Chapter 6 Q5: Identify the advantages and disadvantage of deploying mobile technology.

ADVANTAGES:
Public and private sector enterprises are always in pursuit of ideas that can make them more efficient and flexible, qualities that have a direct effective on both profitability and performance. As wireless networking moves into the mainstream, many organizations find that the addition of mobile network components offers undeniable business benefits, both direct and indirect.
Seen directly, wireless solutions can improve the connectedness of a workforce and enhance decision-making by providing faster access to more current information. They can also be easier to maintain and configure, reducing the need for IT staff.
Indirectly, mobile solutions can improve worker satisfaction by providing easier, more flexible access options. They can even improve public perception, and introduce new, “cutting edge” mechanisms for customer interaction; through the following characteristcs:

• Elimination of duplicate data entry and transcription errors.
• Improved efficiency so agents can concentrate on sales and service, not paperwork and increased productivity through real-time.
• Improved customer service with faster customer response time.
• Better information sharing, and better management insight into agents’ activities and performance.
• Improved communications with control personnel, who can remain on the production floor without being out of reach; and tracking of the parts and labor associated with each order, with verification at the time of data entry.
• More accurate analysis of product costs,with better tracking of labor details against work orders.
• Significant reduction in parts retrieval time.
• Improved productivity through better communications.
• Efficient access to business-critical data.
• Faster product delivery times.
• Increased employee and customer satisfaction.
• Reduced connection costs.
• Improved provider working conditions with the flexibility offered by remote information access.
 
In summary the advantages include: low ongoing costs, ease of implentation, effective base-level data transfer rate, mobility, and redundancy in fututre growth.
 
DISADVANTAGES:


When considering options for wide area networks, it is appropriate to consider the few disadvantages presented by wireless technology.

1-Radio Interference. When multiple radio antennas are located close in proximity, or many strong spread spectrum sources inhabit a small geographic region, RF wireless loses some of its effectiveness. The signals may interfere with each other, causing re-transmission of signals and loss of throughput. But such sources are unusual in many rural communities.

2-Path Interference. Radio wireless technology is commonly advertised as "impervious" to weather. This means, essentially, that particles of rain, fog, smog, and dust are not large enough to block the transmission of the radio signal. In the 902-928Mhz frequency spectrum this is essentially true.

3-Weather and Accidental Damage. Because wireless connectivity uses external antennas, severe weather may damage these components. Lightning arrestors will be used to prevent damage to internal network equipment, but very high winds may still misalign or damage antennas. Also, one must allow for the possibility of accidents in which antennas are damaged.

4-Throughput. Wireless connectivity offers a better cost/performance ratio over time than leased data circuits; but not in comparison with fibre optic.

http://searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com/answer/Advantages-disadvantages-of-deploying-wireless

Please follow this link to watch a video on the issue:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtGuszUwF1A