Wireless and Wi-Fi network capacity is not keeping pace with the rapid rise in enterprise mobility, causing user satisfaction to fall, according to a new report.
Mobility services specialist iPass analyzed what it calls “Mobile Darwinism,” a trend where technology and data consumption evolve faster than business infrastructure and mobile networks can support.
The study revealed a 25% drop in mobile network satisfaction compared with 2011, bringing overall satisfaction down to 63%. Only half of respondents were satisfied with their data coverage, and just one-third were satisfied with network speed.
iPass found that business users spend 61% of their workday connected to Wi-Fi. At the same time, the number of devices carried for work has increased from an average of 2.7 to 3.5, including laptops, smartphones and tablets.
“Mobile employees are experiencing a noticeable decline in service quality due to the rapid growth of data consumption,” said Barbara Nelson, chief technology officer at iPass.
She added that enterprises should adopt a comprehensive adaptation strategy: invest in advanced management tools to monitor usage, upgrade infrastructure to meet new capacity demands, license external network services when appropriate, and encourage employees to use secure, low-cost Wi‑Fi connections whenever possible.
The report also highlighted the strong emotional attachment people have to their devices. Nearly 59% of mobile employees reported an emotional reaction to the idea of being without a smartphone for a week. Among those, 40% said they would feel disoriented, 34% would feel distraught, and 10% would feel lonely without their smartphone.
In summary, the growing number of devices and data-hungry applications are outstripping current Wi‑Fi and mobile network capacity. To preserve productivity and user satisfaction, organizations must proactively expand and modernize network infrastructure, improve traffic management, and promote secure, cost-effective connectivity options for employees.