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THE GLOBAL GROWTH OF CORPORATE WIRELESS SERVICES
Article contributed by Cristiano Trindade (Feb 12, 2003)
According to In-Stat/MDR, the number of business wireless data users will grow from 6,6 million at the end of 2001, to more than 39 million in 2006. Despite this, the business segment made by small, medium and large companies is currently the largest group of wireless data services users throughout this timeframe. The increase in corporate users of the wireless technology will put great values to the US wireless market. In-Stat/MDR expects a US business market growing from US$ 4 billion in year-end 2001 to more than US$ 16 billion by year-end 2006. That means that we have a 300 % variation in only 5 years !
The numbers above are complemented by the In-Stat/MDR information about the Internet-Enabled (IE) devices market. According to the the hight-tech market research company, the IE device shipments will increase from aproximately 430 million in 2002 to approximately 760 million in 2006. Growth opportunities will remain for wireless-enabled PDAs, smartphones, messengers and wireless modems for notebook computers. And the use of mobile Internet services will increase in the corporate environment. Companies will use IE devices to access their intranets and extranets. Despite this, they will use these devices to download financial information, such as stock market data and economic analysis.
While there are many trends driving wireless data usage in companies, including the increase in mobile workers and potential productivity gains, CTOs and CIOs also have suspicions. In a recent survey, IT managers cited geographic coverage and reliability of connections as primary inhibitors to adoption. Security is also a major concern. But the IT officers have conviction that these failures will be patch up soon.
Despite these barriers, many companies are now assessing strategies to provide wireless access to coporate computers and networks. These coporations must identify which applications, devices and services to use and whether to use an in-house, licensed software solution, or a hosted, Wireless Application Service Provider (W-ASP) model, or some combination of the two. The IT managers should also pay attention to the availability of new products features / funcionalities and data capabilities. The transition to 3G also will serve as primary catalysts for demand. Users will start to use devices that incorporates voice and data services.
The corporate wireless services global growth will be a greate opportunity to the wireless technology providers improve their incomes and the market share. The corporate technology cannot be an impediment to the enlargement of the company. And the wireless technology should be a tool to help companies to increase their results and their productivity gains.
... The author is a Brazilian wireless developer working with wireless technology since 1999 at Brasil Mobile, a
leading wireless company in Brazil.
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