Almost a third of companies do not treat PDA security as seriously as laptop security, according to a survey by Quocirca. 

The report found that many firms place less emphasis on handheld security or leave it up to users.

However, two thirds of firms, typically those with more experience of mobile devices, implement basic security policies including offering a limited choice of devices.

Those with most advanced mobile usage deploy centralised software management that allows devices to be switched off remotely in case of loss or theft.

The survey found very few firms with large-scale PDA deployment.

"The vast majority of PDA use is in small pilots or limited numbers of users. The big issue now is whether firms move to a strategy of being device-agnostic to have more flexibility," said Quocirca analyst Dale Vile.

"There is a lot of loyalty to the BlackBerry but firms are realising that they probably need a bit more choice. There is also a growing desire to understand how to pull together different wireless technologies such as GPRS, wireless Lans and 3G."

The biggest weakness in deploying laptops was seen as user vigilance, with loss and theft the greatest concern. Most companies indicated that well communicated security policies were key to reducing this risk.

While firms that embark on PDA pilots mostly cite security and cost as key concerns, these issues give way to concerns over interoperability and compatibility as experience of wireless devices increases.

Cost and complexity of device management was a key concern for over 50 per cent of the respondents, and the survey found that this concern does not diminish with increased experience of the technology.

The good news is that security fears diminished with greater experience, but increased PDA use upped the need for user support and training.

The survey, conducted on behalf of Orange, was based on 2,853 interviews with IT professionals.