The internet offers any business the opportunity to present a commercial image independent of the organisation's size and location. Small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) across the UK have exploited the internet as it has evolved from an interesting medium for the technology-aware to an essential commercial platform. With this increasing importance, and the internet's ability to extend the reach of a business, it is valuable to realise precisely what different internet service providers (ISPs) offer before buying. This includes evaluating service level and support capabilities and understanding how these vary throughout the UK. ...
26/11/2008 | Soaring across the regions - full size2.pdf | VIEW
A recent event co-hosted by the Mobile Data Association and the Location and Timing Knowledge Transfer Network, looked at new and emerging location based technologies and applications that have the potential to change the way people and professionals plan their journeys and travel. ...
28/07/2009 | QUO the informed traveller.pdf | VIEW
"Mobile application stores - should they be controlled by handset manufacturers?" This question was circulated among members of the Mobile Data Association (MDA) group on linkedin last month, and it was clear from the responses and other recent announcements from across the industry, that this is a key battleground for the many different players in the mobile ecosystem. As well as the handset vendors such as Palm, BlackBerry or Nokia and software platform vendors like Microsoft, these also include mobile operators who have devices tailored or tuned to their specifications and networks, and a number of independent portals who offer applications across all networks and devices. ...
02/07/2009 | QUO mobile app stores.pdf | VIEW
This question was recently asked of members of the Mobile Data Association (MDA) discussion group on linkedin. In the context of the mobile world, messaging typically refers to Short Message Service (SMS) or text messaging and so the question was trying to gauge when SMS will cease to be important. Despite the protestations of those with a strong vested interest - operators who still make a tidy return on text traffic, and the rest of the industry that makes a turn on the movement of 160 characters - ultimately perhaps SMS should disappear. It is too basic, terse, insecure, non-interactive, is mostly limited to mobile handsets and endures a very high cost per character. ...
24/04/2009 | Is messaging immortal.pdf | VIEW
The internet has grown rapidly from a random collection of mainly academic networks and military control and routing protocols into a global, integrated and sophisticated commercial utility. No longer simply an ‘Information Superhighway', it has extended to embrace voice telephony, video and mobile communications as part of a converged network. Connection options and services have expanded, with opportunities for internet service providers (ISPs) to add value beyond simply forwarding bit and bytes. This report explores the challenges and opportunities these companies face and takes a look at how their industry might evolve. ...
25/09/2008 | ZyXEL ISP report standard.pdf | VIEW
Even when facing challenging economic times, businesses still need to communicate and rely on technology to connect with customers, partners, suppliers and their own employees. Cutting back on communications spending will have a negative effect in a long downturn. It will leave any business that does so with fewer options when conditions improve and at a disadvantage compared to competitors that continue to invest. However, there are 10 steps that can be taken to grow the value and use of communications, while controlling costs. ...
08/08/2008 | Comms efficiency final.pdf | VIEW
Businesses of all sizes adopt technology to make them more productive, cost effective or flexible and help them compete. Over the years the adoption of tools such as mobile phones, wireless laptops, the internet and email have all been driven by such expectations. Small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) are often at the forefront as these technologies can give them a lead on their larger competitors. What starts as a useful extra tool or ‘competitive edge' soon becomes the accepted norm and a search for improved quality and utility then ensues. ...
26/06/2008 | Loud and Clear1_opt.pdf | VIEW
Over the past decade the internet has evolved from a technical environment into a commercial marketplace. The impact on consumers and large enterprises has been significant, but what about the small and medium sized business? With few of the skills and resources of their larger counterparts, these organisations need to get the best value from the internet and the network based services it enables, without risking day-to-day operations. Although employees will be increasingly aware of the options for connecting to the internet as consumers, this does not readily translate into the right knowledge for how to select the most appropriate alternatives from internet service providers for the business they work for. ...
29/05/2008 | Soaring not Surfing_optimised.pdf | VIEW
Voice and data communications are taking up an increasing amount of organisations' budgets as more information is shared between and across more businesses. Person to person contact now includes richer media, more participants and is becoming increasingly mobile. Historically telecoms expense management has focused on the mechanistic processing of bills, payment and costs of individual items. It is too simplistic to make blanket cuts or restrict use and opting for cheap alternatives may lead to a loss of business value. A better approach is needed for managing telecoms expense, so what best practices should companies adopt to meet their total communications needs and avoid unnecessary costs ...
11/04/2008 | Total telecoms expense management_optimised.pdf | VIEW
Companies are faced with increasing pressures on the communications capabilities they offer their employees. More employees are mobile, working from home or in other remote locations with a growing need to talk and share information with their colleagues. This cuts across fixed and mobile communications, but businesses still want the flexibility of mobile, and the costs, predictability, quality and service models of fixed. The convergence of the technologies involved is creating a collision of service provider business issues and a confusion of alternatives for customers. This report seeks to draw out some of the important questions businesses need to address with their communication services providers ...
02/08/2007 | convergence_report_final.pdf | VIEW
