The real cost of business mobile isn’t just the tariff. It’s devices, connectivity, bolt-ons, roaming, support, and the time spent managing all of it. If you don’t keep a grip on those moving parts, even a fleet under 100 connections can leak thousands a year.
Stop thinking tariff, start thinking total control:
- In 2026, costs are rising from devices, roaming, new coverage tiers and unmanaged add‑ons. Tariff-only thinking will miss most of the bill.
- The biggest leaks come from unused lines, unmanaged roaming, wrong-sized data pools and unplanned device refresh.
- You do not need new platforms to fix this. You need visibility, guardrails and better commercials.
Why 2026 is different.
These shifts do not justify higher spend. They justify a review.
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Network change. 5G coverage uplift and new service tiers change how plans are priced and bundled.
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Device refresh pressure. OS support changes and camera/performance demands push faster upgrades.
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eSIM becoming standard. Faster provisioning and switching bring flexibility, but also “SIM sprawl” if unmanaged.
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Roaming volatility. Day passes help, but fair‑use caps and unmanaged trips still trigger bill shock.
- AI billing insight. Useful alerts exist, but only help if you act on them and set thresholds.
Where the money leaks...
- Lines that no longer serve anyone. Project leftovers, leavers, test SIMs that stayed live.
- Wrong pool sizes. Over‑provisioned buckets and heavy users in the wrong cohorts.
- Roaming without control. No auto‑apply day passes. No cap alerts. No travel profiles.
- Device mix drift. Too many premium handsets where a mid‑range device is fine.
- Admin sprawl. Multiple estates, inconsistent naming, no clear owner per line.
What 100 connections could cost in 2026...
The figures below are market examples, not our prices. Intercity works to do better by providing greater value through strong carrier partnerships and smarter plan design:
- Devices. 60 mid‑range at £350 and 40 premium at £900 over 30 months
Approx £57,000 total, about £1,900 per month
- Connectivity. 100 pooled 10 GB plans at £27
£2,700 per month
- Bolt‑ons. 30 static IP or private APN at £3
£90 per month
- Roaming. 20 travellers, 6 days per month at £3
£360 per month
Estimated run rate: about £5,050 per month before optimisation.
Typical, low‑friction fixes we see:
- Retire unused lines: about £288 per month
- Rebalance pools: about £240 per month
- Enforce roaming controls: about £160 per month
- Rationalise device mix: about £300 per month
Likely saving: about £988 per month.
That is ~£11,850 per year you can redirect into security, coverage improvements or staff tools.
Why the right partner changes the outcome
You want value, not upsell. A well-connected partner can unlock better commercials and make the complexity manageable.
- Choice and leverage. Intercity is partnered with all three major UK mobile providers.
- Plans built around roles. We design estates by job pattern and usage, not by guesswork.
- Roaming guardrails. Automated day passes, alerts and travel profiles to stop bill shock.
- Zero‑touch at scale. Apple Business Manager, Samsung Knox and Google Zero Touch aligned to your policies.
- One accountable team. Procurement, provisioning, security and support in one place.
Result. Lower total cost. Simpler management. Fewer surprises. Not by cutting corners. By cutting waste.
So... How much will business mobile cost you in 2026?
That all depends on you. The choices you make now – around devices, data, roaming, and management – will decide whether you lock in waste or unlock savings.
If you want to free up budget without impacting operations, get started by running the SIM cost calculator. From there, we’ll help you cut through complexity, find the most cost-effective options, and keep your teams connected without compromise.