Mobile device management is a somewhat new addition to the telecom expense management (TEM) field, but it has exploded in the past couple years as mobile telephony adoption among enterprises experienced a significant period of growth.

 

That growth continues today, and as such mobile device management is now viewed as an integral part of TEM. To gain some insight into this trend, TMCnet asked Rob Dalgety, marketing director at Mformation, to share his perspective.

 

RD: Mobile Device Management (MDM) is the capability to remotely manage the settings, applications, services and data on mobile devices throughout all phases of the device lifecycle from initial provisioning and activation to end-of-life. A comprehensive MDM solution enables remote, over-the-air configuration/provisioning of mobile devices; deployment, updates and configuration of device software and firmware; remote device and service diagnostics; management of device and data security; backup and restore of device content; and real-time monitoring of the customer experience.

 

 

RD: MDM technologies ensure seamless delivery of new mobile services and capabilities. Therefore, any technology that creates more complexity in the mobile ecosystem will increase the need for mobile device management in order to ensure seamless delivery of new mobile services and capabilities. Examples of technology changes and market dynamics that will increase complexity include:

 

New entrants into the handset and/or handset OS market. There are already thousands of different mobile device makes and models on the market, with existing vendors constantly putting out new releases and device models. New entrants into the handset/handset OS marketplace—for example, Apple with the iPhone and Google with Android (News - Alert)—further increase the fragmentation of the handset/handset OS market, creating a huge need for MDM technologies that can manage this increasing complexity.

 

New mobile network technologies. WiMAX is one example of a new mobile network technology that will significantly increase demand for mobile device management. MDM will play a central role in managing devices over WiMAX and other new network technologies to ensure consistent and seamless delivery of services and applications, regardless of the underlying network.

 

Proliferation of mobile applications and services. As consumers demand a richer and more customized mobile experience, and enterprises mobilize more of their business applications, the number of different mobile applications and services will grow exponentially. MDM technologies will play a key role in delivering and managing these applications and services.

 

An increased number of new types of devices and applications accessing open networks. The US wireless market will become increasingly open as operators such as Verizon (News - Alert) and AT&T update their commercial models, and consumers and enterprises drive demand for a more flexible wireless ecosystem. MDM will play a key role in enabling mobile operators to deliver the necessary configuration information to new devices accessing their network and to manage this more open environment.

 

 

RD: Enterprises are mobilizing their businesses. Not only are more executives than ever before carrying company smartphones, but staff at all levels are also “going mobile.” More business applications are being mobilized in an effort to increase the productivity of employees at all levels. Mobile device management technologies underpin many of these efforts. It is the security, control and management capabilities provided by MDM technologies that are enabling enterprises to accelerate their mobilization efforts.

 

Mobile operator and service providers are looking for ways to broaden their product portfolios and revenue base, deliver a more dynamic and customized service experience, and improve the level of support provided to their mobile customers. MDM technologies are key to enabling this operational model.

 

 

RD: Core MDM capabilities such as device activation and configuration are now “must have” services for most mobile operators and service providers. However the next wave of more advanced services is rapidly emerging from the early adoption/gestation stage. We are seeing significant demand for advanced MDM services such as application management, remote diagnostics, security management, and experience monitoring to support the growing complexity and number of mobile device types, applications, services and networks on the market. 

 

 

RD: Service providers want to improve support of their subscribers and ensure devices can be supported remotely. They also want to dynamically deliver new services over the air.  For end users, what’s critical is that their mobile devices and services are always working seamlessly and optimally. With MDM, service providers can offer new services to end users “on the fly,” which allows users to tailor mobile services to meet their own needs. Enterprises want to mobilize more applications to make employees more productive. Control and management of the mobile devices and the applications on them is made possible by MDM technologies.

 

 

RD: Mformation has two major predictions for MDM in 2008. One is that there will be a mass mobilization trend among enterprises. Until recently, enterprise mobility has been a piecemeal affair. Mobile email is the only really well established category of mobile enterprise application, and the majority of corporate email in-boxes have yet to be mobilized. Outside of email, some enterprises have mobilized a single application driven by a specific business requirement. We see many factors falling into place to drive accelerated enterprise mobilization in 2008—including more powerful handsets, applications and networks as well as meaningful financial and productivity incentives.

 

Mformation also predicts that, during 2008, more mobile operators will start providing advanced MDM capabilities. Operators, particularly those in advanced markets, will be differentiating themselves through application and service offerings. Advanced MDM capabilities such as application management will be key to the success of these efforts in an increasingly competitive wireless marketplace.

 

 

RD: Mformation is the leader in the MDM market, with more than 40 mobile operator customers, managing millions of enterprise and consumer devices around the globe. Mformation is the leading innovator and provider of mobile device management (MDM) software, offering a complete solution that enables mobile operators to rapidly accelerate their data revenues and reduce support costs. MFORMATION SERVICE MANAGER puts operators in control of the mobile services delivered to their subscribers, ensuring satisfied customers, and helping operators to grow revenues and increase profits.

 

 

RD: Microsoft’s (News - Alert) announcement of its System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 (MSCMDM) for Windows Mobile devices at CTIA Wireless & Entertainment 2007 was a significant validation of the strategic importance of MDM and the maturing of the enterprise MDM opportunity. It provides significant validation for the strategic importance of MDM as a critical enabler of advanced mobile devices and data services.  

However, as enterprise mobility increases at all levels, many of the mobile devices being used will not be operating on Microsoft’s Windows Mobile platform.

 

There are many different mobile devices and operating systems in use, many of which are probably not being provided by the company's IT department. Enterprises will therefore need broader MDM capabilities than those offered by MSCMDM to enable them to manage and secure all employee mobile devices regardless of the operating system, manufacturer, mobile network used or data applications and services supported.

 

 

RD: MDM will play an ever increasing role in 2008 as mobile operators expand their network infrastructure and service portfolios. For example, Mformation will play a critical role in helping mobile operators to deploy new data services with new network technologies like WiMAX (News - Alert), and ensuring the consistent management of every type of mobile device in use. Currently, only a small percent of enterprises in the US are using MDM solutions, so we anticipate significant growth this year in enterprise adoption of MDM as a service offered by the mobile service provider. We are seeing innovation in new mobile services being driven by the enterprise. MDM provides a means for the mobile operator to offer a hosted MDM service that gives enterprises the customized control they desire and the security they need for all employees/offices.