BYOD Next Wave: Considerations For Your Corporate BYOD Plan

Over the last 15 years, mobile devices have increasingly become an integral part of our lives. Whether on the subway, in restaurants, or at work, we are all now checking our emails, texting and looking up information on mobile devices. In fact, it is expected that by 2018, mobile device vendors will ship 1.8 billion smartphones worldwide.

With this growth, mobile devices have also become a critical tool for business. The benefits of BYOD in the workplace are now well established. In addition to personal preferences, having a device that serves as both a tool for personal and work use dramatically increases business productivity and decreases the cost for employers supplying devices. For many, not having access to mobile devices in the workplace would have detrimental effects on communication, sales and overall performance of the business.

According to industry analysts at Gartner1, half of enterprises worldwide say they intend to move exclusively to BYOD for smartphones in 2017, eliminating their employee-supplied option. With 95% of enterprises now permitting employee-owned devices in the workplace, the days of IT issuing corporate-owned devices are becoming very rare.

While both global enterprises and employees are both rapidly embracing BYOD, organizations are now faced with having to create "bring your own device" (BYOD) policies. Many organizations have already implemented BYOD policies, however it has become clear that these policies require a fine balance between securing corporate information accessed on the device; keeping employee information and calls private; and developing guidelines for how charges for the mobile device (such as monthly data) are separated and reimbursed to the employee through expense reports.

Over three-fourths of these organizations embracing BYOD today cite security as the biggest concern. This is with good reason, as 23% of U.S.-based employees say they have experienced some kind of compromise on their personal device in the past year. In addition, mixing personal and business activities on the same device was reported as the second strongest employee concern for BYOD programs, second only to restrictions around personal app usage.

Mobile security is also expected to become a bigger priority in the next 12-18 months, with 42.9% of businesses selecting it as a likely investment (versus 20% who have made the investment in the past 18 months).

So how do organizations accept BYOD within their enterprise while balancing security, employee privacy and mobile expenses? What solutions and policies give the enterprise a peace of mind while giving end users complete flexibility as well cost benefits in choosing device and carrier?

Over the past few years, multiple identity services have become available that enable employees to have multiple lines on a single device, essentially splitting their single mobile phone into multiple identities – one for business and one for personal use. Examples of these applications include AT&T's Toggle service and Google Divide. These solutions not only separate data, such as work/personal emails, but also provide users with separate voice capabilities, allowing a separation between work and personal phone calls.

A holistic MIM (Multiple Identities Management) service help to resolve BYOD challenges by offering a solution to 4 key needs – the best quality of service (service continuation even without data), a frictionless user experience, security and split billing/usage for each identity. While Mobile Device Management and Mobile Application Management solutions aim at addressing concerns around security in BYOD, those solutions are not sufficient to roll out a corporate wide BYOD policy addressing all 4 key needs stated above.

Movius Corporation has partnered with all key MDM/MAM providers, to develop a unique solution which bridges the gap between the security needs of the enterprise and the desires of the end users for a great device and carrier agnostic experience. For example, the work done with Orange and Cellrox (see news release) through the use of Movius myIdentities. By leveraging VoIP and circuit switched voice (cellular TDM) this new solution offers users a significantly higher quality of service and improved user experience. As soon as users step away from their WiFi or Cellular data coverage, the phone service instantly and seamlessly switches from VoIP to cellular TDM, allowing the same quality of service to continue for the user. This can mean the difference between having your sales rep close an important deal and having the call drop off during travel. In addition to providing multiple phone numbers on one SIM, the solution offers split billing for voice and data. Moreover, the service is deployable Over The Top.

Another trend evolving as BYOD is further integrated into our lives is the ability to use one's mobile device on any mobile carrier. Customers are no longer limited to the mobile devices that their carriers' (e.g., AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint, etc.) supply. Customers have many more options in terms of their hardware preferences, whether it is an Apple iPhone or a Samsung, and can purchase them anywhere. They are keeping their devices longer and also want the flexibility to use their devices with any carrier.

Mobile carriers need to acknowledge the shift in customer preferences and find a way to generate revenue. Movius' myIdentities app provides the flexibility necessary to address these multiple identities management (MIM) trends, while also helping carriers to bring in alternate sources of revenue.

In addition to the need for carriers to provide more adaptable offerings and pricing plans to customers, enterprises and customers are encouraged to integrate mobile identity solutions that offer a more holistic approach. Enterprise organizations and end users considering mobile identity solutions as part of their BYOD plan should consider Movius, as it is currently the only vendor to offer all of the following:

• Security levels for accessing enterprise data that meet DoD specifications
• Higher quality of service through the use of both VoIP and cellular TDM
• Split billing that simplifies expenses for both the organization and the end user
• Firewall capabilities that keep personal data, online searches and phone calls private
• Carrier agnostic functionality allowing for greater freedom of choice among mobile carrier services
• A strong and growing ecosystem of global partners

For further information on Movius myIdentities, please contact sales@moviuscorp.com or visit http://www.moviuscorp.com.

1Gartner, Bring Your Own Device: The Results and the Future, 5 May 2014 by David Willis