Telecom Cost Management – iPhone vs BlackBerry

iPhone vs. Blackberry Cost Comparison

In today’s marketplace, there are three main competitors for mobile phone communications in the corporate world: iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry. As of late, iPhone sales have moved upwards of the 20 million mark while BlackBerry has been on the decline. Android is making a play at iPhone sales with a broad and affordable array of devices.

According to a study conducted by telecommunications expense management company, mindWireless, in Q3 of 2011, iPhone wireless expenses cost enterprises approximately 80% more than BlackBerry’s. To put that into perspective, if an enterprise of 1,000 users switches from BlackBerry to iPhone, they can expect their upfront costs to rise by over $100,000 and their annual costs to rise by over $900,000.

iPhone Features/Functionality Outpace Blackberry

So what accounts for this massive increase in spending? (We’re talking an increase of nearly 1 million dollars in telecommunications expenses.) Essentially, it comes from the iPhone’s innovative and ever-interactive platform – the more things you can do on your phone, the more data you’re going to consume, and people are consuming lots of data. In addition, international roaming rates for iPhones carry 50% higher charges.

End over end, iPhone both outperforms and out-costs BlackBerry. For enterprises, this presents an increasingly difficult decision: is the cost of the iPhone worth its increased features? Is it worth appeasing your employees’ demands for an iPhone plan? Possibly yes, depending on your business. But if you’re considering providing iPhone and Android telecommunication device options to your employees without seriously considering the cost implication, you could quickly be placing your telecommunications on austerity measures when your bills get away from you.

New “Go-To” Smart Device for the Enterprise

For the last decade or so, BlackBerrys have been the go-to device for businesses. It’s ease of use and its adaptability to email caused it to spring to the forefront of corporate mobile telecommunications. But now, as iPhone and Android features become more engrossing and offer more and more functionality, it’s clear these Smart devices have become the “go-tos” for employees, at least until the next hot wireless telecom technology arrives.