Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in SA are lagging behind larger organisations in the adoption of advanced mobile technologies, according to research house World Wide Worx`s Mobility 2006 report, released this morning.
Over 1 100 SMEs were interviewed on their deployment and usage of mobile technologies, in a study backed by First National Bank, Virgin Mobile and Verizon Business.
"The findings reveal that SMEs are at a great disadvantage to large corporates in their ability to make new mobile technologies work for them," says Arthur Goldstuck, MD of World Wide Worx.
About 53% of SMEs considered themselves to be advanced in their usage of common mobile technologies like laptops and cellular phones. However, only 17% believed they were advanced in their usage of more complex technologies like wireless networking and mobile broadband technology.
"This emphasises a phenomenon we have come across in related research, showing SMEs are resistant to change and require a strong educational approach in any effort to sell new technology to them," adds Goldstuck.
From a banking perspective, Len Pienaar, CEO of FNB Mobile and Transact Solutions, adds: "We have only seen the start of the adoption of cellphone banking services by SMEs. The challenge will be for banks to design and offer services to SMEs that will give them access to the same services and functionality that big corporates currently have, but at an affordable cost."
These findings, along with the next phase of the study dealing with larger corporate use of mobile technologies, will be explored at the Mobility 2006 conference in Johannesburg on 14 September. Independent Communications Authority of SA chairman Paris Mashile will address delegates on the complexities of regulating telecoms costs.
Share
