Western European businesses are gearing up for widespread mobile device deployment this year, according to the latest research from IDC.

The analyst firm predicts "significant progress" with mobile deployment in 2005, as commitment to mobility, and specifically the adoption of mobile devices, takes off.

This will occur in sharp contrast to the lingering economic uncertainty and emphasis on essential hardware renewals that characterised 2003/2004.

Business penetration of converged devices (smartphones and telephony-enabled PDAs), handhelds and wireless networks have increased substantially, and indicators further provide an optimistic outlook for adoption over the next 18 months.

While the standalone handheld remained the most common hardware element in company mobility strategies, IDC noted that converged devices are enjoying "a visible increase in adoption", reinforcing the market's evolution towards converged voice and data systems.

"The economies of experience, familiarity and confidence consolidated in the deployment and integration of standalone handhelds with company IT infrastructure, combined with declining handheld ASPs, ensured that the PDA remains the most widely adopted device," said Geoff Blaber, IDC research analyst for European mobile devices.

"However, increasing visibility and confidence in the application capability and security protocols of converged devices will continue to drive smartphone penetration in 2005/2006."

IDC's analysis of corporate IT purchasing intentions in 2005/2006 suggests that mobile device penetration, in particular of smartphones, will increase substantially in 2005 and 2006.

The identification of established intentions concerning mobility suggests that many companies are ensuring that mobility is firmly established within the IT strategy, prior to widespread implementation of devices over the next 18 months.

"The growing range of mobile hardware and software/middleware, which together enable a practical mobile solution, is increasing the flexibility available to the IT decision maker in the implementation of a tailored, integrated solution in 2005," said Andrew Brown, programme manager for European mobile devices at IDC.

"Improvements in security, integration, compatibility, user experience and increasingly cost are driving mobility across a wider proportion of the organisation."

The IDC study found that advances in device specifications, increased adoption, and the central integration of mobility into IT strategies all served to kick-start mobile deployments.

The analyst firm also identified growth in the volume of companies possessing a wireless Lan, with a large proportion planning rollouts in 2005 or 2006.