Jola Cloud Solutions' Blog

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.

Pooled data is the ability to have 4G data, that can be shared across more than one associated SIM card. Pooled data plans are popular in both consumer and business markets, where unused data from low users is gifted to high users, to help negate overage charges.

What problems does pooled data solve?

Business customers find data usage difficult to predict, especially in phones and tablets, as so many factors can influence excess usage. If usage notifications from the carriers are late or not received, both customers and resellers are unaware of the data overage charge, until the bill is received. This has put many resellers off selling mobile data, as the bill shock caused by overages has upset their customers.

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. You need to buy separate buffer pools for each carrier network, however you can use the buffer to negate any overage charge from that carrier in your estate. It reduces the data overage cost significantly.

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.

Demand from large corporates across Europe is increasing for simple 4G back-up solutions for primary circuits. Companies want fully operational, reliable solutions across multiple sites, which are cost-effective and easy to manage.

How much data do I need?

Predicting monthly usage per site is challenging in some industries, where usage patterns are erratic. Knowing how much data to order for each site can be challenging and also expensive, when you factor in overage charges.

Which network do I need in each site?

4G signal strength varies by location. Online checkers are available and engineers can be sent to site to measure signal strength, however if a mast fails, you are still vulnerable.

Shared data options

If you know how much extra data you need, you can order a pool of data for your SIM estate to share. If you have a growing estate, you can create an aggregated pool. Every time a new data SIM or bolt-on is added to the pool, the extra data can be shared with other assets assigned to the pool.

Multi-network SIMs

Multi-network EU roaming SIMs are designed to provide 24/7 internet access, even when one or more mobile networks fail. They have no preferred network, but always connect to the strongest 4G signal available. Jola’s multi-network SIMs operate in 42 countries in Europe and work on Vodafone, EE, O2 and Three in the UK. Pricing starts at £7 per month.

If you sell M2M SIMs to corporates for monitoring, or data SIMs for 4G back-up solutions, one of the first things you will want to know is, which network has the strongest signal in each location. Many partners use engineers to go to site to measure signal strength, to ensure the right network is deployed. Engineers charge on average £125 per visit. The second consideration is what happens if the primary network fails. With multi-network SIMs, you don’t need to worry about either problem, as they have no home and always connect to the strongest 4G signal. You may think that multi-network SIMs are expensive and still favour one network over another, but this is no longer the case.

It is well documented that 4G internet connectivity is expensive if you go over your monthly allowance. Businesses need to predict their average usage accurately to avoid data overages. Bill shock causes churn, which puts off many suppliers, as someone needs to foot the bill, but what if there was a guarantee of no bill shock?

Jola

Jola is a wholesale provider of 4G solutions to the voice and data channel. We have a managed 4G solution which consists of a managed 4G router and a choice of data-only SIM packages. We offer SIMs from all major UK mobile operators and can provide fixed IP addresses as well as multi-network roaming SIMs.

M2M (Machine to Machine) technology was created to streamline the way data is collected from devices and incorporated into IT systems, without human intervention.

What are the most common M2M opportunities?

M2M opportunities are coming from almost all verticals. We have seen growing demand from the media, electricians, wind farms, vets, farmers, festival organisers and CCTV installers, all with different requirements. Some need IP addresses, others need multi-network SIMs, but all need the ability to monitor and manage usage remotely.

What products are available?

Jola is a leading wholesale supplier of M2M SIMs to the voice and data channel. Jola offers:

• Range of data-only SIM packages from 2GB to 200GB.
• Choice of mobile networks – Vodafone, EE, O2.
• Range of fixed IP data SIMs – Vodafone, EE.
• Range of fixed IP failover SIMs – Vodafone, EE.
• Multi-network UK and EU roaming SIMs – EE, O2, Three, Vodafone.
• 200GB data SIMs on a 12-month contract – Vodafone.

Consider 4G internet connectivity.

JolaNet 4G offers monthly data packages of up to 300GB. It is a managed 4G router with an integrated data SIM. Choose from a selection of data SIMs from O2, Vodafone and EE, as well as multi-network EU roaming SIMs and Fixed IP SIMs.

Control

The solution is managed by the Mobile Manager portal, which gives you the ability to view real-time data usage, set-up alerts, apply SIM-swaps, add bolt-ons and bar SIMs. Using Mobile Manager, you can maximise margins and eliminate overage charges.

The ZyXEL LTE3302 4G router provides wireless broadband connectivity over any available mobile data signal. The router comes with support for external antennas and will support 32 simultaneous Wi-Fi connections. You can rent the router on either a 12 or 24-month contract or choose to buy the router and pay monthly for monitoring.

Demand is growing for managed 4G solutions from businesses who; cannot get fast, fixed line services, who need a temporary solution until leased lines can be installed, and who need a cost-effective 4G back-up. The biggest benefit is the real-time data usage report you can view in Mobile Manager and auto bolt-on facility to eliminate bill shock. 

For companies that already sell internet services, back-up solutions are a natural up-sell. The challenge for resellers is that catastrophic failure often effects multiple services going into a building, so additional fixed line connections don’t guarantee business continuity.

Until now, the alternative, mobile data, has been slow and expensive with only dynamic IP options on offer. Customers have had to estimate the amount of data needed in the event of a primary failure and pay for it whether it is used or not.

With the introduction of 4G management portals for fixed IP SIMs and unique overage protection, 4G becomes a cost-effective alternative. Customers pay a small monthly fee for the back-up service and when the data fails-over, they pay for the additional usage, only for the period it was used.

Fixed IP Failover SIMs offer customers significant cost savings, due to the unique way they are managed. Data usage is monitored and additional data bolt-ons automatically added as required and removed again when the primary route is restored.

According to a recent report by Ofcom, 90% of all UK premises (almost 26 million) can access up to 24Mb/s fixed line broadband, however there are at least 190,000 premises that can’t get 2Mb/s and 2.2 million premises that can’t get 10Mb/s. Locations with less than 2Mb/s broadband speeds are known as slow spots.

The problem

Businesses in areas of slow speed broadband cannot benefit from hosted applications (pay-per-month software, hosted online) such as office applications, telephony, CRM and accountancy packages. They rely on on-site solutions, which need to be serviced and are more expensive.

The solution

4G offers fast, reliable internet connectivity where it is available. The mobile carriers are advertising 90%+ UK 4G coverage, however speeds can vary. SMEs need to review all the mobile networks to see who has the best frequency, highest speed and lowest price to meet their requirements.