Recent data from tech research firm Gartner reveals 80 percent of enterprises will overspend on their wireless service costs by an average of 15 percent through 2014. This, said analysts, is because companies need to become better at managing their mobile voice and data costs.
But sometimes it can be difficult to decide which route to take for wireless management.
In a recent white paper, “Mobile Management Models”, Pankaj “PJ” Gupta, founder of Amtel (News - Alert), a company that helps enterprises with wireless management, laid out important issues companies struggle with, including the right structure to manage a mobile services network. Santa Clara, Calif.-based Amtel recently reported record revenues in the first half of 2009, which it partially attributes to the growing interest among potential clients to rein in costs, Gupta told TMCnet.
In the white paper, Gupta noted the advantages and disadvantages of various wireless expense business models.
With the “Individual Liable” or “Stipend” Model, for example, an organization offers a flat stipend to its employees toward reimbursement of mobile service charges. Though this model has the lowest accounting and limited IT overhead, drawbacks include missing out on deals often offered for corporate purchasing power for plans and the ability to pool optimization of calling rates.
Meanwhile, the “Individual Liable with Corporate Discount” model gives organizations the power to negotiate discounts with their carriers. With this model, employees buy the equipment and plans, and invoices are reimbursed through a company’s telecom expenses department.
Another option is the “Corporate Liable Centralized” model, where an organization provides employees with the device and the calling plans, which are discounted. Because billing is managed centrally, the company is able to take a full deduction of mobile expenses for tax purposes, Gupta said.
Amtel’s TIMS software platform allows companies to conduct centralized order management of all types of telecommunication services, such as mobile, pagers, calling cards, conferencing, calling cards, conferencing accounts, voice lines and data circuits.
“In this economic environment, our clients are finding that they can save 10 to 40 percent of telecoms cost and their management charges.” Gupta told TMCnet. “Clients are appreciating the depth and integration of our services delivered using state-of-the-art platform developed by our engineers.”
Marisa Torrieri is a TMCnet Editor. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.
Edited by Marisa Torrieri
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