Smartphone and media tablet use in the workplace is now growing at an accelerated pace, but it isn't always clear how mobile network service providers will directly benefit from this trend. Recent global market research offers some new insights.
Mobile phone network related service revenues from business users worldwide will grow to $340 billion by 2017, according to the latest market study by ABI Research.
Their market assessment includes voice, messaging, handset data plans, mobile broadband, enterprise apps, and management services revenues.
"Mobility suppliers need to pay attention to the enterprise market as revenues represent over 30 percent of the mobile services market and will grow twice as fast as the consumer market," said Dan Shey, enterprise practice director at ABI Research.
The underlying driver of this growth is the "bring your own device" (BYOD) phenomenon -- and more specifically, the ongoing adoption of smartphones and tablets in the workplace.
Without a strategy to serve the employee audience with apps and services that addresses their business and personal needs, mobile phone network operators and their systems suppliers will miss out on this important market.
Analysis of the mobile business customer smartphone base shows that in developed regions like North America and Western Europe, smartphone penetration will grow to over 90 percent.
Even in developing regions with low smartphone penetration, total employees with smartphones will be significant -- mobile business customers in all other regions represent over 70 percent share of the global enterprise subscriber market.
The following are ABI's suggestions for key stakeholders:
The ABI Research Enterprise Mobility market data provides a single view of the regional differences in mobile services adoption by enterprise users across seven world regions.
Mobile phone network related service revenues from business users worldwide will grow to $340 billion by 2017, according to the latest market study by ABI Research.
Their market assessment includes voice, messaging, handset data plans, mobile broadband, enterprise apps, and management services revenues.
"Mobility suppliers need to pay attention to the enterprise market as revenues represent over 30 percent of the mobile services market and will grow twice as fast as the consumer market," said Dan Shey, enterprise practice director at ABI Research.
The underlying driver of this growth is the "bring your own device" (BYOD) phenomenon -- and more specifically, the ongoing adoption of smartphones and tablets in the workplace.
Without a strategy to serve the employee audience with apps and services that addresses their business and personal needs, mobile phone network operators and their systems suppliers will miss out on this important market.
Analysis of the mobile business customer smartphone base shows that in developed regions like North America and Western Europe, smartphone penetration will grow to over 90 percent.
Even in developing regions with low smartphone penetration, total employees with smartphones will be significant -- mobile business customers in all other regions represent over 70 percent share of the global enterprise subscriber market.
The following are ABI's suggestions for key stakeholders:
- Network Operators – Innovate on packaging and pricing so that employees increasing their business use of their personally purchased phones can find the business apps or easily upgrade to enterprise-ready devices;
- Device Vendors – Every smartphone vendor should have a portfolio of enterprise-ready devices that not only include the necessary enterprise-grade security features but also preloaded business apps such as forms apps allowing businesses to more easily mobilize their workforces;
- IT and Platform Suppliers – Build best of breed partnerships to serve the growing enterprise mobility management services market; ensure that solutions can address vertical needs.
The ABI Research Enterprise Mobility market data provides a single view of the regional differences in mobile services adoption by enterprise users across seven world regions.