Our Thinking | Intercity Technology

Is your network holding your business back?

Written by Intercity | Feb 3, 2026 8:17:35 AM

Almost every business depends on mobile connectivity to keep things moving. The real challenge isn’t just being connected, but knowing that connection holds up, no matter where your people are working. 

Poor connectivity slow operations - often quietly. Missed calls. Apps timing out. Teams chasing updates that should have landed first time. 

The way to avoid this is not buying more contracts. It’s choosing business mobiles and a UK mobile network partner that fits how your people really work. 

In simple terms, a connected workforce relies on three things: 

📶 Coverage that matches reality

Your people are not all sat in one place. They are in offices, at home, travelling, on customer sites. Coverage needs to work where the work happens, not just where the map looks strong. 

🔐 Security that does not rely on goodwill

When connectivity is unreliable, people create workarounds. Personal phones. Unapproved apps. That’s when control and security start to erode. 

💷 Cost that stands up over time

The cheapest deal often becomes expensive once fixes, exceptions and admin time are factored in. 

Get these right and connectivity becomes dependable rather than distracting. 

 

Is poor connectivity slowing down your operations? 

In most cases, yes. Just not always in obvious ways. 

A service desk sees more low-level tickets. A sales team spends longer following up. An operations lead finds jobs running late because updates did not land when they should have. None of this feels like a major outage, but it chips away at productivity. 

The bigger risk is what happens underneath. When people stop trusting their connection, they stop waiting for it. 

📱 Personal devices start filling gaps 
📩 Files get shared outside approved systems 
🧩 Teams build their own fixes to keep moving 

That’s when visibility drops and risk increases. Connectivity issues quickly become governance issues. 


Common misconceptions about business mobiles 

There are a few assumptions that catch organisations out. 

  1. One network fits everyone. It rarely does. Coverage varies by location and usage.
  2. Cheapest means best value. Short-term savings can lead to long-term complexity.
  3. IT can solve this alone. In reality, Procurement, IT and Operations all see different risks. 

The best UK mobile network for one organisation may be the wrong choice for another. Context matters more than brand. 


How to find your ideal network partner 

The right approach starts with facts, not assumptions. 

Begin by mapping where connectivity actually matters. Offices. Home locations. Travel routes. Customer sites. Then assess how different networks perform in those real-world conditions. 

This is also where people get caught out. Buying based on a single network or headline deal can create a single point of failure. For some organisations, a multi-network approach provides resilience and flexibility without added complexity. 

A strong partner looks beyond SIMs. They help simplify device management, apply consistent security controls and adapt as your organisation changes. 

Ask practical questions: 

🧭 How do they handle new starters, leavers and role changes 
🔄 What happens when locations or usage patterns shift 
📄 Are pricing and contracts clear without explanation 

If it feels complicated now, it will be harder later. 

 

A quick sense check before you commit 

Before making a decision, it’s worth pressure-testing the basics.

  • Do you know where connectivity is most critical day to day?
  • Are you exposed if one network underperforms?
  • Can you manage cost and security centrally?
  • Will this still work in 12 to 24 months?

If any of those answers are unclear, that is the risk to address first. 

 

 

If you want to free up budget without impacting operations, get started by using our cost savings calculator below. From there, we’ll help you cut through complexity, find the best network provider for you, and keep your teams connected without compromise.