A new survey commissioned by the GSMA has highlighted the growing role played by HSPA-based mobile broadband in enterprise connectivity. The survey, which questioned 1,000 enterprises across the US, Europe and Asia-Pacific, found that, on average, 12.3 percent of global workforces (per business) have access to mobile broadband. This figure is set to increase by 25 percent over the next 12 months, the trade body said. Of the organisations surveyed, 36 percent of IT managers/directors and CIOs worldwide said they currently deploy HSPA as their principle means of employee mobile broadband access.

A vast majority of enterprises surveyed revealed that more than 70 percent provide laptops, VPN access and various other remote access technologies to employees, and that the provision of desktops is on the decline. “The findings provide an extremely encouraging global outlook for HSPA mobile broadband technology penetration within enterprises,” said Michael O’Hara, CMO at the GSMA. “The results clearly demonstrate that enterprises are keen to innovate and have recognised the freedom and flexibility that HSPA mobile broadband delivers.” However, the survey also found that only the more senior positions (60 percent of company directors, 62 percent managers) and company sales representatives (39 percent) are provided with mobile broadband devices.