Compare business SIM only deals with human experts

The inclusion of a handset is the main difference between SIM only deals and pay monthly business mobile contracts. When you sign up to a pay monthly business mobile phone deal, you’ll get the choice of taking on a new handset or tablet, but with business SIM only you just get a new SIM card that you slot into your existing device.

Both offer inclusive calls, data, and international roaming, so the choice simply comes down to whether you want to upgrade your tech.

There are many good reasons why your business might want to make the switch to SIM-only, including:

• Cut down on the cost of new devices - Regular software updates for smartphone operating systems mean handsets last a lot longer than they used to, and a SIM-only deal could help cut costs if your current mobile deal has ended and you’ve paid for your device. It could also come in handy if you’re upgrading your current device and passing your old one on to another member of staff - just give them the old handset with the new SIM and they’re good to go.
• Allow employees to use their own devices - SIM-only deals for business can also be a good fit if you allow employees to use their own smartphones for work, as it means you can keep a handle on the cost of business calls without having to fork out for new company devices.
• Better chance of acceptance - It might be worth considering a SIM-only deal if you’re a new start up with a limited credit history, or if your business has a poor credit score - you’ll have a better chance of being accepted for a SIM-only deal as your provider won’t have to legislate for the added ‘risk’ of providing an expensive device as part of the package.
• Greater flexibility - While some business phone contracts might need you to sign up for three years, but you can get shorter, more flexible SIM-only contracts.
• Cut down on admin - It’s also worth knowing that you don’t have to report anything to HMRC, deduct or pay tax and national insurance if you provide employees with one SIM card (or mobile phone) and the phone contract is between your business and the service provider. If your employees’ mobile phone costs are part of a salary sacrifice arrangement, you have to report employees’ mobile phone costs to HMRC. For more information on the tax implications of business mobile phones, go to GOV.UK.

Don’t make the mistake of staying on an expensive contract when you could save money by switching to a SIM-only deal. Get in touch with Bionic’s tech-enabled experts to compare business SIM-only deals.

Bring your own device (BYOD) is simply the name given to a policy which lets employees use their own handsets and tablets for work purposes.

BYOD is a great way to save on the cost of getting new devices for staff use, but it’s not quite as simple as giving out new SIM cards or letting them log in to their work emails on their iPad - there are data and cyber security implications to consider, so you’ll need to have a proper BYOD policy in place.

If, for instance, employees share customer data over an unsecure network or via unsecure apps, this throws up all sorts of cyber security and GDPR concerns. And then there’s the issue of employees leaving the business with work data on their phones.

5G is the next generation of mobile data, promising faster speeds of up to 1Gbps (compared to 100Mbps on 4G) that could even leave your business broadband connection for dead. That’s not to say you should ditch your business broadband though, as the same things that currently impair 4G and 3G speeds - think tall buildings, microwaves and other Wi-Fi signals - will also affect the speed and quality of your 5G connection.

And before you sign up to a 5G deal, consider that not only is it more expensive, but the existing 4G network will probably meet the demands of most businesses. Speak to one of our tech-enabled experts to work out the best option for your business.

Aside from faster speeds of up to 1Gbps, 5G offers a range of benefits for business users, including:

• Greater reliability - 5G offers more reliable connections than ever before. This means there’s less chance of your calls or internet dropping out, and more reliable connectivity can help to increase productivity and efficiency.
• Lower latency - Latency is essentially the time it takes for information to get from one point to the next and it accounts for the delay you get on some devices when calling or browsing. 4G networks generally have a latency of 40-50 milliseconds, but 5G it should get this down to a completely unnoticeable 1 millisecond or less. Again, this will help to increase productivity and efficiency.
• Greater capacity - The more devices you have connected at once, the slower your connection speeds will be, but the greater capacity offered by 5G will all but do away with this, meaning more devices can be connected with no drop in performance.
• Better flexible and remote working - 5G will give more people access to a fast and reliable internet connection, even in more remote or rural areas. This will help improve conditions for remote workers, including those that operate from co-working spaces, which could help cut costs for businesses who can then afford to be less reliant on having people in a single office space.
• Improved VoIP services - If you're using mobile VoIP for business, your calls will rely on you having sufficient upload and download speeds. The has greater speeds and adjustable bandwidth, which means you'll have a more reliable and stable video and audio calls with less chance of the quality dipping or the calls dropping off completely.