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Compaq Global Services today launched a new suite of wireless services offerings designed help enterprises build out and deploy mobile technology.
The suite of consulting, integration and support services are intended to help enterprises sift through the hype to understand whats real and whats not as well as understand implementation and security issues around wireless deployments, according to Bob Simmons, global practice leader for CGSs wireless networking practice, in Littleton, Mass.
“With wireless, its easy to get lost in the technology and the hype. You have to make sure there is a clear business benefit (before embarking on wireless initiatives),” said Simmons.
Toward that end, CGS has packaged several early service engagements into repeatable service offerings. The suite includes seven different services in four areas, including wireless LANs, mobile messaging, mobile CRM (customer relationship management) and mobile enterprise application solutions.
Among them is the Art of the Possible Mobility Strategy Service, a kind of triage of possible wireless applications within an enterprise.
The service uses a CGS methodology to look at the supply and value chain and communication processes within those to see where mobile technology can be used to “take latency out to see business gain,” Simmons said. For example, the service would look at how wireless could provide the field sales force with more information in a timely manner to help close sales, or how wireless could take away 20 steps that a factory worker might take in completing a task.
The suite also includes the Mobility Architecture Service, which is intended to insure that mobile projects are aligned with the clients business goals.
The new Managed Mobility Pilot Services is intended to help customers advance new mobile applications without affecting their own production systems. The Pilot program is designed to help clients quickly and cost effectively deploy pilots to determine their viability.
Other options in the suite include mobility assessment, design and implementation services, back-end services for managing mobility and support services covering wireless LANs, mobile messaging, mobile CRM and mobile enterprise applications.
Compaq will compete with a variety of vendors and their services counterparts with the new offerings. Competitors include Symbol Technologies Inc., Nortel Networks, Lucent Technologies Inc. and Cisco Systems Inc. with its partners, according to Richard Dean, program director for the wireless and mobile infrastructure services at International Data Corp., in Framingham, Mass.
“Its too early to tell whos a leader and whos a trailer. Compaq could be considered to be in good position because of its iPAQ technology. That device is doing fairly well in the market,” he said.
The wireless LAN arena—one of the fastest growing segments of the wireless market—is expected to generate $3.53 billion in services revenues by 2005, Dean said.