Enterprises in the region have been slow to adopt advanced wireless communications systems in their operations even as Asian consumers rush to embrace the new technology.
A panel of industry experts said at a conference in Hong Kong last week that corporate initiatives must be introduced in Asia to make workers more mobile or local firms would lose out to more competitive players in their industries.
Research firm International Data Corp (IDC), which sponsored the conference on 'Ubiquitous Mobility', said only 11 per cent of enterprises in the region had deployed wireless systems in their organisations. An IDC survey also found that only 4.3 per cent had implemented mobile systems for their partners and customers.
'The enabling technologies are ready yet there remain some lingering concerns,' said Bob Brace, vice-president for mobile solutions at Nokia.
These concerns network security, the diversity of wireless communications devices, interoperability, multiple radio standards support, management of mobile applications and costs.
One glaringly weak area was wireless local area network, or Wi-fi, deployment in enterprises, according to IDC Asia-Pacific associate director for wireless networking research Davina Yeo. She cited a recent IDC survey which found more than 80 per cent of Asian firms did not provide Wi-fi access to their employees.
'Interest in GPRS [general packet radio service] has only now just begun to increase from a year ago,' she said, noting that there was also 'a profound lack of knowledge' on 3G cellular service as an alternative wireless platform for businesses.
