Small business mobile contracts

Who small business contracts are for

Small business mobile contracts suit sole traders, partnerships and small companies, from a single line for the owner up to a few dozen for a growing team. Most networks run their small business ranges separately from their large business services, with published plans and online account tools rather than individually negotiated contracts.

A business account rather than a personal one gives you a few practical advantages even at one or two lines: the number belongs to the business, the bill is in the business name for your records, and you can add lines as you hire. Our guide to business vs personal mobile contracts explains the cost side, including VAT.

What to look for

These are the features that make the most difference to a small team day to day:

• Spend caps: a limit on charges beyond the plan, with alerts, so a roaming trip or premium number does not cause a shock bill
• Right-sized or shared data: a plan that matches each person's use, or data shared across the team where the network offers it
• eSIM: activate a line without waiting for a SIM in the post, and run a work number alongside a personal one on dual-SIM phones
• Roaming that fits: if you travel, check how each network handles Europe and the rest of the world before you sign
• Device security: screen locks, updates and remote wipe, from simple network tools up to full device management
• A usable account tool: an online portal or app to see usage, change plans and add lines without waiting on hold
• Flexible terms: a term that suits your plans for the business, with early exit charges understood from the start
• Phones bought separately: keeping the phones apart from the airtime can save a small business a lot of money and lets you replace phones when you choose

Our business mobile phone plans guide explains plan types in more detail, and business eSIM covers how eSIM works for a small team.

How networks segment small business

Each network draws the line between small and large business in its own way, and the range you are offered depends on your size:

EE Business

EE Business lists plans for businesses with 1 to 10 employees and for 11 to 249 employees, separately from its large business range, and its small business sales route covers organisations with up to 100 employees. It offers business spend caps and the Mobile Manager account tool. Forever Group has a page on EE Business for small businesses.

Three Business

Three Business offers Three Mobile Protect for up to 25 devices, which helps protect Android and iOS devices against phishing and malware and adds data caps and app and content controls. For more than 25 devices, Three offers Three Device Management. See Three Business security and device services.

Three's small print: "Minimum term applies. Three Business product terms apply."

Vodafone Business

Vodafone Business sells SuperMobile for Business, a premium 5G+ plan in its range for businesses with 1 to 9 employees, which uses its 5G+ FastTrack Lane. See our Vodafone Business mobile phones page.

O2 Business

O2 Business has separate ranges for businesses with 1 to 10, 11 to 249 and 250 or more employees, and its satellite-to-mobile service lets compatible smartphones send messages and use maps in places without normal signal. See our O2 Business mobile phones page.

Which network suits you depends mostly on coverage where you work, so start with our business mobile coverage guide.

Common small business set-ups

Most small teams fit one of a handful of patterns:

• Sole trader with a work number: one business line, often on a dual-SIM phone with eSIM so work and personal calls stay separate. See getting a business mobile number.
• Small office team: a few phone lines on one account with spend caps, plus a data SIM or portable hotspot for a laptop. See mobile broadband for business.
• Trades and field teams: tougher phones, good coverage across your patch and, where it helps, a rugged device. See mobile phones for business.
• Shop or site without fibre: a 5G router as the main or backup connection. See 5G business broadband.

Questions to ask before you sign

Before committing to any small business contract, get clear answers to these:

1. Does the network have good signal inside your premises and where your team works, not just on the map?
2. How long is the minimum term, and what are the early exit charges if your needs change?
3. How can monthly prices change during the contract, according to the network's terms?
4. Can you add lines later, and on what term will new lines run?
5. How does roaming work for the countries you visit, and are rates confirmed for your plan?
6. What spend caps and bars are available, and who can change them?
7. Which online tools will you use to see usage and manage lines?

Written answers to these protect you later. When we quote, we set out the network's relevant terms alongside the price.

Keeping a small team's phones secure

Small businesses are targets too, and a phone with company email on it is a way in. You do not need a large IT team to cover the basics: set a screen lock, keep phones updated, turn on the built-in find-and-wipe features and avoid sharing logins between people.

As the team grows, a device management tool makes these settings consistent and lets you wipe a lost phone remotely. Our guide to mobile device management software explains the options, from tools built into Apple Business and Samsung Knox to services such as Sophos Mobile. If staff use their own phones for work, set out the rules in a company mobile phone policy, and check how Cyber Essentials treats BYOD if you are certified or working towards it.

Why use a supplier rather than going direct

You can buy direct from any network. Using a supplier like Forever Communications is useful when you want someone to do the comparison and set-up work for you:

• We supply EE Business and Three Business, and can also supply O2 Business and Vodafone Business, so you see options on more than one network
• We help you check coverage for your actual locations before you commit
• We look at your current bills and contract end dates so the switch happens at a sensible time
• We handle number porting and help set up eSIM and device security
• As you grow, we can help add lines, move people between plans and review whether the account still fits

Small businesses that already use a cloud phone system can also link mobiles to it; Forever Group covers that on cloudphone.cloud. Pricing depends on the network, the number of lines and the term, so ask us for a quote. Contact us with the number of lines you need.