With a slowing global economy, one of the cost-cutting measures desired by IT personnel appears to be the desktop phone, including desktop IP phones. That at least according to an OnRelay survey that shows 88% of cost-conscious IT Professionals would ditch the desktop phone. Apparently, the desire for for mobile working makes desktop tools a low priority expense. I should point out that OnRelay offers a hosted PBX solution with mobile phone only extensions, so you might think this survey has a conflict of interest. However, OnRelay's solutions can work with existing PBXs and desktop phones, so there isn't necessarily a conflict.
In any event, today OnRelay published results from a survey revealing the personal business tools IT professionals couldn't be without, and the equipment they would give up as corporate budgets tighten. Their answers show a clear preference for the mobile office, and question corporate spend on technologies that those in IT have already left behind.
OnRelay surveyed 330 IT professionals in UK enterprise. Reflecting today's tougher economic choices, they were asked to select the four office IT tools they see as essential - out of a list of nine items.
Those surveyed were asked to choose from: the laptop; desktop PC; virtual private network (VPN) access; mobile phone; Blackberry™, desk phone; video conferencing; or their own personal desk.
The top three items chosen by the IT professionals were all mobile office technologies. The laptop came in as the most essential item - making the must-have list of 88% of respondents. The mobile phone came second at 74% of respondents, followed by VPN access (69%).
The least chosen items emphasise the low priority end-users place on fixed desktop equipment. The office desk phone was the tool those questioned were most willing to give up, with only 18% listing the desk phone as essential. This is akin to the 20% who prioritised a desktop PC, and the 22% who chose video conferencing as a must-have.
OnRelay's survey provides insight into IT professionals' disengagement with desktop tools. Although the majority of those questioned (87%) currently had an office desk phone, if given the choice, 88% said they would choose the mobile as their one business phone.
The underuse of the desk phone is already apparent from the fact that only 3% of those surveyed said they forwarded their calls to mobile when away from their desk. A full 54% of IT professionals admitted to never forwarding their desk phone calls, whilst only 10% forward their calls when away from the office.
"This survey shows that IT decision makers want wireless, use wireless, and will lead the drive to cut the cord as budgets tighten," comments OnRelay, CFO Marie Wold. "Costly desk phones will rapidly be phased out of IT budgets to be replaced by mobile-only telephony. The current economic climate is accelerating this shift towards mobile integration in the corporate."
We do indeed live in a mobile world, but do I see the desktop phone going the way of the dinosaur anytime soon? Not likely. There are just too many advantages to a desktop phone, including a larger LCD, higher quality speakerphone, more feature buttons & speed dials, and more. Still, it was an interesting survey worth sharing.
android apple asterisk at&t blackberry cell phone cisco dell digium e911 facebook fcc google google talk gps im ip-pbx ipad iphone ipod itexpo ITEXPO lync microsoft mobile phone open source outage phone review sip skype sony unified communications verizon video video conferencing voip vonage wireless xbox 360
- Apple (280)
- Bittorrent (2)
- Call Center and CRM (48)
- Computer Hardware (183)
- Computer Software (71)
- Gadgets (650)
- Google (225)
- Home Entertainment (263)
- Internet (173)
- Linux (111)
- Microsoft (376)
- MovableType (48)
- News (187)
- Personal and Humor (118)
- Politics (9)
- Reviews (246)
- Security (2)
- Social Networking (42)
- Sports/Outdoor Technology (9)
- Tablets (32)
- Technology and Science (355)
- Unified Communications (471)
- VoIP (2285)
- Wireless (584)
- p2p (20)
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
- June 2006
- May 2006
- April 2006
- March 2006
- February 2006
- January 2006
- December 2005
- November 2005
- October 2005
- September 2005
- August 2005
- July 2005
- June 2005
- May 2005
- April 2005
- March 2005
- February 2005
- January 2005
- December 2004
- November 2004
- October 2004
- September 2004
- August 2004
- July 2004
- June 2004
- May 2004
- April 2004
- March 2004
Featured Videos