Dial-Up vs. Wireless: A Business Decision Overview
To decide the benefits of continuing to use dial-up connections at a business, or switching to wireless when the business is critically involved utilizing the world wide web and internet connects as part of its daily activities may seem like a 'no brainer' from a personal perspective, from the point-of-view of an individual to whom speed is a priority above all other concerns, when accessing the Internet. Additionally, even from the perspective of commerce, speed must a crucial aspect of the decision-making process when evaluating communications technology. However, employee frustration over a slow workplace connection was not enough to motivate the workplace in question to switch to wireless. Additionally, research showed that the customers and suppliers lost as a result of the slower connection should also an important consideration in switching to wireless.
Of course, dial-up connections are less expensive than wireless connections. But the commerce gained balanced this out. So did other concerns such as employee training and acclimating older employees unfamiliar with wireless technology at their homes. Education must always be added onto the start-up costs. These costs can difficult to calculate, as they depend upon the ability of the employees. But one must remember the breadth of experience of new workers in the workplace with wireless. It was concluded that these worker could act as continual helpers in the on-site transition without substantial additional costs to the company.
A second important consideration was the ubiquity of the new wireless technology, and its lack of likelihood of being replaced in the near future by an even superior form of connectivity technology. It is not enough that a technology seem better than preexisting forms, but that the technology has compatibility with preexisting systems, such as dialups, and is also unlikely to be replaced in the near future, and thus requires yet another jarring workplace transition. As research pointed out that wireless was both compatible with other businesses still using dialups, unlikely to be replaced by better forms of accessing the Internet, and was teachable to the current staff, the decision to switch to wireless seemed to be a clear.
