Mobile devices Toolkit

Public sector mobile technology explosion predicted

Kable

Published: 21 Mar 2005 17:20 GMT

Public sector spending on ICT for mobile workers is set to increase by nearly five times over the next decade, according to research from market analyst Kable.

Although annual UK investment is estimated to be about £900m in 2004/05, spending is expected to rise to £4.3bn by 2014/15 as the market matures. Kable expects dramatic growth from a market where mobile workers already account for 1.1 million of the public sector's 5.5 million employees.

The Mobile Working ICT in the UK Public Sector report predicts that all mobile workers will be equipped with mobile technology in 10 years. Pressure to achieve more with existing solutions combined with technology developments will drive this growth into new ways of working, the report says.

Healthcare is expected to assume the largest market share with so many of its workforce desk free. Its spending will increase from £213m to £1.46bn in ten years, according to the study.

Local government and police spending are also earmarked for significant rises. Defence, the largest user of mobile working this year, however, will concede much of its market share to other sectors.