Mobile Device Management (MDM) for UK Businesses

If you are still deciding which devices to enrol, start with our business mobile solutions overview, then come back here to plan how those devices get managed and secured.

How does mobile device management work?

MDM works by enrolling each device into a management platform — usually Microsoft Intune — that pushes security policies, apps and configuration over the air. Once enrolled, a device that drifts out of compliance is automatically blocked from email and files until it is fixed.

The lifecycle AMVIA runs looks like this:

1. Device inventory — we audit your estate: makes, models, OS versions and current security status across iOS, Android, Windows and macOS. 2. Policy configuration — we set passcode rules, encryption, app restrictions and remote-wipe capability that match your risk appetite. 3. Enrolment — devices receive Wi-Fi, email, VPN and security profiles automatically, with minimal disruption to the user. 4. Lifecycle management — ongoing compliance monitoring, app deployment, OS-update control and remote support for lost or compromised devices.

This is the same control plane behind Microsoft Intune for mobile — the difference is that AMVIA's UK engineers configure and run it for you.

What's included in AMVIA's managed MDM service?

A managed MDM service from AMVIA covers the full estate, not just the platform licence. You get the tooling, the configuration, the monitoring and a named team that owns outcomes — so a non-compliant phone is caught and fixed before it becomes a breach. The service includes:

• Proactive protection — continuous compliance monitoring and threat detection across every enrolled device.
• Expert management — UK-based engineers handle configuration, app deployment and incident response.
• Conditional access — devices that fail policy are blocked from Microsoft 365 automatically.
• Remote wipe — selective wipe for personal devices, full factory reset for company-owned ones.
• Monthly reporting — device posture, incidents handled and recommended improvements.

For tighter control over personal phones, pair MDM with BYOD security and broader mobile security policies.

Why do UK SMEs need mobile device management?

Because phones are now full endpoints holding email, documents and saved credentials — and an unmanaged one is a wide-open door. In the 2025 government survey, 43% of UK businesses reported a cyber breach or attack in the past year (gov.uk Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025). MDM closes the mobile gap that perimeter security misses.

The cost is real: the average disruptive breach cost UK businesses around £3,550. The National Cyber Security Centre recommends enrolling all business mobile devices into a management platform that enforces encryption and remote wipe (ncsc.gov.uk device security guidance). With Microsoft 365 now spanning over 400 million paid commercial seats globally, most UK SMEs already hold the licences needed to manage devices properly — they simply have not switched it on.

BYOD vs corporate-owned: which model should you manage?

There is no single right answer — it depends on cost tolerance and control needs. Corporate-owned devices give full management and standardisation; BYOD cuts hardware spend but needs app-level separation of work and personal data. AMVIA configures MDM for either model, so corporate data stays protected regardless of who owns the device.

Many businesses run a hybrid: corporate phones for client-facing roles, BYOD for everyone else. For lost-device scenarios, see remote wipe and device security.

In-house vs managed MDM: what's the difference?

Running MDM in-house means buying time and expertise you may not have; a managed service gives you both for a fixed monthly fee. The table below shows where the gap usually sits for a 10–500-staff business.

This sits inside AMVIA's wider managed cybersecurity approach, where mobile is one layer of a single, accountable security posture.

How much does mobile device management cost?

MDM cost has two parts: the platform licence and the management. Microsoft Intune is included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium at £16.90 per user per month (ex VAT, annual; microsoft.com/en-gb), so many SMEs already own the licence. AMVIA then adds fixed monthly management on top — no lock-in contracts.

Because Intune ships inside Business Premium, the marginal cost of proper device management is usually the engineering time, not new software. We scope that against your device count and compliance needs during the audit.