Research by Zebra indicates firms will increase use of rugged devices in next five years.

The use of rugged mobile devices will increase significantly amongst field service providers over the next five years, a study has revealed.

Study shows Rugged Computers will remain key to field service management

Research by Zebra has found rugged tablets and rugged smartphones will be the most prevalent type of enterprise device for service companies globally.

The study surveyed 1,200 key decision makers across the telecommunications, manufacturing, construction, mining and agricultural industries revealing 93 per cent of those surveyed will adopt rugged mobile devices by 2025.

Currently, 76 per cent of service providers use mobile devices instead of laptops and 86 per cent agreed that the advent of faster 4G and 5G networks will influence investment in technologies, with nine in ten providers indicating they intend to specifically utilise remote monitoring and reporting.

Alex Cooper, Director of Government and Critical Field Service Technologies at Zebra Technologies says rugged devices will form a key part of service strategy going forward. "With increased focus on streamlining workflows and getting tasks done right the first time, service providers in the telecommunications and technical industries are increasingly, equipping their front-line workers with mobile technologies," he said. "Faster mobile connectivity, combined with purpose-built rugged devices and advanced applications, will enable enterprises to keep essential services uninterrupted, safe and efficient."

The research is very much in line with the findings of previous research by fieldservicenews.com that also identified the crucial role that rugged hardware continues to play in field service management. The essential mission-critical nature of field service delivery demands that we empower our field service engineers and technicians with the tools that can allow them to meet the ever-increasing demands of both customers and the boardroom.

While in some environments consumer grade devices may be suitable, the truth remains that the durability, additional battery life and enterprise level security that is baked into rugged tablets, laptops and smart phones makes rugged the pragmatic choice for field service organisations.