Firms prepare for mobile VoIP

Seven out of 10 global businesses expect to be using VoIP regularly on mobile devices over the next two years, according to new research.

The study by Coleman Parkes Research shows that businesses are increasingly using data applications on mobile handsets, and are using a greater variety of applications. 

Mobile email, internet and calendar applications are "already pervasive", according to the report, and are being used at more than 90 percent of companies.

However, the research conducted for Mformation Technologies, also revealed that chief information officers feel that benefits such as increased productivity will require better management of mobile devices and applications. 

Some 67 percent of managers already use mobile devices regularly, set to increase in over half of the companies questioned.

Comparatively, only about 35 percent of employees below manager level currently use smart devices regularly, although this is expected to increase in three out of four companies.

One factor that businesses see as crucial in improving productivity through mobile technology is the ability to manage smart devices effectively.

Some 82 percent of companies believe that the ability to manage devices more effectively would lead to a higher increase in productivity.

Furthermore, 79 percent of those questioned believe that it is the responsibility of the operator to improve network and device management. It is this management that will enable them to get the most out of these devices.

"We have reached the point in the market where mobile business applications are tried and tested and people are starting to use them. But this raises an interesting management challenge for CIOs," said Matt Bancroft, vice president at Mformation.

"While IT departments have the solutions in place to manage business applications that reside on laptops or PCs, doing this on mobile handsets presents a far greater challenge.

"For example, they will need to start thinking about how to deploy applications, patches and updates over the air."

The research questioned 200 CIOs at enterprise companies across the UK, Europe and the US.

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