Business mobile phone deals: the right airtime at the right price

What makes a good business mobile deal

Business mobile deals in the UK are usually advertised on a monthly price, but the deal your business actually gets is decided by a handful of things that sit behind that number. Good deals tend to share the same qualities:

• Coverage where your people work: a plan is only good value on a network with strong signal at your premises, on your routes and at customers' sites
• Airtime sized to each person: data matched to real usage, so light users are not paying for data they do not use and heavy users do not run out
• A term that suits the business: a minimum term that matches your plans, with new lines able to join the account as you hire
• A clear total cost: what every line costs over the whole term, on the same VAT basis, including how prices can change
• Controls you will use: spend caps, bars and an online account tool, so roaming or premium numbers do not cause surprises
• Phones chosen separately: devices bought outright, separately, so you can see exactly what the airtime costs

That is the approach we take with every quote. If you would like to work through the choice yourself, our guides to choosing the best business mobile deal for you and how to compare business mobile deals go into more detail.

Airtime first, phones your way

We focus on getting your airtime costs down, so companies can buy their mobile phones separately, outright or through their usual procurement. That can save a business a lot of money, and it gives you the flexibility to refresh devices when it suits you.

Keeping the phones apart from the airtime helps in other ways too:

• You see the real cost of the plan: you can see exactly what each line's airtime costs
• Phones last longer: devices that still receive security updates can stay in use, and new starters get the phone that suits their role
• You can change the plan without changing the phone: move a line to a bigger or smaller plan, or to another network, and keep the same device
• Refreshes happen on your timetable: replace phones by role, by age or all at once, whenever it suits the business

If your team already has phones, they can usually move onto new airtime as long as each phone is compatible with the network and unlocked. For help choosing devices, see mobile phones for business and our guide to the best phone for business.

Business mobile phone contract deals: term, lines and price changes

Business mobile phone contract deals are agreements for the airtime on one or more lines over a minimum term set by the network and plan. A few things are worth settling before you sign:

• The minimum term: networks set their own terms for each plan, and many also list SIM only plans on shorter terms, such as 12 months or 30 days
• Adding lines: new starters can usually join the existing account, normally on a term of their own
• Price changes: each network's terms say whether and how monthly charges can change during the contract, for example an annual change on a set date, so build that into the total cost
• VAT: business prices are usually shown excluding VAT, so compare every quote on the same basis
• End dates: lines that joined at different times end at different times, so a simple list of end dates makes the next review much easier

Our guide to business mobile phone contracts explains terms, credit checks and switching in more detail, and business mobile phone plans covers the plan types you can mix on one account.

Cheap business mobile deals: what really drives the cost

Looking for cheap business mobile deals usually comes down to one question: how do I pay less for the lines I need? The cheapest plan on paper is not always the lowest cost once a team starts using it. What really drives business mobile cost is:

• The number of lines: networks run separate ranges by business size, and the right range for your headcount matters
• Data per user: plans sized on each person's real usage, or data shared across the team where the network offers it
• The term: the minimum term you choose and how the network's terms let prices change during it
• Roaming: daily charges, passes or inclusive roaming for the people who travel, and nothing for the people who do not
• Unused lines: SIMs belonging to leavers or replaced devices that keep billing every month
• Charges outside the plan: international and premium-rate calls, and data above the allowance, which spend caps and bars help control

Business mobile rates differ by network, plan and term, and they change often, so the reliable way to find a low cost is a quote built around your own usage. Ask us for a quote and we will set out what each line would cost over the whole term.

Business mobile offers: what to check

Business mobile offers change often, and a headline monthly price only tells part of the story. Before you accept any offer, check:

1. The total cost over the term: the monthly charge for every line, multiplied across the whole minimum term.
2. How prices can change: the annual price change, or other changes, set out in the network's terms.
3. The VAT basis: business prices are usually shown excluding VAT; put every quote on the same basis.
4. Roaming and add-ons: what is included in the plan, and what costs extra when your people travel or need more data.
5. What sits inside the plan: account tools, spend caps, eSIM and security features, and which of them are paid extras.
6. Whether the term fits: a term that matches your plans for the business and the end dates of your current lines.

When we quote, we set out the network's relevant terms alongside the price, so you can see the whole picture before you commit.

Getting more from the lines you already have

Often the quickest saving does not need a new network at all. A review of how your current lines are used can turn up money that is already being spent for nothing:

• Lines nobody uses: SIMs for leavers, old devices and forgotten data SIMs
• Plans that no longer fit: people on plans chosen years ago whose usage has changed since
• Heavy and light users on the same plan: business mobile data deals work best when each person's data matches how they work
• Roaming without controls: travellers without the right add-on or a spend cap on their line
• Missed end dates: lines that have passed their minimum term and are ready for review

Pull the last few months of usage from your network's online account tool or your bills, and we can help you read it. Our business mobile phone plans guide explains how to size data for each role, and Forever Group's telecoms cost reduction service looks across mobile, lines and connectivity together.

Business mobile deals for small businesses

For sole traders and small teams, a good deal is one that is simple to run and does not commit you to more than you need. Networks run small business ranges separately from their large business services, and sole traders can open business accounts as well as limited companies. Vodafone Business, for example, says its SIM only business plans are designed for small businesses, sole traders and start-ups that already own their devices.

If you already own your phones, SIM only is often the simplest route: our sister site covers business SIM only deals in detail. For more on plans, spend caps and security for a small team, see small business mobile contracts, and if the office needs a connection too, our sister site covers business broadband. Whether a business deal beats a personal one is covered in business vs personal mobile contracts.

How to get a business mobile quote

A quote built around your own usage is the quickest way to see what a good deal looks like for your business. To get one:

1. Tell us how many lines you need, and which are for phones and which for tablets, laptops or routers.
2. Share a recent bill or usage report, so we can size data on real use rather than guesswork.
3. Let us know where your people work and travel, so we can check coverage and roaming.
4. Give us your current contract end dates; texting INFO to 85075 from a number shows any charges for ending its contract early.
5. Tell us which phones you use now, so we can check they work on the network you choose.

We supply EE Business and Three Business, and can also supply O2 Business and Vodafone Business, so we can set out options on more than one network and you can choose the one that works where your people work. Plans and prices are confirmed at quote. Contact us to get started.