Focused on business mobiles for 2012

With a New Year comes a new focus for the UK Mobile Phone Deals website. We are moving to entirely focus on business mobiles and the value we can bring to businesses large and small throughout the UK.

From a single user to several hundred we have a range of business mobile tariffs from the major networks to suit your usage and reduce your monthly bills.

The review process is a simple one and can be done quickly and easily with a copy of your current bills to analyse if you are a small business user with 10 users or less (larger users will normally require a more in-depth consultation process). Your latest bill can be faxed or emailed to us using the details below:

FAX: 0115 944 0066

EMAIL: contact@ukmobilephonedeals.co.uk

From this we analyse your current usage in terms of minutes/texts/data used and compare the best tariffs available which meet your requirements. We ensure there is a little “headroom” so as not to exceed your allowances but not too much to mean you are paying for allowances you will never use.

Utilise the latest mobile technology

Reviews do not just focus on saving you money. The latest mobile technology can help your business perform more efficiently and enable more flexible working for all of your staff.

Smartphones and Tablets (such as the iPad 2) make it easier to keep in touch with your office wherever you are. You can also integrate a landline solution with your business mobile contract, giving you a virtual number (or numbers) that ring on your mobile handsets.

An example of this is Vodafone’s One Net Express which can now be included with your standard mobile contract giving you a landline presence and phone system features for just a few extra pounds per month.

For larger companies a fully integrated unified communications solution can be provided bringing together all of the different strands of your communication infrastructure.

All reviews are free of charge and without obligation and can be conducted regardless of where you are currently in your contract cycle. Contact us for more information.

Posted in Business, Business Mobiles, Deals, Mobile Phones, SmartPhones, Tariffs | Tagged , , | Comments Off

Combine your landline and mobile numbers

Vodafone have launched a range of new business mobile tariffs effective from 1st November 2011. There are changes to pricing and the amount of minutes/texts/data available but the most notable change is the addition of One Net Express functionality within their standard tariffs.

Vodafone One Net Express is designed specifically for small businesses with up to 10 users, although there is no limit in theory. It integrates all landline and mobile calls, giving you the flexibility to work at your office or on the move and never miss a business call again.

Up until now it has only been available as a standalone product and had a very inflexible pricing structure. It suited certain types of user but not the majority.

Now most of Vodafone’s business tariffs can have One Net Express added for a small fee. This gives them a landline number (or numbers) that automatically rings on their mobile phones.

It also offers a number of features such as auto attendant and hunt groups included as standard.

Vodafone One Net Express from £35

Whereas the standalone product was sold mainly at £55 (albeit with unlimited usage), the new tariffs allow a single Vodafone One Net Express to be sold at £35 and includes the following:

  • 300 mobile minutes
  • 3,000 minutes to Vodafone and landlines
  • 250 texts
  • 500MB of data
  • 1 landline number

One Net Express is also available on sharer tariffs too. With these you get one landline number per mobile.

For more information and a quotation for your business call us on 0115 944 8977.

Posted in Mobile Phones, One Net Express, Phone Numbers, Technology, Vodafone | Tagged , , , | Comments Off

Trials of 4G mobile broadband continue

A new 4G mobile broadband trial has started in Cornwall. This county has been chosen as it is a rural area where broadband coverage and speed is particularly poor.

Networks are generally concentrated on densely populated areas leaving those in rural areas, a fair distance from the local telephone exchange, with extremely slow and unreliable connection. This can have a negative effect on the local economy.

The hope is that 4G mobile broadband, which has better speeds and extended coverage, can supplement the currently sub-standard broadband service. 4G has already been trialled succesfully by O2.

The trial is taking place in St Newlyn East and South Newquay with around 200 participants. It is being conducted jointly by BT and Everything Everywhere (the merged company now behind Orange and T-Mobile).

The trial is running into 2012 and its result will determine whether 4G LTE services are the best option, amongst a number of others (fibre and other mobile and wireless technologies), to extend coverage to more rural areas.

Widespread 4G coverage is believed to be coming to the UK by 2014 at the latest, although the official timescale is between 2012 and 2015. It can’t come soon enough for those struggling with 3G broadband which can often promise a lot but delivers little.

Whilst top speeds for 3G mobile broadband are quoted by the networks at up to 7.2MBps, average speeds are less than half of this. 4G should deliver speeds from 100MBps to 1GBps.

Posted in 4G, Data, Mobile Broadband, Mobile Internet, SmartPhones, Technology | Tagged , | Comments Off

The cost of “hidden” data

For many people data is becoming the most important aspect of their mobile phone usage. Collecting emails, browsing the web, using data enabled apps. For them the latest SmartPhones, with the right data bolt-on on their tariff, is an ideal solution.

These SmartPhones are often reliant upon a data connection for many of their basic functions. This means that regular updates are often carried out in the background without any obvious indication. Very much “hidden” data.

If you have a data connection included in your tariff this is unlikely to cause you any problem, in the UK at least. But beware, if you don’t switch off the data connectivity yourself when going overseas the phone is still going to be connecting even if you are not emailing or browsing. This can lead to large bills when you get back home for the use of “hidden” data.

There are lots of different settings on a phone which relate to this problem. You are best to ensure that you switch off automatic updates on your phone as well as roaming data. You can manually update apps etc. from time-to-time or as you use them or when you have a decent wi-fi connection!

Alternatively you can take out a package for roaming data when you go abroad. However, even though the cost of roaming is falling, the packages are still fairly expensive.

Posted in Data, Mobile Internet, SmartPhones | Tagged , , | Comments Off

Mobile phone internet use approaching 50%

A survey conducted by the Office for National Statistics has shown a large rise in the number of people using mobile phone data connections to connect to the internet.

45% of people surveyed said they use internet on their phones, compared with 31% in 2010. This was based on a random selection of 1,800 adults. This increase is largely driven by younger people (16-24), where mobile phone internet usage runs at around 71%.

As SmartPhones continue to increase market share, competition has increased and cheaper devices have become available. The networks are selling them with inclusive data packages as many of them rely upon data connections for their features.

If you also have a wi-fi connection you can use this free of charge when at home and also via an increasing number of wi-fi hotspots out and about.

Cheap SmartPhone tariffs driving increased mobile internet usage

This combination of better phones on cheaper tariffs with inclusive data means that you can have a large chunk of data plus minutes and texts for around £15 per month. This includes a free SmartPhone.

The latest phones also make it much easier to set up connections with wizards which guide you through the process step-by-step. Within a matter of minutes you can be online with your new SmartPhone.

Whilst 3G coverage is not perfect (see the BBC mobile broadband coverage survey results) it will not be too long before 4G is with us and this should increase both coverage and mobile broadband speeds.

Posted in Mobile Broadband, Mobile Internet, Mobile Phones, SmartPhones | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off

Which SmartPhone is best?

Samsung Galaxy S SmartPhoneSmartPhones are being released by all of the manufacturers on what seems like a daily basis. New models are appearing all of the time and keeping up with all of the features and developments that are being made is difficult.

But which SmartPhone is best?

The answer is that there is not a “best” SmartPhone, more a “best for you” based upon your needs and requirements. So this is where you need to start when assessing which SmartPhone to buy:

  • How am I going to use my phone?
  • What features are essential?
  • Which features am I unlikely to need/use?
  • Do I need access to specific apps?

Once you have answered those questions you should have the basis for comparing mobile phones. For instance, if you’ve decided that you are unlikely to use sat nav features, because you already have a dedicated unit, then you can ignore this feature for comparison.

If a camera is very important to you then looking at megapixels, optics, flash etc. and reviewing the quality of images produced is going to be high up your list of features to compare.

We have 2 dedicated pages for you to look at and compare SmartPhones:

Each of these enables you to look at a number of different handsets and also compare prices. By narrowing down what it is you need in a phone it is likely you will get a better monthly price rather than going for an “all singing, all dancing” phone which you will not use to its full capacity meaning you are paying for unnecessary features.

Do also bear in mind that the more technology you pack into a phone the more there is to go wrong! Some new SmartPhones are plagued with problems and its better to wait a short while after release to establish the reliability and also to read a few reviews.

For us at UK Mobile Phone Deals the SmartPhones that provide the best overall experience currently are the HTC Desire, Samsung Galaxy and Apple iPhone. You will not go far wrong with any of these devices in terms of reliability and features.

Posted in Android, Mobile Phones, SmartPhones, Technology, iPhone | Tagged | Comments Off

BBC launch independent mobile coverage survey

The BBC is launching a major survey of mobile phone coverage throughout the UK. Anyone with an Android handset can take part via the use of an application which feeds back data anonymously about the level of 2G and 3G coverage available.

Whilst the mobile networks have their own coverage maps available, this survey aims to independently give an accurate picture spanning all networks and all areas.

At the end of the month long survey the BBC aim to provide a clickable map showing the coverage results.

This will show areas where 3G, ideal for mobile broadband and data, is available, and also where 2G, talk and text services, is the only coverage.

How to get involved

If you have a mobile phone running the Android OS you can download the free app via Android Market or read the QR code on this page.

The application runs in the background feeding back coverage information. No personal information is collected. You can also check coverage in any area using the app.

This survey will show how accurate the current network coverage maps are. These can be found by following the links below:

Compare mobile phones online

At UK Mobile Phone Deals we offer a mobile phone comparison service featuring all of the major networks. So if you have a particular network that gives a stronger coverage in your area we can provide you with a great deal.

 

Posted in Coverage, Mobile Broadband, Mobile Phones | Tagged , , , | Comments Off

Mobile broadband tariff changes

The tariffs we can offer for our mobile broadband are getting better. There are now six main tariffs which cater for everyone from those who only want occasional usage, perhaps as a backup service to their main broadband, to those who want to have access to data whilst travelling overseas.

The new mobile broadband tariffs are as follow:

  • Low usage – £3/month plus 5p/MB
  • Irregular usage – £5/month including 1GB BT Openzone wi-fi plus 5p/MB
  • Regular usage – from £12.50/month for 2GB allowance plus 2GB BT Openzone wi-fi
  • High usage – from £19.00 per month for 5GB allowance plus 2GB BT Openzone wi-fi
  • Euro Traveller – £36.50/month for 5GB UK plus 2GB BT Openzone wi-fi plus 1GB selected Europe usage
  • World Traveller – £95.00/month for 5GB UK plus 2GB BT Openzone wi-fi plus 200mb access outside Europe

We can also offer shorter contracts on several of the tariffs, with lengths as short as 3 months, although this does mean that you will have to pay more each month.

One area in which the mobile broadband tariffs have improved is in the transparency. Extra MB out of bundle are charged at 5p each and you will receive alerts before you reach your contract limits to let you know that you may be going over and incurring extra charges.

You can choose a free USB dongle which you can plug into any usb slot or take a sim card (or micro sim) to plug into a tablet, embedded sim laptop or netbook or other device.

We can offer mobile broadband on its own or as part of a package with a device included. For instance, we can supply you with an iPad 2 for £266 when taking out a data connection on selected tariffs.

Our mobile internet pages will shortly be updated with more information regarding the new tariffs and details of our special offers and deals.

Posted in Mobile Broadband | Comments Off

Compare mobile phone deals online

We are always looking at ways to improve our services to our website visitors. Following on from our new mobile phone shop we can now offer a page allowing you to compare mobile phone deals online.

There are a number of different comparison criteria including:

  • Manufacturer
  • Network
  • Price
  • Free gift

As well as the latest SmartPhones on contract there are also PAYG deals with prices starting from a few pounds.

When you click on a handset link on the mobile phone comparison page you can see all of the available deals for that handset across all of the networks. This page also contains more options for narrowing down your search such as:

  • Minutes
  • Texts
  • Line rental
  • Contract term

Once you have decided on the deal that suits you best it is only 1 click to the providers website to sign up online.

To compare the latest mobile phone deals online click here.

Posted in Compare, Deals, Free Gifts, Free Mobiles, Mobile Phones, SmartPhones | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off

iPhone 4 free on Vodafone £35 tariff

Vodafone have launched a new deal on the iPhone 4 which enables you to get one free of charge on their £35 tariff. Previously there was a £99 charge for the iPhone handset.

The Vodafone iPhone deal gives you:

  • 600 minutes
  • Unlimited texts
  • 500MB of data

This costs £35 per month based on a 24 month contract.

Other free iPhone 4 deals currently available include:

On the Orange network:

  • 900 minutes
  • Unlimited texts
  • 500MB of data

This costs £40 per month based on a 24 month contract.

On the Three network:

  • 2000 minutes
  • 5000 texts
  • Unlimited data

This costs £45 per month based on a 24 month contract.

All of our current iPhone 4 deals can be found together with a range of the latest SmartPhones on our free SmartPhones page.

Posted in Deals, Free Mobiles, Mobile Phones, Orange, SmartPhones, Three, Vodafone, iPhone | Tagged , , | Comments Off