BYOD trend to add 200 million users by 2014, report says

Tablets and smartphones are becoming a larger part of daily business use. From the ability to answer emails and phones calls while in the field to making and accepting payments, personal devices are becoming a larger part of businesses of all sizes. As readers of this blog know, the trend is growing and, according to a new study, 200 million employees will join the movement in the next couple years.

Juniper Research released a new report that shows that 150 million employees currently use their personal devices for business functions and by 2014 that number is expected to grow to 350 million. Industry experts that were interviewed for the report consider this growth to be “inevitable.”

With this increased deployment comes a looming concern – keeping data secure. Dubbed a “security nightmare” by the report, proper device oversight, management and employee support is critical for mobile technology success.

Nitin Bhas, the author of the report, wrote that specific BYOD IT polices and proper device management are required for personal devices to work within a business setting. This company control is needed, as a number of risks go along with adding smartphones and tablets to the corporate network. There are a number of security concerns that can lead to major problems, if businesses are not prepared for them.

There are many outside factors – like network strength, responsible employee usage and stolen devices – that, if not taken into account beforehand, the benefits could be meaningless. Lieberman Software released the results of a new poll that found 67 percent of companies believe implementing BYOD will actually increase IT costs for a business.

The complex nature of adding personal tablets and smartphones to a company’s infrastructure means businesses need to be thinking big picture. By partnering with an experienced IT provider like CTI Technology companies can get a complete solution for personal devices.

Nitin Bhas, the author of the report, wrote that specific BYOD IT polices and proper device management are required for personal devices to work within a business setting.