19-Mar-2020 16:31:42

MSPs and specialists using 4G for connectivity on short-term contracts, or for back-up, often struggle to control data usage, so get regularly hit by overage bills. They manage large estates of data SIMs on different networks, often using manual order processes, with no visibility of data usage throughout the month.

Jola developed Mobile Manager to help partners manage data usage and avoid bill shock. Our unique portal gives partners complete control over ordering, alerting, ceasing, suspending and swapping SIMs. They can also add their own bolt-ons, create and manage their own data pools and set up and manage private APN networks. Jola’s white label portal communicates in real-time with multiple 4G networks. Partners can grant access to their end users to view data usage and manage SIMs. 

Mobile Manager was designed to help channel partners grow profitable revenue streams from 4G. Our partners win opportunities for DSL and Ethernet 4G back-up, fixed line replacement, and IoT and M2M projects. MSPs productise their own solutions using Jola’s wide range of single-network and multi-network SIMs, which include eSIMs.

Tariff Tool

Our Tariff Tool allows MSPs to select the countries and data allowance they need and obtain all the in-country 3G and 4G roaming network packages available, which also includes unlimited UK data SIMs and multi-network, global eSIMs.

IoT

There is a wide range of devices that need an internet connection and M2M/IoT SIMs fit the bill. Opportunities are flooding in via partners from multiple sectors such as retail, construction, logistics and the public sector, all with different requirements. Some need IP addresses, others need multi-network SIMs, but all need the ability to monitor and manage usage remotely. Jola developed products for the channel to address these markets.

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Topics: Mobile Manager;

Why use Mobile Manager?

Posted by Cherie Howlett on 31-Jul-2019 09:11:49

Mobile Manager is Jola’s unique mobile data management platform. It is multi-carrier and has the ability to eliminate bill shock for end users.

Mobile Manager is used by MSPs and resellers to order and manage mobile data SIMs. The white label portal communicates in real-time with multiple 4G networks. Partners can grant access to their end users to view data usage and manage SIMs. Mobile Manager handles SIM activations, ceases, suspensions, reports, alerts and bolt-ons. It also allows you to create and manage data pools and Private APNs.

Why was Mobile Manager developed?

It was designed to help channel partners grow profitable revenue streams from SIM-only solutions. Our partners win opportunities for DSL and Ethernet 4G back-up, fixed line replacement, IoT and M2M projects as well as SIM base moves from large corporates. Resellers can brand and package their own 4G data solutions for multiple devices all over the world.

How does it manage overages?

Mobile Manager solves the problem of bill shock from data overages by allowing partners to track usage and add bolt-ons to help eliminate overage charges completely. This is the exact opposite of what the market typically does. Carriers earn super-profits from overage charges and the channel loses customers because of it. We are the first company in the channel to challenge this and put the resellers and their customers first.

Can it support multiple networks?

Yes. For applications where it is critical to have a strong 4G internet connection at all times, businesses are opting for un-steered multi-network roaming SIMs. These SIM cards have no preferred network, therefore always connect to the strongest 4G signal.

We offer a range of multi-network and roaming options. Our Tariff Tool allows MSPs to select the countries and data allowance they need and obtain all the in-country 3G and 4G roaming network packages available.

Read More

Topics: Mobile Manager;

Pooled Data

Posted by Cherie Howlett on 23-Jul-2019 13:12:51

Pooled Data

Pooled data is the ability to have 4G data shared across more than one associated SIM card. Pooled data plans allow unused data from low users to be gifted to high users, to help negate overage charges.

What types of pools are available?

Fixed pools are available for resellers who know how much data they need for their customer. Their monthly data usage is predictable, and the customer wants to pay for an amount of data each month, which can be shared across multiple users.

Aggregated pools are available for resellers whose customer’s SIM estates are growing or shrinking. The pool increases or decreases every time a data SIM is added or removed.

Buffer pools are available to help negate overage charges at an account and network level. Resellers need to buy separate buffer pools for each carrier network; however, they can use the buffer to negate any overage charge from that carrier in their estate. It reduces the data overage cost significantly.

Jola

Jola is the leading supplier of mobile data SIMs to the channel. We are the ‘anti-bill shock’ company and introduced a white label management SIM portal called Mobile Manager, to help the channel control data usage and eliminate bill shock.

Our partners win more 4G data opportunities, by analysing customer data usage and proposing competitive and flexible solutions. Resellers can set up data pools themselves, assign or remove SIMs from pools, and protect customers from high data overage costs, using alerts and Buffer Pools.

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Topics: Mobile, Mobile Manager;

Avoiding bill shock

Posted by Cherie Howlett on 23-Jul-2019 12:57:56

It is well-documented that mobile data can be expensive, if you go over your monthly allowance. Businesses need to predict their monthly usage accurately, to avoid data overage charges.

Unlimited 4G

SMEs may be tempted to choose unlimited options directly from the mobile carriers, however heavy users run the risk of throttling by the networks, slowing down their services. Some of these are residential products and business resellers servicing this market are keen to provide a solution that is fit-for-purpose and priced competitively, to create good recurring margin.

Jola

Jola is the leading supplier of mobile data SIMs to the channel. We are the ‘anti-bill shock’ company and introduced a white label management SIM portal, to help the channel control data usage and eliminate bill shock.

Our partners win more 4G data opportunities, by analysing customer data usage and proposing competitive and flexible solutions. Resellers can set up data pools themselves, assign or remove SIMs from pools, and protect customers from high data overage costs, using alerts and Buffer Pools. We also offer a managed 4G router with a no bill-shock guarantee.

Mobile Manager

JolaMobile SIMs, pools and private APNs are managed by Jola’s unique portal, Mobile Manager. By logging in, resellers can view usage data, set-up alerts, add auto-bolt-ons and manage SIMs directly.

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Topics: Mobile Manager;, mobile broadband

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