Wednesday 4 February 2026
Fear of running out of mobile data (FORO) is a real issue for UK businesses that lose over £3,400 a year
Two-thirds (66%) of small and medium sized businesses have run out of mobile data in the last two years
Resulting in missed sales and lost productivity fuelling a Fear of Running Out' ( FORO ) among seven in ten decision-makers (73%)
Michael Owen, footballer-turned-business owner says he recognises the feeling first-hand.
UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) affected by running out of data report losing over £3,400 on average a year in missed revenue, that's according to new research commissioned by Sky Business as it rolls out its new Sky Business mobile SIM-only plans.
The study of 1,000 SME leaders and decision makers found that 73% experience a Fear of Running Out' (FORO) of mobile data, rising to more than eight in ten among millennial-led businesses. The concern is well founded: more than half (56%) of businesses that have run out of mobile data say they have lost business to the tune of £3,462 on average a year in missed sales, bookings and opportunities.
Mobile connectivity has become mission-critical for UK SMEs. Almost half (45%) say running out of mobile data would be worse than running out of stock, while more than a third report being unable to process payments when data runs out. The disruption is so severe that nearly half (49%) say losing mobile data would be worse for their business than losing Wi-Fi for an entire day.
Former England footballer turned SME business owner Michael Owen, who runs a successful horse racing and breeding business, said:
On race days everything moves quickly for me and my team, whether it's advice from the vet, a trainer update or a last-minute change from the yard and FORO is a real issue. If your data runs out and you can't reach your team on the ground, you are operating at a disadvantage. So we don't get caught out, I've historically been overpaying for peace of mind - but that's an extra cost I and other small business owners shouldn't have to deal with.
Despite the reliance on mobile data, the research also reveals widespread inefficiency. UK SMEs spend an average of £477 a month on mobile data, yet around a third (33%) of that data goes unused - equivalent to nearly £1,900 per business each year.
Mayuresh Thavapalan, Commercial and Marketing Director for Sky Business, said:
UK businesses are effectively paying twice - once for data sat unused across their team, and again if someone unexpectedly runs out. Mobile connectivity should flex around how a business actually operates, reducing waste while protecting revenue when it matters most.
Sky Business have recently launched Sky Business mobile, a new SIM-only proposition designed to give businesses greater flexibility and control. At the heart of Sky Business mobile is the innovative Roll & Share feature - unique to Sky - which enables businesses to get the best value from their mobile plan effortlessly. Sky Business mobile allows businesses to automatically roll over any unused data for up to 12-months, storing it in a Databank. The unused data will also then be automatically shared with your team if they need it, helping businesses save both time and money.
Thavapalan continues:
We've seen first-hand how much pressure mobile data is putting on small businesses. That's why we've launched Sky Business mobile which automatically rolls data over where it's needed across your team and flexes monthly to meet changing usage. This ensures you get the full value of the mobile data you pay for. At a time when all costs are under scrutiny and ways of working are more flexible, mobile data should be easy to track and manage not another source of anxiety or inefficiency on the profit and loss statement.
For more information visit Sky Business mobile.
Notes to editors
Methodology:
- Survey conducted by OnePoll with 1000 business leaders and decision makers who rely on mobile data connectivity to run their business between December 17 - 22nd 2025. SMEs make up 99.9% of all business in the UK.
- The £1,900 in wasted data figure is arrived at by ((£477/0.33) (*12)) = £1888.92
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