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price and wireless connectivity are driving the trend in the midmarket
toward mobile PCs with the majority of growth coming from desktop
PC replacement for established end users. This increase in mobile
PC use is also increasing investments in wireless solutions as major
PC vendors are packaging wireless capability in their products, and
users become aware of the inherent flexibility and benefits of mobility.
According
to Gartner, 60% of midsize businesses (MSBs) will deploy wireless-LANs
(WLANs) within their premises by year-end 2003. Now a viable option,
WLANs will become a critical component for those seeking to improve
business efficiencies in a wide variety of processes, including
inventory, shipping, and manufacturing.
Mobile
projects should be worker- and process-driven.
The
needs of mobile workers vary greatly, so MSBs must assess the limits
of the business process they are trying to improve for mobile workers,
and understand how wireless support will affect their work patterns.
In fact, every MSB should have a different success measure based
on the different types of work patterns of its users. This may be
a measurable increase in efficiency; a short-term return on investment;
or long-term intangible benefits such as improved internal communication,
better time-to-market, responsiveness to clients’ request,
or better quality of products and services.
Further,
mobile workers use applications in different ways. Some connect
frequently, while others transfer a lot of data. To provide an effective
mobile environment, MSBs must first take mobile workers’ needs
into consideration, before technology requirements. This includes
an analysis of the type of device workers will carry, which applications
are used, which wireless application gateway vendors are used, and
the volume of mobile data being transmitted on WLAN and wireless-WAN
(WWAN) networks.
From
2003 - 2005, MSBs that are developing mobile and wireless strategies
will face:
>A
wider range of choices for mobile data services — dial-up,
broadband, second-generation (2G), 2.5G and third-generation (3G)
wireless wide-area data, and WLAN.
>An
increasing need to scale wireless solutions to a large number of
workers, rather than selected clusters of mobile workers.
A wider
range of social issues, user interface and processing style requirements
for each mobile worker.
As
a result, providing an effective environment, will require MSBs
to:
>Consider
coverage, the amount of data needed, performance, device form factors,
and roaming
to narrow down the choices of mobile service providers.
>Select
the best price, while still setting practical service-level agreements
as part of that pricing.
>Ensure
that devices are well-supported by the network chosen.
>Formulate
support plans in the IT organization for different types of mobile
workers.
>Set
user expectations on proper use, pricing, coverage and performance
of mobile applications.
Wireless
technology is evolving. By creating and following a roadmap, midsize
businesses will save money, purchase technology that will meet their
long-term needs, and improve business efficiencies.
Learn
more about mobile and wireless strategies for MSBs at Midsize Enterprise
Summit.
Click
here for details.
References
Gartner
Research Note
Mobile Workers Need Well-Matched Architectures
Publication Date: February 21, 2003
Author: William Clark, Research Director, Mobile and Wireless, Gartner
Gartner
Research Note
Five Steps to Contain Mobile Data Costs
Publication Date: February 20, 2003
Author: William Clark, Research Director, Mobile and Wireless, Gartner
Gartner
Research Note
Enterprises Must Plan for Five Categories of Mobile Workers
Publication Date: February 19, 2003
Author: William Clark, Research Director, Mobile and Wireless, Gartner
Gartner
Research Note
SMB Infrastructures Take a Step Toward Mobility in 2003
Publication Date: December 6, 2002
Author: James A. Browning, Vice President and Research Director,
Gartner
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