For companies conducting business around the world, always staying connected is a big priority. Being able to keep in contact with fellow employees through email or video-conference calling, with easy access to files or databases, is an important aspect of any business trip. Yet staying connected can be a struggle.
Relying on a secure wi-fi connection when travelling around a foreign city is impossible, and the exorbitant cost of mobile data roaming, especially outside of the EU, is a major reason why businesses avoid using the mobile internet for connectivity.
At Uros we have heard of businesses instructing travelling employees to turn off data roaming altogether to avoid the high charges. In this age of mobile technology this seems like a ludicrous scenario, but with some networks in the UK, for example, charging between £3 and £8 per MB of data outside of the EU, you can see their concern. But being disconnected means impaired productivity and lost business opportunities; staying connected is not a luxury, it’s a necessity.
No nasty surprises
Another big issue for businesses is the confusion surrounding data roaming charges and the lack of transparency. People accessing the mobile internet abroad live in fear of receiving a large bill at the end of their visit. Most people don’t know how much data they are consuming in each session and why should they? Constantly ‘data watching’ isn’t conducive to good business or an effective working environment.
Staying connected is not a luxury, it’s a necessity
At Uros, we strive to deliver truly global mobile internet access for busy travellers. At the centre of this service is Goodspeed, a mobile wi-fi hotspot device that delivers low-cost, secure wireless internet connection. But what is special about Goodspeed is that it can accommodate up to nine SIM cards. This unique design means frequent business travellers don’t have to keep swapping SIM cards each time they visit a new country.
To address the issue of expensive data roaming charges and offer reassurance to businesses monitoring budgets, we charge a transparent daily flat rate of €5.90 for between 500MB and 1GB of data. The average internet user consumes 250MB of data per day so you can see we offer generous amounts of data, allowing users to carry out a day’s work without the worry of going over a daily quota. But what do these amounts equate to? 500MB of data is the equivalent of 100 emails, two hours of web browsing, 20 minutes of video streaming and 30 minutes of Skype calls.
Always secure
There is an argument that public or hotel wi-fi is a more cost-effective
way of staying connected outside of the office environment. While wi-fi connectivity is often free in coffee shops and hotels, in some cases, especially in countries such as the US, it can cost upwards of £8.50 per hour or £20 per day.
There is also security to consider. Recent research by Europol suggests people need to be more wary of using free wi-fi hotspots, especially when sending sensitive data. These networks are open to cybercrime and data theft – a major issue for businesses. Our network is highly secure so organisations don’t have the extra worry of having information intercepted.
For businesses dealing in international trade, mobile data roaming is an issue that needs to be addressed, but the confusion surrounding prices and services means it remains a problem. At Uros we believe we have solved this issue and made connectivity abroad transparent, low-cost and manageable.
