Mobile devices tax unprepared IT groups

Companies expect to support a growing range of smartphones and mobile employees -- but their mobile infrastructure lacks key elements to do so efficiently and cost-effectively, new research finds.

Trends indicate that mobile messaging and other applications are increasingly important to companies. But many organizations don't have in place the procedures and products needed to secure and manage mobility, and to minimize costly downtime, according to Osterman Research's survey of 125 IT decision-makers.

The report was sponsored by Zenprise, a company that sells an application to automate the management and troubleshooting of mobile devices. (The company recently extended its mobile management to Windows Mobile handhelds.)

Survey respondents were from companies of various sizes and vertical industries. The average size was 15,000 employees. (A copy of the report is available online. Registration is required.)

Based on the online survey results, Osterman predicts the percentage of employees with company-supplied mobile devices will rise from 23% in 2008, to 30% in 2009, and to 46% by the end of 2011.

Research in Motion's BlackBerry and Microsoft's Windows Mobile are by far the dominant mobile platforms for companies, and will continue to be so. Respondents were asked which mobile device currently is used most often for work purposes: 56% named the BlackBerry, 19% Windows Mobile, and10% Palm Treo. The iPhone was named by 5%.

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