A business contract phone is a mobile phone contract designed for small and medium size businesses and self-employed people. A business phone contract can be taken out on a 'Single-user Plan' basis, involving a single mobile phone set with the calling bundle you desire as a sole proprietor, or on a 'Shared Plan' basis, which involves multiple handsets/lines with huge calling bundle to be shared amongst the users. A shared plan, depending on the size of your business, can involve between 2 and 250 mobile phone sets, and it is usual that your chosen phone networks will allow free and unlimited calls between sharing phones. In the UK for instance, the leading business contract phone operators are T-Mobile, Vodafone, Orange, and O2, and they all allow free unlimited calls between sharing phone lines.

Business contract phone customers also enjoy a variety of benefits which include, access to the best range of available phone sets withing the network, dedicated and more efficient business customers support centres, inclusive phone insurance, cheaper calling plans and out of bundle prices and roaming fees, flexible contract terms with opportunity to upgrade mid contract, and several other conditions which vary from network to network. In all, suffice it to say that business contract phone customers get better deals. Why is it then that not a lot business owners and self-employed people are signed up to business mobile phone contracts? That was the question that informed a research we carried out in 2009

Are You On The Right Mobile Phone Contract Plan?
Results from a 2009 research poll carried out by our staff show that 80 percent of small business owners in the UK are on the wrong mobile phone plan – the more expensive personal or private user tariff. Of the 1000 small businesses polled around the Greater London area in various fields – Estate Agents, Plumbers, Electricians, Builders and Construction Work Contractors, Corner Shop Businesses, Traders, etc, only 65 business owners in all were on the right cost saving contract plans - the mobile phone contract plans for small businesses.

 There are lots of reasons small business owners and self employed people settle for private consumer phone contract plans, the chief reason being unawareness. 85 percent of our respondents admit they were not aware major UK mobile phone operators have separate CHEAPER calling plans targeted at sole proprietors and small businesses. Those who had a little knowledge of business contract phone plans thought they were not qualified to have them - they believe the plans were only targeted at City workers, large companies and corporations alone. We do not blame our respondents for this misunderstanding - the truth is that mobile phone networks under-advertise, and in some cases leave a cloud around business contract phones and who is qualified to have them. Phone operators thrive on the ignorance of some customers. They know mobile phones and the need to communicate while on the go is essential especially for those in business, and one may for the want of other reason interpret their attitude to that of, 'why not let the sole proprietor pay more for less, if he/she doesn't know he/she can on the contrary, pay less for more?' 

Mobile phone networks know that the business customers (small, medium or large size) communicate more, therefore require higher calling plans - more business. The business customers does not want any gap in communication, so they are not easily willing to switch numbers or networks too - loyalty. The business customers don't want their lines barred for even a day, so they are likely to be consistent and regular with their payments - low risk and sure income. The business customers are good news to phone networks, hence for those who are aware, the networks will attract with their best handsets, offer the best deals and match it with their most efficient customer service team. Every self-employed person should take advantage of the offers. 

Business contracts are not just limited to mobile phone alone, it includes mobile broadband dungles and data plans, laptop and netbook devices with mobile broadband plans, and SIM only plans (SIM only plans are dealt with on a seperate page and broadband deals are available in each network specific business page on our site).

Take a look at the offers we've listed below as an example, they are from the networks targeting business customers. Each offer saves you between 15 – 20 percent compared to the personal/consumer user contract plan of the same networks. In the cases as below you will be saving between £150 - £250 by the end of the contract compared to what you will be paying for the same phones and minutes as a private user.

At ukmobilephonenetwork.com we are determined to help small business owners discover ways to reduce their mobile phone contract costs by helping them take full advantage of the plans willingly offered by the networks. We therefore offer the following Q&A on Business Phone Contracts to help our site users understand better. Drop us a line if you need any further questions answered

Question: I am a self-employed plumber, I don’t have any staff working for me, am I qualified to be a business customer?

Answer: Yes, you do not need to have a number of people working for you to be a Small Business or to take a business contract

Question: I am a self-employed delivery van business person, but my business is not a limited company, just a sole proprietorship, can I take a plan too?

Answer: Yes, you do not need to have your business registered as a limited liability company to take a business phone contract.

Question: Will the credit check be on my name or my business name?

Answer: Credit check will be done in your name if you are not a registered limited company, and your business name would be checked against Telephone Directory listing

Question: I own a small estate agent company, but why do the networks charge business customers less?

Answer: As a business client you are less a risk to the networks, you will likely pay as at when due compared to the private user because you will need your line for your business. You are also likely to have higher calling plans, and may be reluctant to change networks – all which are great for the networks, so they will compensate with a cheaper charge for you.

Question: What is a sharing plan? Can I include my staff and/or family member in my contract?

Answer: You can choose minutes to use in a month, example 2000 minutes + 500 texts, and share it with 2 or more people in your company or family, in that case the network will give you more handsets to cover the number of people to use the plan. A phone contract with such mulitiple handsets sharing a calling bundle is given under 'shared plan'. In most cases there are unlimited anytime calls between the phones in a sharing plan. See individual network for details

Question: How does the network determine a business name if it’s not registered then?

Answer: An acceptable business name in this case is that which is listed in the UK Telephone Directory, it is the equivalent of Voters’ Register used in the case of private/consumer contracts. The quickest way to list your business on the directory is to buy a 0845 number and forward it to your home or business phone line. Some 0845 numbers are available from free to just about £5 online – research online for details. You may also be required to present your company's letter headed papers, and bills as proof of address in your name or your business name

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