Mobile operators are targeting enterprise users with
end-to-end mobile telecom services, and could end up competing with
established IT service providers for mobile networking contracts if
current trends continue.
Vodafone is the latest mobile operator to combine
telecommunications and IT services, in a move to support the
growing number of users that require mobile access to enterprise
applications.
Vodafone has started to offer services that include mobilising
desktop
customer relationship management (CRM) applications for
handheld devices. This could, for example, allow a salesman in
the field using a Blackberry to send an electronic order form to
the office for processing in-house.
Last month, Vodafone also launched its secure remote access
software, which is designed to allow remote workers with laptops or
desktop PCs to connect securely to their office computer systems.
Offering security for remote workers is seen by Vodafone as a
necessary step to establishing itself as a credible IT supplier to
enterprise.
To support this move, in March the company launched Vodafone
Applications Service, a consultancy and services division that
offers advice to businesses on how they can take enterprise
applications from the desktop onto wireless devices.
Vodafone is the latest to join the ranks of mobile operators
looking to capitalise on the possibilities of mobile applications
for enterprises.
Orange supplies to enterprise users including
GSK,
Visa and Cadburys Schweppes, and already offers a managed
virtual private network (VPN) product, which allows businesses
to extend office applications to a mobile workforce while still
enforcing data and IT security policies.
However, the company has plans to expand the types of IT
services it offers. “Orange is looking to support the broader
telecommunications and IT needs of our business customers. The
multinational arm of Orange Business Services [formerly known as
Equant] already offers a range of managed services,” said Rob
Turner at Orange Business Services.
T-Mobile is another operator targeting enterprises, and already
supplies Virgin Media and Heineken. To support such users, it has
teamed up with T-systems, the system integration arm of Deutsche
Telekom. T-Mobile has also partnered with IT integrators such as
Fujitsu.
While mobile operators have expertise with wireless technologies
and connecting remote users, analysts argue they are not yet fully
fledged IT service providers. Analyst firm Gartner predicts that it
will take at least four years of development before IT directors
are able to rely on them as their sole IT provider.
Rosie Secchi, research manager for European wireless mobility at
IDC, said some users prefer to deal with mobile operators who work
alongside traditional IT services companies. This allows the IT
supplier to gain the wireless experience of the mobile operator,
while offering its enterprise application expertise, she said.
According to Nick Jones, a research vice-president at Gartner,
mobile operators are keen to address enterprise mobility and the IT
services associated with it because mobility is becoming a larger
part of firms’ IT budgets.
“Evidence from spending surveys indicates that IT spending on
mobility will continue to grow. By 2009 we expect half of
enterprise IT organisations to be spending more than 5% of their
budgets on mobility,” he said.
But are business users satisfied with the quality of service
they are receiving from IT and telecommunications companies?
Research from analyst firm Forrester has found that IT and
telecommunications suppliers are struggling to provide global
end-to-end service delivery of all the elements of IT and telecoms
that users require to support their enterprise mobility
strategy.
“In theory, employees can check e-mail from anywhere, at any
time. In reality, however, users must
contend with a patchy multi-communications environment that
cannot yet guarantee very high quality of service end-to-end
globally,” said Rolf Schonhowd, senior analyst at Forrester.
But mobile operators say they are attempting to address the
limitations of their services offerings.
David Hughes, head of enterprise mobility at Vodafone, said that
being seen as a credible supplier to enterprise was a challenge the
company intended to address by evolving its services over the next
three years. Hughes said services would evolve to encompass access
technologies, applications and managed services for mobility.
Staff at Vodafone’s new consultancy and services division
include ex-IBM employees who bring IT consultancy expertise, and
Vodafone says this has helped mobility deployments with clients
including the Department of Health.
However, Vodafone admitted that it would face a wider challenge
convincing users that its answer to mobilising applications did not
always lie in it wanting to sell them “more GSM minutes”.
T-Mobile said, “We recognise our speciality is working with
mobile technology, but also appreciate that our clients would
prefer the presence of a traditional IT systems integrator in
managing the deployment.”
Orange does not expect to offer complete IT services in the
short term. Turner said, “It is fair to say that we will be taking
a more measured approach than some of our competition.”
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