Cloud computing and the proliferation of wireless broadband devices and mobile apps is changing the nature of the ‘virtual office,’ driving growth for voice, messaging and data plans across all sizes of business, according to an In-Stat report.
Spending for voice, messaging and data plans will increase 37% over the next five years, according to In-Stat’s, “Wireless Services in US Businesses: Spending by Plan Type, Size of Business, and Vertical, 2010-2015.”
“Across all sizes of business, more and more businesses are realizing the benefits of having data access in their wireless handsets,” according to In-Stat industry analyst Greg Potter. “It allows their employees to work both on the road and at home, having access to email and other business applications from their smartphone, which enables them to be connected and more efficient.”
Other findings in the report include:
- Administrative and Support Services, Healthcare and Social Services, and Education are the vertical markets with the highest levels of anticipated growth in spending on voice, messaging, and data plans.
- Mid-sized businesses are increasingly moving to voice, messaging, and data plans from voice-only plans. Voice and messaging plans spending is set to increase 44% during the forecast period.
- The Healthcare and Social Services segment will spend over $483 million on voice-only plans in 2011.
- Voice and messaging plan spending in the enterprise (1,000 or more employees), will peak at $3.1 billion in 2011; then begin a slow decline over the remainder of the forecast period.
