Top sectors for mobility

Traditionally the leading sectors for the deployment of mobile technology have been campus-style or warehouse environments, and those with a more flexible approach to home working. “Typically that has meant industries such as healthcare, education, manufacturing and the public sector,” says Rob Bamforth, principal analyst at Quocirca.

Over the next three years the top sectors for mobility are likely to be industries broadening out their mobile strategies from an already established base.

“I’m thinking predominantly about those already mentioned, plus the utilities sector, which already has a very strong base of mobile working because it has a lot of people out on the road,” says Bamforth. “These sectors will find the drive for mobility easy in many respects because they already have a lot of the requisite skills in-house.”

Like Bamforth, IDC analyst Lars Vestergaard cites public sector and healthcare, but also points to the financial and professional services sectors as other leading sectors for mobility. “Banks are getting heavily into this, even if the primary driver is to cut costs and reduce their carbon footprint,” he says. “The professional services sector is also on the ball with this development. They will be the sectors that show the way and that is where we will see a lot of activity ­ and among the telecoms companies themselves, of course, because they need to demonstrate that they believe in their products.”

However, both analysts believe that even the sectors currently leading the mobility charge will face significant challenges as they adopt mobile and remote working more generally. “The challenge comes when they shift from a well-understood user base to more general employees whose attitudes and requirements are totally different,” says Bamforth.