Mobiles

While mobile phones are great for keeping in contact with family or your business whilst on holiday, nothing is less relaxing that returning home to a huge bill because you haven’t taken sensible precautions before you go…..

Using your phone overseas, known as roaming, can cost a lot more than it does at home, particularly if you upload multiple pictures to social networking sites, send and receive lots of emails or use the internet a lot.

You can even run up a big bill without actively using your phone, as many smartphones and 3G/4G enabled tablets automatically seek out mobile connections and use them to update apps without you having to do anything.

While turning off data roaming before you leave your home country will stop your devices constantly downloading data at whatever your standard out-of-package rate is, there are many other things you can do to minimise your chances of running up a large mobile bill.

Before you go:

Think about how you want to use your phone abroad. Your monthly allowance probably won’t cover you for usage abroad so making and receiving calls, sending texts and using the internet or other data abroad could end up costing you more.

Check if your provider offers products where you can use your domestic allowance abroad. If not, particularly if travelling outside Europe where prices are often considerably higher, see if they offer packages so you can use your phone overseas at discounted rates, including data roaming bundles.

Whatever you decide, make sure you know what happens when your data bundle is used up. Will you be unable to use data until you purchase another bundle, or will it be charged at a standard rate – most likely much higher than the cost per MB within the bundle?

Data roaming:

Turn off data roaming on your handset to stop your smartphone automatically seeking out an internet connection when you reach your destination, which could mean you start using substantial amounts of data without realising it.

If you regularly browse the web on your phone, using local Wi-Fi hotspots in places such as cafes, hotels and restaurants instead of your phone’s mobile internet connection will work out much cheaper than your standard charges and may sometimes even be free.

Some phone apps can seek out Wi-Fi networks and prompt you to connect to them so that you don’t have to do this manually, which is particularly useful for downloading maps, checking emails or browsing social networks. You don’t need data roaming switched on to use Wi-Fi connections, but you do need to stay in range.

If you decide to use your phone’s own internet connection instead, be aware that watching videos, downloading music, opening large email attachments and updating social media with photographs will all use a lot of data.

How much will it cost to use my phone abroad….?

In Europe…..

Calls and texts:

The cost of using your phone within the European Union is capped under EU law, which sets out euro-tariffs.

You should automatically benefit from the euro-tariffs, unless you have chosen to opt out (for example by taking out a roaming bundle offered by your provider).

• Calls made should cost no more than €0.19 (around 15p) per minute (excluding VAT)
• Calls received should be charged at no more than €0.05 (around 4p) per minute (excluding VAT). –
• Sending a text should cost no more than €0.06 (around 5p) per text (excluding VAT).

You cannot be charged for receiving texts or voicemail (although you will be charged for calls made to listen to messages).

Data:

There is also a price cap on data roaming charges in the European Union. This cap means that phone companies can charge no more than €0.20 (around 16p) per MB of data, (excluding VAT).

Around the world…..

Calls and Texts:

Costs tend to be much higher outside Europe so think about how you plan to use your phone in advance.

Talk to your provider about any packages it offers for the place you’re travelling to. There are a few specialist products offering discounts or it might be worth considering buying a SIM for the country you are visiting.

Some providers charge you when someone leaves a message on your voicemail (as well as charging for listening to the message).

Check with your provider- if they do charge, consider asking them how to switch off your voicemail before you leave the UK and ask your friends and family to text instead.

Data:

The cost of data roaming can be significantly higher outside Europe, so check prices with your provider before you leave.

Talk to your provider about any packages it offers for the place you’re visiting as many offer data roaming bundles. Alternatively, it might be worth considering buying a SIM for the country you are visiting.

What if I am on a ferry or cruise?

Mobile phones used in coastal areas or at sea may not be able to connect to traditional 2, 3 or 4G networks and may instead seek out a satellite connection. The euro-tariffs and world-wide data limits mentioned above do not apply to these and charges can be high.

Try to use services on land wherever possible. If you think you will need to use your phone at sea, check with your provider before you travel to see how much it will cost to use your phone via a satellite connection. You could manually select a preferred network while you are on board to avoid satellite connections but signals can vary and this will mean you wouldn’t receive calls or texts when out of range of the selected network.

Finally, make sure both your handset and SIM are passcode-protected to make them more difficult for thieves to use.

If you want to find out more about our SIM only mobiles, or if you have any questions feel free to give us a call on 01908 350750 or contact us.

Mobile phone unlocking is usually one of those things that you become aware of when you want to change provider or travel abroad.

Mobile handsets often come ‘locked’ to the network from which they were purchased, meaning it will only work with a SIM from that provider.

This is no problem until you switch to a contract with another provider but want to keep your existing handset, at which point you may need to get your phone unlocked so that it will work with the new SIM.

The same is true if you are travelling abroad and want to use a local SIM to avoid roaming charges – the phone will need to be unlocked to accept it.

Locking policies vary from provider to provider, and often depend on the type of device being sold, so it’s worth investigating before you buy in case you need to get it done for any reason as there are price and time implications that vary from network to network…..

Of the major providers, only Three do not lock any handsets.

• EE, Orange, T-Mobile and Vodafone always lock handsets for both pay-as-you-go (PAYG) and pay monthly phones.

• O2 lock all PAYG phones and most pay monthly ones, although some smartphones are supplied unlocked.

• Tesco Mobile usually lock PAYG phones, although again some smartphones are supplied unlocked, while some monthly handsets are also locked.

• Virgin Mobile usually lock PAYG phones, excluding some smartphones, but don’t lock pay monthly handsets.

To find out whether your handset is locked, either try a different network SIM card in it and see if it works as normal, or ask your mobile provider. If the SIM is not recognised or you are unable to make calls, it is likely your handset is locked.

If this is the case, you can ask your provider to unlock it for you, as long as you are the former account holder. It should, however, be noted this will not be possible on phones that have been reported as lost or stolen.

As different providers have different policies on unlocking, you may find you have to pay a fee of £15-20, or wait between seven and 30 calendar days for the unlocking to be completed (this is a maximum, and it may well happen sooner.)

As for how long it takes once the process has begun, the answer is that often the newer the phone, the quicker the unlock happens. iPhones, for example, can often be released in three days, while older phones take longer as providers often have to contact the handset manufacturer to get an unlock code.

If you find yourself with an existing handset take a look at our SIM only deals, there are many benefits, detailed in another blog, including saving you £££s!!

If you want to find out more, take a look at our website, or if you have any questions feel free to give us a call on 01908 350750 or contact us.

One of the hardest parts about being a small or medium business can be the need to run all of the operations of a large-scale company without the same staff, resources or efficiencies.

In an increasingly digital business world, apps are increasingly the solution to skills or time shortages, helping you manage everything with ease and create more time in the day.

As ever, some are markedly more useful than others, so here is our top ten of the ones you really need in your life.

1) Evernote: Essentially an organiser that keeps track of everything you want to, well, keep track of – from notes to receipts, to photos, to webpages, to articles bookmarked to read later. Able to sync across all devices and also featuring a powerful search function so you can always find what you’re looking for further down the line, you can even turn notes into a presentation at the click of a button.

2) Dropbox: Bills itself as one place for your stuff, with all file uploads accessible from any device and easily shared. Great for collaborative working as well as those who need files on the go, it can house all common types of files including photos and video, and you can choose whether to share a single file or a whole folder, leaving you in control of your data and information flow.

3) People Per Hour: Like an eBay for freelancers, this site connects people with skills with those looking to get jobs done. Post a job and choose from the applicants who get in touch, with the ability to both rate each other afterwards, or buy an hourlie – a fixed price piece of work designed to take one hour to complete. Also great for those looking for additional work, particularly when starting up.

4) Mention: Real-time media monitoring, which allows you to create alerts for names, brands and competitors and get a real-time alert any time they are mentioned on the web or in social networks. You can also create analytics charts based on your mentions versus competitors, for example, and make sure you’re not missing anything.

5) LinkedIn Connected: Billed as taking the work out of networking, this app essentially mines your existing LinkedIn contacts and keeps you up to date with what’s new, ranging from birthdays to promotions, keeping you in touch and giving you the chance to strengthen relationships without having to constantly keep tabs on what everyone you are linked to is doing.

6) Buffer: A superb scheduling tool that enables easy management of multiple social media accounts, allowing scheduling of posts across various platforms and then spreading out their posting throughout the day. Fully integrated with major social networks including Twitter, Facebook and Reddit, it makes for fast and simple sharing.

7) Feedly: A free web-based news aggregator tool that allows you to find the content that is most valuable to you by filtering out the rest, as well as suggesting new experts that may be of interest based on those you already follow. Easy sharing options too.

8) Paypal Here: A chip and pin reader from the secure online payment masters, allowing you to process payments on the go, as well as issue receipts and invoices. Highly secure, it also accepts both debit and credit cards, and also has a facility to log cash and cheque payments.

9) Facebook Pages Manager: This app lets you manage multiple Facebook pages from your tablet or smartphone, as well as sharing content, seeing activity on each page and interacting with it by liking or commenting, in addition to having access to page analytics.

10) Survey Monkey: Web-based survey leaders, used by everyone from business leaders to academic institutions. Surveys can be customised with your logo and branding, and sent out over web, mobile and social media, with the site’s survey builder featuring multiple types of questions. Once released, benefit from the site’s real-time results and analysis to help you make key decisions about your business.

So that’s it – our top ten. Hope you find them as helpful and time-saving as we do!

New product lines from most of the world’s largest smartphone carriers are the major draw of the Mobile World Congress which has just taken place in Barcelona. Nokia, Samsung and Sony all had surprises up their sleeves, and technology enthusiasts salivating, as they outlined the direction they will be taking in the next 12 months.

But who launched what, and which were the best received? Read the details below to find out what should be on your wish list:

Samsung:

The South Korean technology giant unveiled a hotly-anticipated update on their flagship phone the Galaxy S5. The new model, which will launch in 150 countries on April 11, was largely received well, with features including a fingerprint scanner for PayPal payments online, better camera, faster connectivity and a brighter screen among the points that got a collective thumbs up. On the downside, those hoping for a phone that stood out from the pack with cutting edge technology were disappointed this was a solid update on the Galaxy S4, but nothing spectacular. The company also announced a new Fit sports band, plus a Gear smartwatch, both designed to integrate with the new model.

Nokia:

Some of the most unexpected news came from Nokia, who announced three new Google Android phones, the X, the X+ and the XL. The three new models from the manufacturer previously noted for its Windows phones will function as hybrids able to run Android apps, but not linked to Google’s Play store, and are billed as budget. Instead, they will get apps from the Android Open Source project.  Ahead of the expected deal which will see the Finnish giant sold to Microsoft, the phones will also have tie-ins with various Microsoft services including Skype and OneDrive.

Sony:

Sony announced updates to its Xperia smartphone and tablet range, the Xperia Z2 mobile and tablet. The Xperia Z1 was very popular, and initial reports suggest this is a better and stronger version, with the company itself claiming the updated smartphone has the world’s best mobile camera. Also featuring video which can capture in 4K resolution and noise-cancellation technology within the headphone jack, it launches next month (MARCH).

As for the best of the rest, debuted the G2 Mini, featuring a larger screen and bigger battery than previous models, and Chinese firm Huawei returning to the tablet market with two models, the MediaPad M1 and the MediaPad X1, billed as making 4G affordable.