Complexity makes travellers miss their connection

High-speed wireless networks are meant to make life easier for business travellers. But now the problem for mobile workers is how to tap into all that increased connectivity, says George Malim.

The ubiquitous wi-fi hotspot, present in hotels, airports and coffee shops the world over, has now been complemented by another array of mobile services. Technologies such as Edge, 3G, HSPA and EVDO are now widely available throughout urban and suburban landscapes.

In the not too distant future, you will be able to add 3G Long Term Evolution (LTE), mobile WiMax, multiple in multiple out (MiMo) and orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) to the mix.

Wireless from A to Z

Click on the links below to find out more…

A is for Antivirus
B is for Bluetooth
C is for The Cloud
D is for dotMobi
E is for Email
F is for FMC
G is for GPS
H is for HSDPA
I is for i-mode
J is for Japan Air
K is for Korea
L is for LBS
M is for M2M
N is for NFC
O is for Operating systems
P is for Pubs
Q is for QoS
R is for Roaming
S is for Satellite
T is for TV
U is for UMTS
V is for Virgin
W is for WiMax
X is for XDA
Y is for Yucca
Z is for Zigbee

In fact, the biggest challenge for business travellers is not finding a network connection but the complexity arising from having multiple modems, logons and payment methods.

David Perry, product marketing, carrier, VoIP and IMS, Nortel, says the good news is that business travellers can be reasonably confident of finding some way of connecting in most places where they want to do business.

"But the less appealing side of the story is that you probably won't know what is available, how well it will work and how much it will cost until you get there," he adds.

As broadband becomes pervasive, so have business travellers' expectations that they will be able to access it. That expectation puts pressure on IT departments to ensure workers are given the tools they need while costs and the administrative burden of supporting multiple technologies are kept in check.

More mature organisations are moving away from leaving users to find their own connectivity, to providing them with access-agnostic tools that automate the whole process.

This approach helps keep a lid on uncontrolled costs and reduces the complexity for the end user.

Azadar Shah, director at remote access firm iPass, says IT departments have become aware of what Gartner calls the 'black budget' of difficult-to-track expense claims for wi-fi connectivity. "They are looking to software clients not just for ease of use but also for ease of management," he says.

A number of operators offer software packages to help users manage their connectivity requirements. These include AT&T's Global Network Client, iPass' Mobile Office and Orange Business Services' Business Everywhere.

These packages include connection software, administration and reporting tools, security, and can connect to a wide variety of networks. Sign-in, billing and security are transparent to the user, allowing them to get on with their work.

Overall, prices for mobile broadband services are going down. Companies such as The Cloud offer wi-fi connectivity for £7 to £10 per month, and 3, for example, is offering 3GB of wireless download over 3G for £12.77 or less depending on bundling.

"The price-point now is so good that I don't think cost is an argument anywhere," says Renato Bottini, head of small business offerings at 3.

Yet data roaming continues to be very expensive. The European Commission is threatening to regulate in this area in the same way it already has with voice roaming. Too few operators have grasped the nettle to offer data-roaming packages.

The exception is 3, which offers roaming on its European networks at the same rates as domestic costs. But travel to a market without 3, and the unpackaged data roaming costs increase dramatically.

Anthony Fulgoni, vice president of northern European and strategic sales at Proxim Wireless says it's easy enough to find free, low-cost or inclusive broadband at Starbucks, McDonald's or the like.

"But start a web-browsing session over 3G overseas and you'll see the cost on your next phone bill if you're not careful," he warns.

Despite the increasing speeds of 3G networks, wi-fi remains the most popular choice for business travellers.

"Faster handheld device connectivity of at least 11Mbps, and now as fast as 150Mbps, makes wi-fi the best choice for business travellers," says Roger Hockaday, director of marketing EMEA at Aruba Networks.

"3G-HSPA offers an alternative, back-up connection but its slower speed and high charges per Mb downloaded will always limit its use for business travellers," he says.

The low bandwidth cost of wi-fi connectivity also makes it a popular choice for users wanting to make international internet protocol (IP) calls from hotspots.

Although many companies are more relaxed about international voice roaming charges than they are about data, it can allow users with office IP telephony to access their environment and telephony functionality wherever they are.

Mobile broadband technologies should be a means by which business travellers increase their productivity, not something that limits their ability to be productive.

Software that makes mobile broadband easy to use and easy to manage could crack the conundrum of there being bandwidth everywhere but never a meg to use.