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The Wireless Workplace
The typical American workplace is moving beyond the cubicle, a
computer and a telephone. Today,
over 48 million workers have jobs that require them to be on the road
much of the time and away from their traditional base of operation.
Many business professionals are accessing data via their palm
computer while stuck in an airport terminal; they call clients on a
cell phone while hailing a cab for their next appointment. The mobile workforce includes not only business professionals
but the more traditional road warriors, such as truck drivers, utility
workers, health care providers, insurance claims adjusters and police
officers. Like the
business professional, these workers are accessing data and the
Internet in their cars, vans, and trucks via wireless devices. They are sending instant messages and checking information via
their cell phones.
The growing mobility of the US work force is
driving the demand for wireless data services and wireless Internet
connection. Over 15
million people used personal digital assistants (PDAs) in 2000,
according to some industry analysts. Insight estimated
that 87.9 million people subscribed to cellular, personal
communication services (PCS) and enhanced specialized mobile radio (ESMR)
in 2000. Of the 87.9
million subscribers, 45.9 million were business subscribers and 42
million were residential.
The introduction of new wireless Web phones
transforms ordinary-looking, affordable mobile phones into
pocket-sized Internet-powered computing devices capable of sending and
receiving e-mail as well as grabbing snippets of information from
selected Internet sites. Developments like this will drive the data traffic on the
wireless network as Internet-enabled phones and services proliferate
over the next few years.
The Growth of Wireless Data
As data traffic increases, Web sites offering access for hand-held
devices should also increase, leading mobile phone users to switch
from voice-only handsets to wireless Web phones. The software code inside the phone includes a minibrowser
that displays text from Web pages specifically designed for the
limited screen space in hand-held devices. One barrier to the growth of the wireless Internet could be the
shortage of spectrum. The
government is planning a huge licensing auction in 2002 for wireless
providers who claim these licenses are crucial to the development of
wireless technology.
Corporate Portals
Corporate portals are also changing by moving
beyond serving only as an e-mail tool. Companies are now designing their portals to facilitate
internal communications, provide access to office applications and
corporate database functions, and foster communications to increase
and to enhance customer relationships, customer service, and to
increase profits. In some
cases, companies are even creating options that help employees balance
their work/life schedules. Site
enhancements provide features that enable employees to remotely access
corporate databases and perform routine business functions from the
field.
As the office becomes increasingly virtual, the
corporate portal will become the closest thing many workers will have
to a community of peers, and the possibilities are limitless. For employers it is an efficient way to communicate with
employees and boost morale; for employees, it may be the best way to
solve the issues of work and family life as more employees are able to
conduct business as they pick up their children from school.
The Wireless Vertical and Horizontal
Markets
To date, most wireless applications
have focused on vertical industries with nine industries accounting
for the majority of wireless data subscribers. Insight has
estimated the number of wireless data subscribers and total wireless
revenue over the forecast period of 2000 to 2006 for each of the nine
vertical industries. The industries are:
- Transportation
- Utilies
- Retail Trade/Point of Sale (POS)
- Wholesale Trade
- Financial/Insurance/Real Estate
- Health Care
- Communications
- Professional Business
- Durable Manufacturing
While five to 25 percent of the employees in
these industries will use wireless data applications this year, by
2006 this figure will double to an estimated 20-40 percent depending
the specific industry.
In terms of wireless revenue, the
financial/insurance/real estate, transportation and professional
business industries will generate the greatest revenue of all nine
industries. Several
business trends are driving the wireless revenue growth for the
financial industry. Among
them are direct selling of financial products such as stocks and bonds
via the Web and call centers; wireless access of bank accounts; and a
push toward transacting as much business as possible over the
Internet.
In addition to the growth of the vertical
wireless market, Insight
believes the horizontal market will become increasingly important.
The need to improve productivity across all businesses will
fuel the explosion of horizontal wireless applications. The trends toward increased bandwidth, standardization of
protocols, interoperability across operating systems, and enhanced
content presentation will expand the utility of wireless horizontal
applications for business.
The fastest growing horizontal enablers include:
-
E-mail, Database Query
-
Field Service and Sales Automation
-
Information-Based Systems
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Location-Based Systems
-
Messaging Transactions
-
Vehicle Location and Positioning
-
Accessing Web Portals
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