Mobile communications

Of all the technologies that affect business, mobile communications are perhaps the most revolutionary. Although the first mobile phone was demonstrated in 1973, it was not until the mid-1990s that they began to be adopted more widely. From that point, working life would never be the same.

First, there was the car phone, which allowed salespeople to keep in touch with the office and clients while on the road and respond more quickly to opportunities. Then came mobile phones – not exactly pocketable, but they would fit in a briefcase. Text messaging – originally a service feature for mobile phones – soon took off.

But it was the arrival of mobile data that really transformed business. The once ubiquitous BlackBerry – initially given to employees as a second device alongside their phone – introduced the concept of “always-on” working. Employees could respond to emails, which were by then the mainstay of business communication – anywhere.

Laptops soon became equipped with mobile data, and fast public WiFi sprouted up in cities. By the time the iPad arrived in 2010, offering a truly portable alternative to boxy company laptops, the barriers between work and home life had been demolished. If you were awake, you were online.

The technology kept pace. Over the past 12 years, WAP, GPRS, Edge, 3G and now LTE have allowed us to send larger documents, pictures and more recently even hold videoconferences from almost any location.

The revolution is not only internal. The relationship with the customer has been transformed, most profoundly in the retail sector. Shoppers can browse, buy and pay with their mobile phones. Mailing lists and catalogues have been replaced by flash offers by email or text.

Customer service is no longer just a two-way conversation. People can tweet their dissatisfaction, or check a competitor’s price by scanning the barcode with their phone. In exchange, retailers can know their customer as never before. They can track purchases or respond to a complaint before a customer has left the shop.

In the media and advertising, companies are finding new ways to reach mobile audiences. A large proportion of music and software is now sold through app stores rather than over the counter. In healthcare, mobile technology has the potential to allow real-time monitoring of our bodies throughout our lives.

Machine-to-machine communication (the “internet of things”) is also taking off. Before long, electricity smart meters will feed real-time energy use data back to the grid, or car parts will send maintenance data back to service centres, for example.

Bede McCarthy