Mobile retailers Vodafone, O2, EE and Three are currently advertising unlimited voice and data packages for businesses on their websites.
Is the data truly unlimited?
The short answer is no. If you read the small print, the mobile networks have set data usage limits per month. Some limit the number of devices that can be tethered, others will limit the amount of bandwidth available, which slows downloads and restricts usage.
Are there any other catches?
Some of the retail mobile operators are offering 12 and 24 month plans with a discounted rate for the first 6 months.
Do I need unlimited data?
That’s the big question, and the answer in most cases is no. If you’re streaming multiple hours of video each day over mobile data, or using mobile data to download large files then you might, but for most users 20GB is fine. The danger of buying unlimited for some businesses is that they will simply pay too much.
What can the channel learn from this?
The channel should partner with a wholesale supplier that can provide a range of competitive voice and data SIMs, which allow them to compete with the single offerings from retail mobile operators. They need to add value by helping their customers choose the right package for their business, by understanding their usage and pitching solutions to meet their exact requirements.
Jola
Jola is the channel’s leading mobile data specialist. We have the widest range of voice and data, mobile data, M2M and IoT SIM packages in the channel, controlled within Mobile Manager. We give partners the tools to be able to quickly and accurately quote mobile data opportunities and win them. To find out more , request our Partner Pack.
