Turn On My Internet Zone For A Better Workshift

Monday, October 3rd, 2011 Steve Simms, CEO & Co-Founder, Tomizone Limited

By: Steve Simms, Executive Director & Co-Founder, Tomizone

When asked to add commentary on the latest iPass Mobile Workforce Report, I was quite reflective of my own work habits and how they’ve changed over recent times. In the old days when smart phones and email connectivity away from home or work didn’t exist, I fondly remember the number of phone calls and follow up lists I’d have on me.

My mobile phone bill was always a source of amusement with the finance team because I always broke the “minutes used per month” record and my fellow workers thought I had a phone growing out of my head. Workplace accountability was as good as “your word” and via follow up email messages “when I get back to the office”.

This always caused me stress and I’d still be seen lurking in the office pounding out the follow up messages while my dinner was being missed at home. My work / life balance was terrible – all because I was tethered to a work computer at work or on dial up from home.

Fast-forward ten years and the contrast is like night and day. I remain connected to my (many) email profiles and discretely tap away replies or thoughts on the move. I spend better time with my family and friends and also observe the “email etiquette” rules so I don’t appear rude.

I’m also amazed at how much idle time there is like “waiting for friends” or “sitting on a ferry on the way to work” – time in the past that was not used efficiently for follow up or updating myself on events. I’m probably creating more work for myself but it doesn’t feel like it.

I’ve also just returned from an extensive trip in China where traditionally I’d be waiting to get back to the hotel or office to update email or stay in touch. The Data Roaming bills were horrific in the past so I constantly use my Wi-Fi connection where I can.

This is where the iPass connectivity makes it vital to connect to Wi-Fi infrastructure while on the road and it was something we took advantage of constantly on this recent trip. Wi-Fi industry folk are building networks frantically to cope with the demand for users like me that have smartphones and tablets. Having an interconnected network resource means that expensive data roaming bills could be a thing of the past as these networks grow.

The day is coming where finance departments won’t accept data roaming due to the alternatives available such as iPass. Our company has a “no data roaming” policy and unless it’s an emergency. Our data roaming bill is an annual cost equivalent to a tank of gas. Wi-Fi roaming connectivity has saved us about US$3,000 per user per year at least.

If I was to quantify productivity gains through connectivity in general, I’m sure a finance team would be doing cart wheels of delight by having the team available on-line every hour of every day. I certainly have a lot of confidence on a quick reply these days when I send a message – something that didn’t exist a decade ago.

As I look forward to the near term, I see increased demand for connectivity on the move with high-speed Wi-Fi networks. Users want to experience this connectivity like they do at home or the office and seamless Wi-Fi is growing in popularity. Wi-Fi bundles with mobile plans are becoming more prevalent as carriers look to attract customers or off-load 3G data congestion. Wi-Fi Operators have geared up to enable this seamless experience and this core offering is sure to delight users who are constantly connected.

With the rise of the iPad and other tablets, these data hungry devices have exposed a whole new market for connectivity on the road and it’s no coincidence that around 83% of respondents to the iPass Workforce Report are happy to pay for Wi-Fi connectivity or bundled Wi-Fi.

I’m also not surprised to read that personal connectivity is also a major factor driving usage while on vacation (Figure 19, Why do you connect to technology during vacation) – I personally fell victim to this when my favourite resort in Fiji became a Wi-Fi Zone which meant I could keep abreast of what was happening in the world.

So has this connectivity caused an imbalance to my work/life balance? No way! If anything, it has allowed me to take control of my time and spread my workload across my day as a manageable layer. I’m now off for a relaxing coffee at my favourite café that has Wi-Fi to update my mind on world events and tap out my new idea for a product enhancement.

Nice!

Tags: carriers, wi-fi access