How to put cost-effective PDA program in place

Mobility comes with a price, and that cost can easily skyrocket if good planning, needs assessment and tight control over support and maintenance aren't part of your wireless technology plans. When it comes to devices such as PDAs, it's even more critical. They're typically not cheap to buy or support thanks to all the functionality provided. While an initial deployment may feature a few dozen handhelds, the number of devices quickly swells with more users clamoring for the capability.

At EMC, the BlackBerry contingent started with just 2,000 devices among the 20,000-plus employee base. Now it's more than 5,000 devices in place. Current research predicts that companies will spend 8 percent more this year on mobile devices and technology. But that spend has to be managed carefully, say experts, as IT budgets aren't growing at the same rate.

A good first step is an analysis to determine what users need in terms of functionality so that the right device can be identified. Then determine the number of users for calculating the cost equation. Finally, there's the task of choosing the right carrier--or carriers, in the case of EMC, which found efficiency in using several vendors. Article