BT Business brings 4G to SMEs

BT Business has launched a range of plans aimed at SMEs that include free access to 4G and unlimited BT Wi-Fi.

All new BT Business Mobile connections will now come with 4G access and unlimited Wi-Fi through BT’s five million hotspots across the UK.

Plan options include single user, shared bundles, data-only and a new Mobile Flex plan that offers tailored pricing for larger customers.

Existing BT Business Mobile customers will have to re-sign to access 4G and unlimited Wi-Fi.

Graham Sutherland, CEO of BT Business, said 24% of employees now work regularly out of the office, according to BT research.

“As part of our strategy to offer a portfolio that provides value for money and meets the changing needs of businesses, we have designed our new mobile plans to cater for this,” he said. “Our new plans give customers the connectivity they need to help them stay productive when out and about, along with the flexibility to choose a plan that suits their way of working.”

BT is using EE’s 4G network to provide superfast mobile connectivity, after signing a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) partnership agreement last year.

Last week, BT announced its intention to run a trial of fibre to the remote node (FTTRn) in London’s Tech City area, where startups are suffering from a lack of superfast broadband.

Fibre is more commonly delivered either to street cabinets (FTTC) or direct to the premises (FTTP), with FTTP generally offering faster speeds. A smaller version of a cabinet, FTTRn is essentially a halfway house between the two, and can be mounted on existing street furniture to bring faster connectivity to premises on long lines in rural areas or ‘exchange only’ lines in rural and city centres

FTTRn may be able to get fibre broadband to black spot areas, but it is too soon to tell if it is the right solution, so BT plans to conduct a small-scale trial this autumn with selected Tech City startups.