Business mobile connections continue to soar

Business mobile connections are predicted to reach 722 million by 2014

The rapid growth of wireless broadband networks is helping to foster the adoption of business mobile connections, which are predicted to number 722 million by 2014, according to Juniper Research.

The mobile analyst firm's Future Mobile Enterprise: Forecasts, Markets & Devices 2009-2014 report said that this will be aided by the proliferation of converged devices, as well as the broadening range of mobile connectivity platforms.

Juniper predicts a 60 per cent rise in the number of mobile business connections over the next five years, with around 80 per cent of business mobile devices expected to be operating via 3.5/3.9G networks.

Revenues generated by mobile enterprise service usage worldwide will grow to $247bn (£164bn) by 2014, according to the report.

Mobile handsets will retain about 70 per cent of the share of devices using mobile data, but Juniper expects that other sources, such as 3G modems used in laptops and netbooks, will play an increasing role.

"By the end of 2009, portables will account for around 60 per cent of annual PC sales, suggesting that businesses are placing less emphasis on desktop machines and investing in combined laptop-and-phone packages for employees," said Andrew Kitson, the report's author.

"As 3G networks proliferate, it will become more cost effective to replicate the desktop solution with a wireless device."

Portable computer shipment volumes are expected to account for over three-quarters of all computer shipments by 2014, and Kitson believes that the removable 3G dongles used by many today are too easy to lose or damage and will slowly be replaced by embedded modems over the next two years.