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With new high-speed 3G wireless technologies taking shape in the marketplace, businesses now have new drivers to engrain mobility into business processes. Many firms use 3G for remote access connectivity for mobile workers. New advancements in downlink and uplink speed and lower network latency now enable 3G to be used for basic connectivity in the office to enable business-critical applications. 3G is no longer reserved for the mobile and field worker. Business-class routers with integrated high-speed 3G wireless combine traditional enterprise router functionality, such as remote management and security, with mobility capabilities of 3G wide-area network (WAN) access. Utilizing high-speed 3G wireless networks, routers can replace or complement existing wireline infrastructure, such as dialup, frame relay and ISDN. Yankee Group predicts many use cases for routers with integrated 3G, such as: • 3G as backup access: Companies implementing a business continuity and disaster recovery solution • Cost savings and usability: Retail environments that rely on low-speed port connections for point-of-sale transactions or new store site locations where wireline access may not be available • Solution flexibility and rapid implementation: Making use of temporary locations such as automated teller machine (ATM) connections at sporting events or data connectivity to support promotional retail kiosks 3G high-speed wireless provides secure, viable and costeffective connectivity to rival some of these legacy wired WANs. Exhibit 1 shows how 3G wireless access solutions compare to traditional wired access in terms of network speed and pricing. All businesses—both large and small—should closely evaluate using high-speed 3G wireless integrated into business-class routers. 3G wireless access should be incorporated into company business continuity solutions and should replace wired network connections requiring low bandwidth, high portability or rapid implementation. For added security benefits, routers with integrated 3G high-speed wireless can be connected to a dedicated MPLS or frame relay network. To make the most of enterprise infrastructure investment, companies should futureproof new solutions by evaluating wireless capabilities as a selection criterion.
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