Ringing in the changes: mobile communications business grows as rules tighten around devices

Dundee-based Revolve Communications, the new name for 5G Scotland, supports clients by ensuring they have the most appropriate and secure mobile communications systems in place long-term.

Having grown from one employee in 2019 to a current team of six, Revolve Communications is now working with over 100 clients throughout the UK. Spanning sectors as diverse as accountancy, law, leisure, hospitality and pharmaceutical, clients are facing a range of challenges, whether requiring one to 1500 mobile phone lines, staying in touch with remote teams, or communicating highly confidential data with clients overseas.

Initially working with EE alone, Revolve Communications is now providing connection to all major UK mobile networks, EE, Vodafone and O2, and a growing number of international networks, mainly supporting clients with their tariffs and device management. Following an audit of their existing contracts, hardware and usage, Revolve Communications provides recommended changes to ensure the client has the correct cover in place. Going forwards, the client is allocated a dedicated account manager, avoiding frustrating discussions with call centres and providing ongoing monitoring via Revolve Communications’ innovative bill-reporting solution.

However, clients are increasingly demanding more than the management of their tariffs and hardware alone. For example, with almost 40% of UK companies identifying a cyber attack and losing customers as a result, businesses are seeking reassurance around cyber security, and evidence that they are doing their utmost to protect confidential data.

In order to comply with Cyber Essentials, a Government-backed scheme, any organisation with over 50 employees must be able to protect their mobile devices through technical controls, mainly Device Management software.

Cyber Essentials is mandatory for businesses seeking to secure specific government contracts, often because they will be handling personal information such as addresses or bank details, or delivering IT services or products designed to process, transfer or store that data. Without Cyber Essentials, they cannot bid for such contracts while, by having the accreditation in place, they can demonstrate their commitment to protecting their systems and data against cyber threats.

Dan Cargill, Managing Director explained,

Most of us used to associate cyber security and cyber attacks with the huge multi-national conglomerates, however, the cyber security wave is building momentum and filtering down to SMEs. To achieve the Cyber Essentials accreditation, which is becoming a standard requirement in most public and private sector tender documents, businesses must protect their mobile devices, not just their laptops. That’s where we come in and where we are seeing an upsurge in inquiries, which I can only see growing in the months ahead. We can help clients put basic measures in place, such as ensuring two-factor authentication is in place for their staff to access certain software, managing their apps, having the ability to remotely wipe a device in case of lost or stolen, or even enforcing password changes.

As well as security, businesses face pressures around the control of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), the concept of employees using their personally-owned device(s) for work. With BYOD, an organisation has ownership of the corporate data and resources while the device remains the property of the user.

Dan continued,

Partly because of COVID-19, more of us are working from home or remotely so BYOD has seen a surge in popularity. Although the conceptual aims of BYOD are attractive to most organisations, they also bring a conflicting set of security risks and challenges. We can help businesses manage these, for example through E-sims which allow employees to use their personal device for work but with a digital, programmable sim. With scope to add a business number through the E-sim, BYOD also allows staff to bring just one device to work rather than two and the business has control over the employee’s business use, specifically in relation to security and cost.

And last but by no means least, as well as increasing costs for both network and hardware, businesses are juggling the return of international travel post-Covid, with some networks introducing daily rates for use in the EU.

Meanwhile, businesses are also grappling with larger data requirements as new apps become increasingly ‘data hungry’ and staff require to surf and stream at great speed.

Dan added,

Regardless of your line of work, everyone has a phone and businesses rely on them to operate efficiently. Our clients want to improve their internal and external communication and work with a business that can understand their long-term goals, ensuring they upscale their mobile connectivity in line with their growth. They also seek transparency, trust and reliability. We generate savings in both time and money, up to tens of thousands of pounds each year, not to mention removing that hassle of dealing with the networks. With our client base now extended across the UK, we needed a new business name and brand to reflect that, and a name that would not be limited by what is an ever-evolving technology. At Revolve Communications, we revolve around our clients’ business needs.

Based at Water’s Edge in Dundee, Revolve Communications now employs a team of six from account managers and customer service roles to a marketing graduate and finance assistant. The business is particularly keen to contribute to the development of young people and has already recruited two people through Graduate Career Advantage Scotland (GCAS), which supports recent, eligible graduates living in Scotland to find rewarding employment.

Dan commented,

I’m a firm believer in supporting young people to get into the right roles which is not always easy. We’re fortunate to have some of Scotland’s top universities on our doorstep and, having recruited two interns through GCAS, one of whom went on to work for the Bank of New York and another who is our marketing assistant, we are keen to explore additional opportunities through this model in the future. Many young people just need a chance and, with the right support, can become a valuable colleague.

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