Motorola offers managed services for mobile devices

Motorola today announced two managed services to help companies with limited resources keep mobile devices and wireless LANs up and running. One of the new offerings, the Managed Infrastructure Service, uses Motorola's AirDefense network management software to monitor wireless LANs and troubleshoot them for problems, Motorola said in a statement.

The other offering, Managed Device Service, uses Motorola's Mobility Services Platform software, while offering customers help desk support for remote troubleshooting of laptops and mobile devices, including barcode scanners. The service includes the ability to remotely wipe data from a lost or stolen device and execute software updates, according to the company in an online fact sheet (download pdf).

Other companies offer device management software, including Sybase's Afaria and Intermec's SmartSystems, said Gartner analyst Ken Dulaney. Motorola is promoting itself partly on its reputation of 75 years in the wireless business and as a trusted provider of a managed service, not just a software vendor.

"Customers gain the confidence that their ecosystem is monitored by technicians with deep engineering and industry expertise," said David Gagne, vice president of enterprise mobility solutions at Motorola.

Verizon and AT&T both offer a variety of mobile and wireless management services for enterprises, among other traditional outsourcing vendors. The field of mobile management is expected to grow as mobile devices and networks grow in size and complexity and take on a more central role in organisations.