What is Mobile Data? Mobile Data is the term used by many to describe the use of wireless data communications using radio waves to send and receive information. This is part of the much broader mobile technology arena. What are the principle benefits of using mobile data communications? Mobile technology lets your key staff operate more efficiently when they are out of the office. It can help you: - carry out tasks remotely, that would normally have to be done on a computer in the office,
- communicate with people at remote locations,
- work with data that is held in the office, even when you are in a different location,
- communicate a message,
- conduct transactions and
- keep in touch with the office anytime and from anywhere.
For most organisations, the objective that wireless computing helps to achieve is better access to information and applications, so workers can be more productive and the company can be more competitive.
Choosing the appropriate technology The technology choices are many and varied and can be divided into two main categories - The choice of wireless data network
- The type of device
Wireless data networks exist in such number and variety as to be difficult to categorise and compare. Some wireless data networks run over wireless voice networks, such as mobile telephone networks. HSCSD, GPRS and 3G are examples. In the UK only Orange offer HSCSD. GPRS is offered by all four cellular network provides: Orange, T-Mobile, Vodafone and 02. 3G is currently offered by Three (or as it likes to be known “3”), Orange and Vodafone Other wireless networks run on their own physical layer networks, utilising anything from antennas built into handheld devices to large antennas mounted on towers. In the UK, mobile data network licences were granted to Transcomm, Cognito, Tracker and Siemens Datatrak. A few wireless networks are intended only to connect small devices over short distances e.g. Bluetooth
There are cost implications on the type of data network you use for you mobile data solution. The variables involved in calculating the data transmission costs include; - The amount of data to be transmitted
- The frequency of the data transmissions
- The type of connection, e.g. permanent always on or occasional - as and when needed.
Questions you need to ask, when considering mobile data technology, include; - Do I need the solution to be able to continuously monitor/transmit/receive messages?
- Do I need to be able to monitor/transmit/receive messages on a frequent but less than continuous basis?
- Do I only send occasional messages?
- Are the messages I send/receive quite small?
- Can the messages I want to send/receive be quite lengthy?
- Do I want to send / receive graphics, large amounts of numerical data or attachments?
It is important to understand the capabilities and cost implications of using the different type of networks before committing long term investment to a device that is only enabled for one type of network, that tomorrow could be redundant Click here to visit the Technology pages and read the guide to mobile data networks.
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