The mobile phone "is the hub" of small- to medium-sized
businesses but the platform still suffers from coverage issues,
says a report.
Research conducted by analyst Quocirca among 240 SMBs across
the UK, France, Germany and Sweden has exposed the problems faced
by firms when relying on mobile technology.
The research, conducted on behalf of indoor base station firm
RadioFrame Networks, found that more than a third of SMB staff have
problems using their mobile phones at work, and even more so when
working from home.
Yet for many, the mobile phone is their first preference when
making a call, even when at a desk with a fixed phone on it.
The research also found that over half of firms have no plans to
implement 3G phones, but 17% plan to introduce 3G laptops in the
coming year, adding to the third that have already done so.
Rob Bamforth, an analyst at Quocirca, said, "The mobile phone
has become the hub of business communications activity, and the
vital link for the SMB workforce".
He said contact numbers and address books in a mobile handset
mean that it is very often the default device for making calls, in
or out of the workplace.
New communication tools such as mobile e-mail and browser access
mean that mobile phone users are increasingly dependent on their
phones, so coverage is an expectation, and the lack of it a
frustration which can impact productivity, said Bamforth.
Mark Keenan, general manager EMEA at RadioFrame, said 3G
services often found it difficult to penetrate buildings.
He said the deployment of indoor base station technology -
namely picocells and
femtocells - were a solution to the problem of mobile
coverage.