Average corporate user accesses network remotely 8-24 times a month

Although still limited today, usage of wireless data services (including both cellular and hotspot services) to remotely access corporate computers and networks is steadily growing, reports In-Stat/MDR. While this is the case, there is little detailed information available about the devices used to remotely access corporate computers and networks wirelessly, where these devices were obtained, the types of services that are accessed, the types of sessions that users have, the number and length of those sessions, the amount of data that is uploaded and downloaded, usage of VPNs for wireless access, the types of applications that are accessed, interest in VoIP applications, and the amount of money that is spent per month on these services.

Laptops and notebooks are becoming the preferred devices to access data wirelessly, displacing cellular phones as the most popular access device. Frequency of access varies significantly by type of equipment. Depending on the device, respondents estimate that they access the Internet wirelessly somewhere between eight and 24 times per month. The two most common applications accessed wirelessly include e-mail and the Internet/World Wide Web. About half of respondents use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to wirelessly access corporate computers and networks; however, they do not use the VPN at all times. The amount of data that users upload and download is increasing from year to year. Users of laptops with wireless PC cards tend to upload and download the most data. Given a list of potential Voice Over IP (VoIP) applications, respondents express the most interest in making voice calls from their notebook computers.