The next-generation of wireless technology has a new focus: enabling mobile business operations. This transcends the old wireless goals of voice roaming and a local data dynamic in favor of a new focus on enabling business operations remotely. WiFi integration is now becoming an important business tool that has largely been deployed to reduce the cost of cellular access.

    Data-capable devices are in wide deployment, with nearly 90% of IT executives indicating their organizations either support or use such instruments, according to Nemertes' latest benchmark study, "Next-Generation Wireless". "Enterprises are demanding mobility solutions. Vendors and carriers must understand and develop wireless solutions that are aimed at improving business operations," stated Mike Jude, research analyst with Nemertes Research.

    Another key finding is that next-generation wireless requires a shared service responsibility between the enterprise IT organization and the carrier. The study also found that smaller companies are spending about the same proportionally on wireless as large companies, approximately 4% of their IT budgets, indicating that wireless is an essential part of business, regardless of size.

    Nemertes found that support for mobile devices continues to increase, with 23% of IT executives indicating support for Blackberry devices, up from 13.8% in 2007. Yet these devices are actually on carrier networks. Improved service expectations of users can only be met by closer collaboration between IT organizations and carriers.

    The benchmark indicates that IT executives must include wireless in their IT planning process since wireless is increasingly augmenting or even replacing fixed infrastructure. "Excluding wireless in IT planning will deny the maximum benefit of wireless investment and will likely generate additional costs downstream as poorly designed or implemented networks require replacement or reengineering," Jude says.

    Nemertes Benchmarks compile and quantify the results of our research. From this data we construct and validate business-justification models using our exclusive Total Value of Service Delivery methodology. The resulting research benchmark concludes with a gap analysis that highlights areas in which the market is not addressing business needs and provides recommendations and best practices to our constituents based on our industry insight and operational experience.