Copyright TechTarget - All rights reserved https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rss/rss.html Techtarget Feed Generator en Thu, 19 Feb 2026 05:47:07 GMT https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing editor@techtarget.com <p>As mobile wallets become standard at checkout, businesses evaluating digital payment strategies should consider whether Apple Pay belongs in their offering. Consumer expectations around speed, convenience and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/definition/contactless-payment">contactless transactions</a> continue to rise, particularly in mobile-first retail environments.</p> <p>Apple Pay is Apple's mobile payment platform that enables customers to complete transactions using an iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch. For merchants, accepting Apple Pay can support smoother checkout experiences, enhance payment security and align with broader digital commerce modernization efforts.</p> <p>However, decision-makers should understand both the operational requirements and strategic implications before enabling it.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Are there drawbacks to implementing Apple Pay?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Are there drawbacks to implementing Apple Pay?</h2> <p>Not every merchant supports Apple Pay. This problem isn't specific to the Apple service -- Walmart, for example, doesn't accept any contactless payment method besides its own <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/digital-wallet">digital wallet</a>, Walmart Pay. For Walmart, this might be a way to encourage the use of its digital wallet and mobile app. <a name="_Hlk161154560"></a>For smaller organizations, reluctance to implement Apple Pay and other contactless payment methods might come down to the setup process.</p> <p>While the setup process is straightforward, it does require organizations to make sure that they have the right technology and, if not, purchase new technology. To accept contactless payments, organizations need to have point-of-sale (POS) terminals with near-field communication (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/definition/Near-Field-Communication">NFC</a>) capability. IT teams must also confirm that their payment processor supports Apple Pay and take steps to meet software and security requirements. Before taking on this process, organizations should make sure that Apple Pay is a good fit for them.</p> <blockquote class="main-article-pullquote"> <div class="main-article-pullquote-inner"> <figure> During Apple Pay transactions, vendors don't receive customers' actual card numbers, so they also don't have to deal with sensitive data in their payment systems. </figure> <i class="icon" data-icon="z"></i> </div> </blockquote> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Benefits of using and accepting Apple Pay"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Benefits of using and accepting Apple Pay</h2> <p>Most U.S. retailers accept Apple Pay, but its prevalence isn't the only reason to adopt the contactless technology. When considering why they should accept Apple Pay, organizations can look to customer experience, security and affordable setup.</p> <p>For retail and digital commerce leaders, the decision to accept Apple Pay typically centers on customer experience, fraud mitigation and checkout optimization.</p> <h3>Mobile payment methods can enhance customer experience</h3> <p>Contactless payment provides a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/tip/Why-customer-journey-touchpoints-matter">smooth, efficient checkout experience</a>. For users to set up Apple Pay, they should open the Wallet app on their Apple device and add the information for any desired credit, debit or prepaid cards. After that, they can use that device to make payments anywhere that accepts Apple Pay -- online or in-store.</p> <p>When shopping in person, a customer can simply open the Wallet app on their device, select the card they want to use and hold the device near the NFC card reader for a few seconds to make a payment. When making online or in-app purchases, a customer can choose Apple Pay as the payment method, select the card they want to use and confirm the transaction.&nbsp;</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/how_to_make_a_payment_through_a_digital_wallet_app-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/how_to_make_a_payment_through_a_digital_wallet_app-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/how_to_make_a_payment_through_a_digital_wallet_app-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/how_to_make_a_payment_through_a_digital_wallet_app-f.png 1280w" alt="Diagram showing the steps to make a payment through a digital wallet app." height="262" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Digital wallet apps such as Apple Pay provide a simple checkout process. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <p>Because of this convenience, Apple Pay is the go-to choice for some users. Whether a customer just prefers the mobile payment option or left their physical wallet at home, accepting Apple Pay can help organizations ensure that the purchase goes through without difficulty.</p> <h3>Apple Pay's encryption system provides strong security</h3> <p>There are also some security benefits that come with using Apple Pay. For customers, Apple Pay ensures secure transactions by requiring user authentication. To authorize a purchase, customers must use their Touch ID, Face ID or passcode. If a user loses their device and has Apple's Find My feature turned on, they can place the device in Lost Mode to suspend Apple Pay rather than having to cancel their cards.</p> <p>Apple's policy of encrypting card data and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/tokenization">tokenizing</a> transactions is helpful for customers and vendors alike. When a user successfully adds a card to Apple Pay, their bank or card issuer will create a device-specific token for it, called a Device Account Number. Apple Pay uses this token to complete transactions, protecting bank account information. The Device Account Number is never stored on Apple servers or backed up to iCloud, and Apple doesn't have access to the original card numbers. This <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/tip/Top-customer-data-privacy-best-practices">keeps customer data safe</a> and encrypted at every level. During Apple Pay transactions, vendors don't receive customers' actual card numbers, so they also don't have to deal with sensitive data in their payment systems.</p> <p>Because Apple Pay does not transmit primary account numbers to merchants, it can also reduce breach exposure and simplify PCI compliance scope compared to traditional card processing.</p> <blockquote class="main-article-pullquote"> <div class="main-article-pullquote-inner"> <figure> For smaller organizations, reluctance to implement Apple Pay and other contactless payment methods might come down to the setup process. </figure> <i class="icon" data-icon="z"></i> </div> </blockquote> <h3>Setup is affordable and flexible</h3> <p>Apple Pay comes with very few extra costs, if any. As long as an organization doesn't have to get new equipment or switch to a new POS system, there won't be setup fees to accept Apple Pay. When a customer pays with a credit or debit card through Apple Pay, the only merchant fees are those that would already be in place with a regular card transaction. Plus, if a customer <a target="_blank" href="https://support.apple.com/en-us/109304" rel="noopener">pays with</a> Apple Cash from their Wallet app, it's fee-free.</p> <p>Apple provides other services that businesses can consider in tandem with Apple Pay. When taking the steps to accept Apple Pay, organizations should also look into accepting it as an online payment option on their <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcontentmanagement/tip/CMS-and-e-commerce-How-they-differ-and-work-together">e-commerce sites</a>. For in-store purchases, some organizations could even implement Tap to Pay to use an iPhone as a payment terminal. This flexibility enables organizations of all sizes to offer a popular payment method to customers with relative ease and minimal costs.</p> <p>Of course, Apple Pay is only available on Apple devices, and not every customer is an Apple user. Organizations should also offer other contactless payment options, such as <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/Google-Pay">Google Pay</a>, to accommodate more of their customer base. Contactless payment methods all rely on the same NFC technology, so it's easy to set up both options.</p> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">What business leaders should consider before accepting Apple Pay</h3> <p>Before enabling Apple Pay, leadership teams should look beyond basic setup and consider a few practical questions:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>Do your customers expect it?</b><br>If a significant portion of your customer base uses iPhones, offering Apple Pay may reduce checkout friction.</li> <li><b>Will it improve the checkout experience?</b><br>Faster, contactless payments can shorten lines in stores and simplify online purchases.</li> <li><b>Does your current POS system support it?</b><br>Accepting Apple Pay requires NFC-enabled terminals and payment processor support.</li> <li><b>How does it fit into your broader payment strategy?</b><br>If you offer Apple Pay, you may also want to support other digital wallets to avoid favoring one user group.</li> <li><b>What are the security implications?</b><br>Apple Pay uses tokenization and device authentication, which can limit exposure of card data in merchant systems.</li> <li><b>Are there equipment or integration costs?</b><br>Merchant fees are typically the same as standard card payments, but hardware upgrades may be required.</li> </ul> </div> </div> <p><i><strong>Editor's note</strong>: This article was updated in February 2026 to improve the reader experience.</i></p> <p><i>Katie Fenton is associate site editor for TechTarget's Mobile Computing, Enterprise Desktop and Virtual Desktop sites.</i></p> </section> Apple Pay is widely used by iPhone customers. Businesses considering contactless payments should understand its impact on checkout speed, security and setup requirements. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/money_g1050046190.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/tip/Why-should-businesses-use-and-accept-Apple-Pay Wed, 18 Feb 2026 16:14:00 GMT <p>BYOD policies are no longer a fringe workforce accommodation. For many organizations, they are a response to cost pressure, hybrid work expectations and employee device preferences. The question for CIOs and CISOs is no longer whether employees will use personal devices for work, but whether the organization will govern that reality strategically.</p> <p>In a zero-trust, SaaS-driven environment, a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/BYOD-bring-you">BYOD</a> policy affects more than hardware budgets. It shapes identity controls, data segmentation, endpoint visibility and risk exposure. When designed correctly, BYOD can support cost discipline, workforce flexibility and sustainability goals. When poorly governed, it can expand the attack surface and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tip/How-to-manage-BYOD-security-policies-and-stay-compliant">complicate compliance efforts</a>.</p> <p>The following benefits explain why many organizations formalize BYOD policies -- and where leadership should evaluate the tradeoffs.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="7 benefits of implementing a BYOD policy"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>7 benefits of implementing a BYOD policy</h2> <p>BYOD policies deliver value across cost, workforce flexibility and sustainability -- but only when governance maturity keeps pace with access and data risks.</p> <h3>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Lower upfront cost for hardware</h3> <p>The money saved from not purchasing a fleet of endpoints is perhaps the most obvious and easy-to-quantify benefit of a BYOD program. With BYOD in place, the burden of cost is shifted to the end users, but not in a way that drastically affects an end user's bottom line. After all, BYOD users will simply be adding functionality to the devices that they would own anyway.</p> <p>These cost savings are not only upfront but also on the timeline of a refresh cycle. Consider an example organization with an endpoint refresh cycle of three years. The organization will save hundreds of dollars by not purchasing a new device for each user operating a BYOD endpoint.&nbsp;Further, users would likely bring corporate-owned devices in for repairs if damaged, but the user will usually handle a damaged personal device.</p> <p>Some organizations could even consider passing on some of the savings to the end users by offering a BYOD stipend for a portion of the new device's cost if the device is truly critical to the user's day-to-day work.</p> <h4>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Increased employee satisfaction</h4> <p>This benefit is more difficult to quantify precisely, but users often report a better overall working experience if they don't need to carry around two smartphones -- or even laptops -- every day. Of course, each user might have a different preference for a device ownership program, but market research points to employees, in the aggregate, being more satisfied when they work using BYOD.</p> <p>Workforce surveys consistently show that employees prefer using familiar devices, particularly in hybrid and remote roles where mobility and convenience influence overall engagement.</p> <h3>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Improve user productivity</h3> <p>Organizations that formalize BYOD often report productivity gains, largely because employees work faster on devices and workflows they already know.</p> <p>Familiarity reduces onboarding friction and shortens the time required for employees to become productive on new roles or projects. In distributed teams, eliminating device constraints can also reduce informal workarounds that introduce security gaps.</p> <p>Productivity gains, however, assume mature identity management, conditional access policies and data segmentation to prevent unmanaged data exposure.</p> <p>If a user is familiar with Apple devices, it might be difficult to adapt to using an Android smartphone or a Windows desktop. The same applies to someone familiar with Windows and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/definition/Android-OS">Google Android</a> -- corporate-owned Apple devices might present a learning curve. Even if a user is used to Android devices, moving from a Samsung-manufactured device to a Google-manufactured device could prove challenging.</p> <blockquote class="main-article-pullquote"> <div class="main-article-pullquote-inner"> <figure> In a zero-trust, SaaS-driven environment, a BYOD policy affects more than hardware budgets. It shapes identity controls, data segmentation, endpoint visibility and risk exposure. </figure> <i class="icon" data-icon="z"></i> </div> </blockquote> <h3>4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A more connected workforce</h3> <p>Users that rely on their personal devices for work tasks are more likely to be able to access work materials at all times than users with a dedicated work device. If users have a dedicated work device, they are more likely to turn it off and put it fully away compared to an endpoint that also functions as a personal device.</p> <p>A BYOD program’s goal is not to trick users into checking their email and absentmindedly returning to work during their time off. However, in the event of timely tasks that need immediate approval or a work-related emergency, it's crucial to reach key employees immediately.</p> <p>In time-sensitive scenarios -- such as incident response, financial approvals or operational disruptions --&nbsp; consistent device access can improve responsiveness without requiring employees to manage multiple endpoints.</p> <p>These benefits are also present with corporate-owned personally enabled (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/definition/COPE-corpora">COPE</a>) endpoints, but only if users adopt those devices as their primary personal devices, which isn't always possible.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mobilecomputing-byod_vs_cyod_vs_cope_vs_cobo-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mobilecomputing-byod_vs_cyod_vs_cope_vs_cobo-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mobilecomputing-byod_vs_cyod_vs_cope_vs_cobo-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mobilecomputing-byod_vs_cyod_vs_cope_vs_cobo-f.png 1280w" alt="A chart showing multiple device ownership options for businesses and their differences." height="426" width="560"> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <h3>5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Easier for employees to keep track of one device</h3> <p>The notion that one device is easier to keep track of than two is almost too obvious, but it's worth exploring why that is key for organizations. One of the dangers of allowing any smartphone -- personal or corporate-owned -- to access an organization's business data and internal services is the risk of that device falling into the wrong hands.</p> <p>From a governance perspective, formalizing BYOD reduces unmanaged device sprawl. Devices enrolled in mobile device management (MDM) platforms, equipped with remote wipe capabilities and governed through conditional access controls, provide more visibility than ad hoc personal device usage.</p> <p>A stolen or lost device can be catastrophic for an organization. Cybercriminals can gain access to internal data, change passwords to key accounts, view private communications and eventually elevate their privilege to access information beyond the user's permissions.</p> <h4>6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Limit the reasons to use personal devices improperly</h4> <p>In an ideal world, organizations could prevent BYOD use until they deploy an official policy, but unfortunately, that isn't the reality. Whether for convenience or out of desperation in a time-sensitive situation, users will find workarounds to use personal devices if they truly want to.</p> <p>Many organizations still operate with informal or inconsistently enforced BYOD practices. A clearly communicated policy reduces shadow IT behavior and establishes guardrails for SaaS access, cloud storage usage and AI-enabled tools that may process sensitive corporate data.</p> <p>A well-communicated BYOD policy can mitigate both issues by providing a roadmap for securely handling work materials on a personal device.</p> <p>Formal governance helps prevent data from flowing between unmanaged personal apps and enterprise environments.</p> <h4>7.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Improve sustainability by limiting hardware-related emissions</h4> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/feature/3-tips-CIOs-can-use-for-more-sustainable-device-management">Sustainability considerations</a> increasingly influence IT procurement decisions. Because most device-related carbon emissions occur during manufacturing and distribution, reducing enterprise-issued hardware can meaningfully affect Scope 3 supply chain reporting.</p> <p>When calculating the sustainability impact of endpoint policies, practices that reduce device purchases -- or extend device lifecycles -- improve sustainability outcomes.</p> <p>Issuing smartphones to users with a similar endpoint for their personal lives is a practice that significantly increases an organization's overall carbon emissions. As organizations look for ways to quickly reduce their emissions without overhauling their entire day-to-day operations, implementing BYOD programs can provide that value if the user base is on board.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Potential drawbacks of implementing a BYOD policy"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Potential drawbacks of implementing a BYOD policy</h2> <p>There are several reasons that organizations might not want to deploy a BYOD policy despite all the benefits that these programs offer. Managing these devices is one of the most common challenges associated with a BYOD policy.</p> <p>Organizations that adopt BYOD successfully typically pair it with zero-trust architecture, identity-based access enforcement, endpoint detection and response (EDR) tooling and containerization features that separate corporate and personal data.</p> <p>With a corporate-owned device, the organization gets to maintain full control of the device's settings and preset the device to block certain apps, functions or actions. However, a personally owned device presents more management challenges. Organizations can try to enact a comprehensive BYOD policy that gives them control over the device, but users might balk at this as an invasion of their privacy.</p> <p>Smartphone manufacturers have been adding BYOD-friendly features that separate a device's work and personal sides. Apple's User Enrollment feature allows organizations to control the aspects of an Apple device <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/tip/How-to-enable-User-Enrollment-for-iOS-in-Microsoft-Intune">that are within a managed Apple ID</a> via mobile device management (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/definition/mobhttps:/www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/definition/mobile-device-managementile-device-management">MDM</a>) while ignoring anything on the device that is associated with a personal Apple ID.</p> <p>Google <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/tip/How-to-create-a-work-profile-on-Android-devices">offers Android work profiles</a> to keep Android devices under the proper management while respecting user privacy. The organization gets to choose the apps and services to deploy on the work profile, and once the device is registered, the user can switch back and forth between the profiles as needed.</p> <p>Even with these controls, data leakage risks remain if identity governance, logging and monitoring practices are immature.</p> <p>There are also concerns about user preference and corporate culture when implementing BYOD. Some users might prefer a second device they can bring when needed but put away when they're off the clock.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="When BYOD may not be appropriate"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>When BYOD may not be appropriate</h2> <p>BYOD policies are not universally beneficial. Highly regulated industries, organizations managing sensitive intellectual property or enterprises with limited identity governance maturity may determine that corporate-owned devices offer stronger control and auditability. Leadership teams should assess regulatory exposure, incident response readiness and support capacity before expanding BYOD programs.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g4TMM7FrmzI?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> </section> BYOD can reduce hardware costs and improve workforce flexibility -- but it also expands governance, identity and security responsibilities. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/check_g1211896141.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/feature/Key-benefits-of-enacting-a-BYOD-policy Wed, 18 Feb 2026 15:06:00 GMT <p>The Finder utility in macOS is a helpful tool, but for enterprise use cases, it comes with drawbacks that might lead some to consider third-party file manager options.</p> <p>Most Mac users rely heavily on Finder when working with the files and folders on their systems, but advanced users might feel frustrated by its limitations and lack of advanced features. Even simple tasks, such as copying or moving files from one folder to another, can be unnecessarily cumbersome when performing bulk operations or working with large numbers of folders.</p> <p>Fortunately, there are several third-party file managers that can run on Mac computers. These third-party tools simplify common tasks and add advanced features that can streamline file and folder management. As a result, users can be more productive, and IT administrators can do their jobs more easily.</p> <p>There are many products on the market, however, and it's not always clear which one will work best for an organization's Mac users. IT decision-makers must explore the features of prominent offerings to find the right fit for their admins and end users.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What are the limitations of macOS Finder?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What are the limitations of macOS Finder?</h2> <p>Finder is the default file manager in macOS, and it provides many users with everything they need to interact with the files and folders on their Apple computers. But for more advanced users, Finder can lack many of the&nbsp;options available to other file managers, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterprisedesktop/news/252514540/File-Explorer-tabs-reappear-in-new-Windows-11-preview-build">including Windows File Explorer</a>&nbsp;and those in Linux. Finder also receives relatively few updates compared to other macOS apps or file managers, so the interface has changed little in recent years. Still, Finder has received various small, incremental improvements, such as Quick Look, tags and iCloud Drive integration.</p> <p>While Finder has some useful features, carrying out certain tasks can be unnecessarily difficult and time-consuming. For example, renaming multiple files or syncing folders can be daunting tasks if there are many files and folders involved. Even navigating the folder structure can be inefficient under certain conditions. Finder also offers limited capabilities for&nbsp;working with remote servers&nbsp;and cloud storage, as it lacks the built-in connectivity features available in many other file managers.</p> <p>One of the biggest limitations of Finder is its lack of advanced search capabilities. For example, the search function doesn't support case-sensitive searches or the use of regular expressions. It can also be a difficult or lengthy process to find files and folders when working with lots of data.</p> <p>Finder also offers limited management options, which can cause problems when reviewing large numbers of photos or videos. While the Quick Look and Gallery View features help with previewing the files, Finder doesn't make it easy to tag, sort or edit the metadata associated with large numbers of files.</p> <p>Some users also don't like how Finder adds .DS_Store files to all the folders it touches, including those on&nbsp;remote systems. In addition, it lacks a dual-pane mode, forcing users to navigate multiple tabs or windows to carry out simple operations. The lack of dual panes is one of the key reasons why working with files is sometimes so time-consuming.</p> <p>Some users have also complained that the file manager does not remember the last open folders or tabs when the Finder window is closed. To adjust this setting, users must navigate to Finder &gt; Settings &gt; General and select the <b>Recents</b> option from the drop-down menu under <b>New Finder windows show</b>.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mac_files_manager_1-f.jpg"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mac_files_manager_1-f_mobile.jpg" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mac_files_manager_1-f_mobile.jpg 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mac_files_manager_1-f.jpg 1280w" alt="The Finder Settings window in macOS." data-credit="Brien Posey" height="416" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Users can configure the behavior of a new Finder window. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <p>Because of the various issues with Finder, an organization might look for an alternative file manager, especially for users who are hoping to boost their productivity. Users that might benefit most include application developers, web admins, graphic artists or data stewards who work with large numbers of files. However, this puts an organization's decision-makers in the position of needing to find the best file manager to accommodate the specific needs of their Mac users.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="5 best third-party file managers for Mac"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>5 best third-party file managers for Mac</h2> <p>Third-party file managers can address many of the shortcomings of the macOS Finder, making it easier to search for files, manage files in bulk, and work with remote servers and services. Most include a wide assortment of features that can help increase productivity and improve UX.</p> <p>There are many third-party file managers available for Mac, and it can be difficult to choose one over the other. Five top file managers that IT admins might want to consider are Commander One, Crax Commander, Fman, ForkLift and Path Finder. These provide a good cross-section of the type of features to look for when researching the best file manager for an organization.</p> <h3>Commander One</h3> <p>Commander One from Electronic Team is a dual-pane file manager written in the&nbsp;Swift programming language. It runs natively on macOS systems, including Mac computers with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterprisedesktop/news/252521279/Apple-Mac-performance-features-boost-business-appeal">Apple Silicon M1 or M2 chips</a>. Commander One supports configurable&nbsp;hot keys&nbsp;for most actions and includes numerous options to customize the interface's appearance. It also provides a toggling option to view hidden files; includes a built-in process viewer and terminal app; and supports a large assortment of archive formats, including .zip, .RAR, .7z and .TAR.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mac_files_manager_2-f.jpg"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mac_files_manager_2-f_mobile.jpg" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mac_files_manager_2-f_mobile.jpg 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mac_files_manager_2-f.jpg 1280w" alt="The Commander One interface." data-credit="Brien Posey" height="418" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>The Commander One interface. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <p>One of the strongest features of Commander One is its search capabilities. Users can specify case sensitivity, folder depth, file text or whole words. It's also possible to search within archive files or limit the search to text in a specific character format, such as Unicode, hex, UTF-8 or ANSI, and use regular expressions in searches for pattern-matching file content or file names. Commander One supports root user access to all system files and includes a built-in viewer to quickly access a file's content, even if it's in hex or binary format.</p> <p>Commander One also provides native connectivity to a wide range of remote servers and services, with support for FTP, WebDAV, OpenStack Swift, Amazon S3, Google Drive, Box, Dropbox and several other protocols and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/feature/7-cloud-storage-and-file-sharing-services-to-consider">cloud storage services</a>. The file manager lets users encrypt any of their online connections using 256-bit&nbsp;Advanced Encryption Standard, as well as mount iOS, Android or Media Transfer Protocol devices to transfer files.</p> <p>This file manager is well-suited to users who work with numerous files that are distributed across multiple network file servers or cloud storage services. These connectivity features can also make Commander One useful to admins maintaining websites and online tools.</p> <p>Commander One costs $29.99 for a personal license or $99.99 for a team license.</p> <p>Commander One's key benefits include the following:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li>Dual-pane interface.</li> <li>Multiple options for connecting to cloud storage services.</li> <li>Advanced search features.</li> <li>Perpetual license.</li> <li>Integrated terminal.</li> </ul> <p>Commander One's key drawbacks include the following:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li>No option to compare folders.</li> <li>No option to synchronize folders.</li> <li>The UI has a bit of a learning curve.</li> </ul> <h3>Crax Commander</h3> <p>Like the other file managers on this list, Crax Commander functions as a dual-pane browser. The tool's interface is fully customizable, and users can even change the color of files and folders based on their attributes.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mac_files_manager_3-f.jpg"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mac_files_manager_3-f_mobile.jpg" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mac_files_manager_3-f_mobile.jpg 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mac_files_manager_3-f.jpg 1280w" alt="The Crax Commander interface." data-credit="Brien Posey" height="374" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>The Crax Commander interface. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <p>Crax Commander can connect to various cloud storage services by way of several different protocols. The supported protocols include FTP, SFTP, SMB and AFP. Although there are other tools that support a wider <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/feature/12-common-network-protocols-and-their-functions-explained">variety of protocols</a>, Crax Commander does include several helpful features for power users. Among these features are advanced search capabilities, advanced file archive handling and even table data filtering.</p> <p>Crax Commander also includes a background file transfer service with a configurable queue, and it has a built-in file editor with syntax highlighting capabilities. Additionally, the tool can split and merge files, merge folders and create file checksums.</p> <p>Crax Commander costs $25.99 for a perpetual license. A free demo version is also available, but it offers limited functionality.</p> <p>Crax Commander's key benefits include the following:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li>Dual-pane interface.</li> <li>Merging features.</li> <li>Perpetual license.</li> <li>Ability to compare files and folders by content.</li> <li>The editor's syntax highlighting capabilities are helpful for power users.</li> </ul> <p>Crax Commander's key drawbacks include the following:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li>The demo version, which can only be used for 10 days, isn't a true free trial. Some features are hidden or blocked.</li> <li>Decision-makers might find that the online documentation isn't comprehensive enough.</li> </ul> <h3>Fman</h3> <p>Fman is unique in that, in addition to macOS, it can run on a variety of other operating systems. The supported OSes currently include Mac, Windows, Ubuntu, Arch Linux, Fedora and CentOS.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mac_file_manager_4-f.jpg"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mac_file_manager_4-f_mobile.jpg" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mac_file_manager_4-f_mobile.jpg 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mac_file_manager_4-f.jpg 1280w" alt="The Fman interface." data-credit="Brien Posey" height="379" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>The Fman interface. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <p>The product offers a clean and uncluttered interface. Rather than offering countless features, Fman focuses on giving users the basics. It might be best thought of as a dual-pane alternative to Finder.</p> <p>Despite Fman's simplicity, it might still be a good fit for some power users. Unlike the other file managers, Fman is extensible. There are numerous Fman plugins <a target="_blank" href="https://github.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;q=topic%3Afman+topic%3Aplugin&amp;type=repositories" rel="noopener">available</a> for download on GitHub, and users can even develop their own plugins. As such, Fman is perhaps the most customizable file manager on the list.</p> <p>Fman is available as a perpetual license and costs 39 euros ($46).</p> <p>Fman's key benefits include the following:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li>Simple and clean UI.</li> <li>Easy-to-use design.</li> <li>Perpetual license.</li> <li>Community-developed plugins make it highly customizable.</li> </ul> <p>Fman's key drawbacks include the following:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li>The lack of native features might disappoint power users.</li> <li>Because the plugins are community-developed, they lack support, and some could be buggy.</li> </ul> <h3>ForkLift</h3> <p>ForkLift from BinaryNights offers many of the same features as Commander One, but it also includes other advanced capabilities. Like Commander One, ForkLift supports configurable hot keys, displays hidden files and provides a Quick View feature. It also offers multiple options for archiving files, including the ability to encrypt those archives. Additionally, ForkLift provides a preview pane to quickly review file content, supports single-pane or dual-pane mode and includes a Quick Select feature to easily choose files from a directory.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mac_file_manager_5-f.jpg"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mac_file_manager_5-f_mobile.jpg" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mac_file_manager_5-f_mobile.jpg 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mac_file_manager_5-f.jpg 1280w" alt="The ForkLift interface." data-credit="Brien Posey" height="379" width="559"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>The ForkLift interface. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <p>Another valuable component of ForkLift is the Sync feature, which makes it possible to synchronize new, updated or deleted files across local or remote folders, with support for both one-way and two-way syncing. The file manager also provides native integration with Git source control. This makes it easy to add, commit, push or pull files <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/tip/An-introduction-to-Git-for-network-engineers">with the Git repository</a>. In addition, ForkLift simplifies remote connectivity through its&nbsp;support for multiple protocols&nbsp;-- such as FTP, SFTP and WebDAV -- and cloud storage services, such as Amazon S3, Google Drive and Rackspace Cloud Files.</p> <p>These features can be particularly helpful to users who need to access and sync numerous files across remote locations, such as web developers or admins, but power users can also benefit. For example, ForkLift makes it possible to control file transfers at a granular level, so users can limit download and upload bandwidth. Users can also open the terminal app to a specific directory, compare text or image files, set a preferred app to edit remote files and mount remote servers so they appear as local drives. There's an App Deletion feature to uninstall apps directly from the file manager interface as well.</p> <p>ForkLift is available as a perpetual license, with the price being based on the length of time for which upgrades are provided. A ForkLift license with one year of updates costs $19.95 for a single user, $29.95 for a family license and $69.95 for a small business license. If customers opt for a license that includes two years of upgrades, then the prices increase to $34.95, $49.95 and $119.95, respectively.</p> <p>ForkLift's key benefits include the following:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li>Dual-pane interface.</li> <li>Perpetual license.</li> <li>Synchronization between local and remote sources.</li> <li>Ability to monitor tasks in real time.</li> </ul> <p>ForkLift's key drawbacks include the following:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li>The sheer number of features might be overwhelming for less experienced users. The product is likely overkill for casual users.</li> </ul> <h3>Path Finder</h3> <p>Path Finder from Cocoatech is full of features to help increase user productivity, including configurable hot keys, file compression capabilities and a quick view option. It supports multiple connection protocols and cloud storage services, although not nearly as many as Commander One or ForkLift. On the other hand, Path Finder offers an interface and UX that more closely aligns with Finder than the other products. This might make it easier for some users to transition to.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mac_file_manager_6-f.jpg"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mac_file_manager_6-f_mobile.jpg" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mac_file_manager_6-f_mobile.jpg 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mac_file_manager_6-f.jpg 1280w" alt="The Path Finder interface." data-credit="Brien Posey" height="420" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>The Path Finder interface. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <p>The product includes an easy-to-access favorites pane, provides native support for Apple silicon, integrates with Apple's&nbsp;AirDrop, supports file operations on iOS devices and includes one-click dual-pane file copying. It also offers a Secure Delete feature to control the number of file-deletion passes, and it provides an advanced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/access-control-list-ACL">access control list</a>&nbsp;editor to configure file and folder permissions.</p> <p>Path Finder is well-suited to power users who regularly work with many files throughout the day. The Drop Stack feature, which lets users freeze drag and drop operations by placing files into a temporary stack, might be especially helpful for these cases.</p> <p>Developers and admins might also benefit from the product's many other capabilities. For example, Path Finder includes both a single-pane and dual-pane mode, supports bulk renaming, calculates file&nbsp;checksums, synchronizes folders, compares files, and integrates with&nbsp;Git and Subversion. Other useful features include file transfer controls, file tagging and filtering, an integrated terminal window and folder merging.</p> <p>Modules is another noteworthy feature, which gives users a way to display additional information about files and folders, or to perform additional actions without leaving Path Finder. Some of the available modules include Permissions, Processes, Size and Preview, though there are many others.</p> <p>Path Finder is available for purchase either as a perpetual license or as a subscription. A one-time purchase license costs $32.95. Subscriptions are available for $2.95 per month or $29.95 per year.</p> <p>Path Finder's key benefits include the following:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li>Dual-pane interface.</li> <li>Availability as a subscription or as a perpetual license.</li> <li>Modules enable a highly customizable experience.</li> <li>The Drop Stack feature can help to simplify some bulk operations.</li> </ul> <p>Path Finder's key drawbacks include the following:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li>The interface is complex and somewhat cluttered.</li> <li>There can be a steep learning curve, particularly for using the modules.</li> </ul> <p>As macOS continues to expand its footprint in corporate ecosystems, CIOs and IT leaders need tools that streamline workflows and integrate cleanly with existing platforms. The best Mac file manager for an organization is whichever one supports its users' productivity most. That varies depending on the user base and the organization's specific goals. To know if a tool is the right fit, evaluate how it affects support ticket volume, governance and employee experience.</p> <p><b>Editor's note:</b><i>&nbsp;This article was originally written by Robert Sheldon in March 2023. Brien Posey updated this article in February 2026 to reflect changes in the file manager market.</i></p> <p><i>Brien Posey is a former 22-time Microsoft MVP and a commercial astronaut candidate. In his more than 30 years in IT, he has served as a lead network engineer for the U.S. Department of Defense and a network administrator for some of the largest insurance companies in America. </i></p> <p><i>Robert Sheldon is a freelance technology writer. He has written numerous books, articles and training materials on a wide range of topics, including big data, generative AI, 5D memory crystals, the dark web and the 11th dimension.</i></p> </section> If the native macOS file manager is lacking, IT can look to third-party options for advanced features. These alternatives can help simplify file browsing and improve productivity. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/folder-files06.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/tip/What-are-the-best-file-managers-for-Mac-devices Thu, 12 Feb 2026 10:15:00 GMT <p>Although the terms <i>call center</i> and <i>contact center</i> are often used interchangeably, the distinction has become more consequential as organizations invest in omnichannel engagement, automation and AI-driven customer support.</p> <p>In a 2025 Gartner survey of service and support leaders, 77% said they feel pressure from senior executives to deploy AI, and 75% reported increased budgets for AI initiatives compared to the prior year. What was once a difference in channels now shapes technology strategy, data use and customer experience outcomes.</p> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/definition/Call-Center">Call centers</a> were once the gold standard for customer service, but advances in digital communication, customer data platforms and automation have steadily reshaped how businesses interact with customers. That shift is reinforced by sustained enterprise investment: A 2024 Forrester survey found that 67% of AI decision-makers planned to increase spending on generative AI initiatives in the year ahead.</p> <p>As analog and simple telephone communication gave way to multiple digital channels, many call centers by necessity morphed into more complex, multifunctional <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/definition/contact-center">contact centers</a>.</p> <p>A call center consists of customer service professionals, known as call center agents, who handle inbound and outbound calls. Agents who take inbound calls&nbsp;help customers with account inquiries, scheduling, technical support, complaints and questions about products and services. Outbound calls focus on telemarketing, fundraising, lead generation, scheduling, customer retention and debt collection.</p> <p>Call centers continue to provide dependable, real-time customer service through voice interactions. However, they are typically optimized for phone-based workflows and limited customer context compared with modern contact centers.</p> <p>While many contact centers include traditional call handling, they are designed to orchestrate interactions across voice and digital channels, unify customer context and route engagements based on intent and history. By using multiple channels, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/feature/Benefits-of-omnichannel-marketing">companies can collect more marketing data</a> and enable customers to interact with the business in more convenient ways.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/5_differences_between_call_centers_and_contact_centers-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/5_differences_between_call_centers_and_contact_centers-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/5_differences_between_call_centers_and_contact_centers-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/5_differences_between_call_centers_and_contact_centers-f.png 1280w" alt="Difference between call centers and contact centers" height="333" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Call centers and contact centers share some similarities, but their differences are noteworthy. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Call centers vs. contact centers"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Call centers vs. contact centers</h2> <p>Call centers and contact centers provide customer service and outreach, but they differ in several key areas, including channels of communication, types of customer data collected, customer self-service (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/customer-self-service-CSS">CSS</a>) capabilities, agent skills and job requirements, and technologies and applications.</p> <h3>Channels of communication</h3> <p>Call centers emerged at a time before digital channels and they continue to use the phone as the major channel of communication. Still, they benefit many businesses because phone calls with live agents can offer a&nbsp;personalized experience&nbsp;that other channels often lack. However, the multiple channels provided by contact centers offer customers the convenience of interacting with a company on the channel of their choice.</p> <h3>Types of customer data collected</h3> <p>Because contact centers provide more communication channels than call centers, they can collect more diverse customer data, enhance&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/definition/customer-profiling">customer profiling</a>, provide targeted customer support and improve customer experiences. Contact centers, for example, can use social media data to determine customer affiliations and attitudes that might not be apparent over the phone.</p> <p>Still, call centers can use speech analysis software to analyze phone calls and gain some degree of insight into a customer's behavior and buying patterns.</p> <h3>Customer self-service</h3> <p>For&nbsp;CSS capabilities, most call centers use interactive voice response (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/definition/Interactive-Voice-Response-IVR">IVR</a>) systems -- automated phone assistants that respond to voices and keypad entries. IVR systems can route callers to relevant agents and perform simple tasks, such as reorders, but they can also annoy customers with lengthy menu options that fail to address specific needs.</p> <p>Contact center CSS&nbsp;goes beyond IVR and includes chatbots, FAQ webpages, forums and online knowledge bases to help customers resolve inquiries independently. Contact center CSS can also provide automated text messages that confirm or cancel appointments and mobile applications where customers can place or change orders. CSS tools can help reduce customer wait times, live agent workloads and operating costs.</p> <h3>Agent skills and job requirements</h3> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/tip/Best-practices-for-call-center-agent-training-programs">Customer service skills and experience are essential</a> for call center and contact centers agents to solve problems and provide customers with the intangibles of empathy, patience and friendliness. Contact center agents require additional skills to handle interactions over multiple channels, including phone, email, live chat, text messaging and social media. Their job might require reading comprehension, sound writing skills, social media etiquette and multitasking capabilities.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/crm-contact_centers.jpg"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/crm-contact_centers_mobile.jpg" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/crm-contact_centers_mobile.jpg 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/crm-contact_centers.jpg 1280w" alt="multidimensional contact centers image" height="288" width="559"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Contact centers are seen as a multidimensional force for businesses. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Why the distinction matters now"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Why the distinction matters now</h2> <p>As organizations adopt advanced analytics, automation and GenAI, the gap between voice-centric call centers and omnichannel contact centers continues to widen. Contact centers are increasingly treated as engagement platforms that unify data, AI and human agents across channels, rather than as expanded call-handling operations.</p> <h3>Technologies and applications</h3> <p>Automation is also changing expectations for customer support. According to Metrigy <a target="_blank" href="https://metrigy.com/the-evolving-role-of-ai-in-customer-experience-insights-from-metrigys-2024-25-study/" rel="noopener">research</a>, AI is fully automating roughly 20% of customer interactions today, and CX leaders expect that figure to rise to approximately 37% by 2028. As automation expands, contact centers require broader data integration, orchestration and governance capabilities that extend beyond traditional call center models.</p> <p>Aside from the basic requirements of phones, computers and headsets, call center technologies include the following:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><strong>IVR.</strong>&nbsp;Automated phone assistants select the right agent or department to service a customer based on voice and keypad responses.</li> <li><strong>Automated call distributor (ACD).&nbsp;</strong>After an IVR determines the best route for the caller, an ACD automatically transfers the caller to that agent or department.</li> <li><strong>Speech analysis software.&nbsp;</strong>These tools can <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/tip/Sentiment-analysis-Why-its-necessary-and-how-it-improves-CX">analyze calls to detect customer emotions</a>, such as satisfaction and anger. They also determine when to follow up with unsatisfied customers.</li> <li><strong>Workforce management (WFM) system.</strong>&nbsp;Certain days in a call center can be busier than others. WFM systems can&nbsp;schedule the appropriate number of agents for each day.</li> <li><strong>Enhanced internet access.&nbsp;</strong>Agents who work remotely need a fast and secure connection to use call center software, which might require internet upgrades.</li> </ul> <p>Although some call center and contact center technologies overlap, the multifunctional aspects of contact centers, together with <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/opinion/How-contact-center-modernization-plays-into-AI-strategies">GenAI's penetration into the contact center</a>, dictate implementing additional technologies and applications, including the following:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><strong>Email response management system.</strong>&nbsp;These systems can organize, track and archive large volumes of emails.</li> <li><strong>Omnichannel routing.&nbsp;</strong>Because contact centers use multiple channels, agents might struggle to manage various interactions. Omnichannel routing&nbsp;uses AI to identify a customer's intent&nbsp;and forward all requests to a live agent, regardless of the channel.</li> <li><b>Advanced analytics</b><strong>.</strong>&nbsp;This capability includes various AI technologies and analysis techniques, providing a holistic view of the customer journey and predictive insights into a customer's future choices.</li> <li><strong>Channel reports.&nbsp;</strong>Reporting software collects raw data across channels to create key performance indicators (KPIs), such as first contact resolution and customer effort scores.&nbsp;Managers can monitor KPIs&nbsp;to ensure quality assurance across channels.</li> </ul> <p>Gartner <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2025-03-05-gartner-predicts-agentic-ai-will-autonomously-resolve-80-percent-of-common-customer-service-issues-without-human-intervention-by-20290" rel="noopener">forecasts</a> that agentic AI will autonomously resolve the majority of common customer service issues over time, reducing operational costs and reshaping agent roles. Against that backdrop, GenAI is expected to enhance automated customer support through chatbots and virtual assistants, personalize interactions with tailored responses, improve agent effectiveness with real-time assistance and simulation training, and accelerate content creation for FAQs and knowledge bases.</p> <p>For organizations evaluating customer support strategies, the difference between a call center and a contact center is no longer semantic. It reflects how customer interactions are captured, analyzed and acted on across the business. Companies that approach contact centers as integrated engagement platforms -- rather than as upgraded call centers -- are better positioned to scale service quality, govern automation responsibly and adapt to evolving customer expectations.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SRKWbLNV4bs?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> <p><strong>Editor's note:</strong><i> This article has been updated to provide the latest information on call centers and contact centers</i><i> and provide enterprise technology buyers up-to-date insights on market advancements.</i></p> <p><i>Tim Murphy is a former site editor for TechTarget's Customer Experience and Content Management sites. He now covers broader CIO topics.</i></p> <p><i>Ron Karjian is an industry editor and writer at TechTarget covering business analytics, artificial intelligence, data management, security and enterprise applications.</i></p> </section> Call centers focus on voice support, while contact centers manage customer interactions across channels using shared data, automation and AI to shape modern CX strategies. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/customer_service11.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/feature/Call-center-vs-contact-center-Whats-the-difference Wed, 11 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT <p>Contact centers sit at the intersection of customer experience, brand trust and operational efficiency. As customer expectations rise and AI becomes embedded in service operations, the challenges facing contact centers have grown more complex -- and more consequential.</p> <p>Customer service has moved beyond single-channel support, with contact centers now expected to manage interactions across voice and digital channels while maintaining consistency, context and speed. Contact centers have <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/feature/Call-center-vs-contact-center-Whats-the-difference">evolved beyond mere call-handling hubs</a> into sophisticated, multichannel engagement centers that play a vital role in shaping customer experiences. With the advent of digital transformation, contact centers now integrate various communication platforms, including phone calls, email, chat, social media and video conferencing.</p> <p>The commercial landscape for businesses and customers is rapidly changing, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/feature/Important-contact-center-AI-features-and-their-benefits">driven by technological advancements</a>, evolving customer expectations and the increasing importance of personalized service. Enterprises are under pressure to deliver consistent, high-quality customer interactions over different modes of communication, while managing costs and maintaining operational efficiency.</p> <p>Customer interactions now span multiple channels, yet customers expect consistent context, personalization and responsiveness regardless of how they engage. This complex environment necessitates a strategic approach to managing contact centers, addressing inherent challenges and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/How-to-choose-a-contact-center-software-system">using technology to enhance customer service capabilities</a>.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Key contact center challenges and remedies"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Key contact center challenges and remedies</h2> <p>Providing different modes of interaction is among the many challenges for modern contact centers. Other issues include agent attrition, increased customer expectations, ever-growing customer queues, generalization of content, barriers to understanding and security.</p> <h3>1. Meeting customer expectations</h3> <p>Customers expect quick, personalized and seamless interactions across all channels. They also expect an interaction in one channel to be consistent with the experience they've had in other channels. They increasingly demand high levels of service and are less tolerant of delays, repeating their information and impersonal responses.</p> <p>Advanced CRM systems and AI-driven analytics can help understand, contextualize and anticipate customer needs, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/tip/How-to-comprehensively-personalize-the-customer-experience">enabling more personalized and consistent interactions</a>. Regularly updating service protocols to align with customer feedback is equally important.</p> <p>Meeting these expectations increasingly depends on how well organizations unify customer data and govern AI-assisted interactions across channels, not just on agent performance alone.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/addressing_the_demands_of_todays_complex_contact_centers-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/addressing_the_demands_of_todays_complex_contact_centers-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/addressing_the_demands_of_todays_complex_contact_centers-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/addressing_the_demands_of_todays_complex_contact_centers-f.png 1280w" alt="Contact center challenges and remedies" height="487" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>For every challenge confronting contact centers, there's a remedy. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <h3>2. High contact volumes and longer wait times</h3> <p>Managing the high volumes of customer contacts, especially during peak times, can lead to long wait times and customer dissatisfaction. When customers call into contact centers of certain businesses, the first response they might typically get is a recording, "We're currently experiencing high call volumes" -- at least during normal business hours. This kind of experience, exacerbated by limited staffing and inefficient call routing, frustrates customers.</p> <p>Implementing intelligent call routing and queuing systems can optimize resource allocation and reduce wait times. Most new systems <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/tip/How-to-manage-remote-call-center-agents">enable contact center agents to work from home</a>, which increases the flexibility of companies deploying agents globally. Self-service options, such as chatbots and automated responses, can reduce contact volumes, but they also raise expectations for the quality and efficiency of the interactions that reach live agents.</p> <p>Chatbots can handle routine types of interactions, like password resets, quick orders and simple questions, but complex situations that require empathy and understanding are still best left to humans. Improvements in machine learning and AI can also help mitigate high contact volumes and wait times and provide customers with other ways to resolve their queries independently.</p> <h3>3. Personalization shortfalls and content generification</h3> <p>Generic responses and interactions usually fail to meet customer expectations for personalized service. This lack of personalization inevitably results in decreased customer satisfaction and loyalty.</p> <p>Using <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/tip/Customer-interaction-analytics-spurs-better-business-results">customer data and analytics to tailor interactions</a> and recommendations can improve personalization, but doing so effectively requires strong data governance and consistent context across channels. Training call center agents to express empathy and use customer information effectively during their interactions is especially important. New large language models can improve the quality of agent responses by combining the specifics of customer data with best practices in knowledge bases.</p> <h3>4. Language barriers</h3> <p>Contact centers often serve a diverse, global customer base. Language barriers can impede effective communication, leading to misunderstandings and frustration. Any enterprise that aspires to be global must deal with this issue. Even companies that see themselves as local will become global when they put their presence on the web.</p> <p>Hiring multilingual agents and providing language training can bridge communication gaps. Additionally, real-time translation services and AI-powered language tools have come a long way and can facilitate smoother interactions.</p> <h3>5. Agent attrition</h3> <p>High turnover rates among contact center agents <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/tip/Why-contact-centers-have-high-turnover-and-how-to-combat-it">pose a significant challenge</a>. Increased job openings and competition for talent in good economies can only make this problem worse. Attrition is usually costly, impacting operational efficiency and the quality of customer interactions. Factors contributing to high attrition include job stress, lack of career advancement opportunities and inadequate compensation.</p> <p>In many environments, tool sprawl and cognitive overload also contribute to burnout, making technology simplification as important as compensation and career development.</p> <p>Good customer service is vital to retention and brand loyalty. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/tip/Best-practices-for-call-center-agent-training-programs">Implementing comprehensive training programs</a>, offering competitive salaries and creating clear career progression paths can help reduce attrition. Providing a supportive work environment and recognizing agent contributions also play a crucial role in retaining talent. Technology has made it possible for more agents to work remotely, enabling companies to find the best qualified representatives wherever they're located.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/average_call_center_agent_salaries-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/average_call_center_agent_salaries-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/average_call_center_agent_salaries-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/average_call_center_agent_salaries-f.png 1280w" alt="Contact center agent salaries in the U.S." height="403" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Contact center agents in some regions demand higher than average salaries. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <h3>&nbsp;6. Lack of subject matter expertise</h3> <p>Agents often face complex queries requiring specialized knowledge. As the "first line of defense" in resolving customer inquiries, it's often difficult, if not impossible, for contact center agents to achieve mastery or even appear to be knowledgeable in all aspects of company products. The result could be incorrect or inadequate information conveyed to the customer.</p> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/answer/5-ways-to-improve-call-center-agent-performance">Continuous training and access to a centralized knowledge base</a> can empower remote work agents with the necessary information to handle complex queries effectively. Encouraging collaboration and knowledge sharing among agents can also enhance overall understanding.</p> <h3>7. Quantitative and qualitative performance metrics</h3> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/tip/Top-7-call-center-agent-performance-metrics-to-track">Accurately measuring and analyzing contact center performance</a> is essential for continuous improvement. Traditional metrics often don't fully capture the quality of customer interactions or agent performance since measuring customer satisfaction can often be subjective.</p> <p>Adopting a comprehensive set of KPIs that include quantitative <i>and</i> qualitative metrics can provide a more accurate picture of performance. Incorporating customer feedback and sentiment analysis into performance reviews can also provide valuable insights and a more holistic view of contact center effectiveness.</p> <h3>8. Data access vs. protection</h3> <p>Contact centers store and handle sensitive customer information, making data security a foundational requirement for customer trust rather than a secondary compliance concern. As the types and frequency of interactions increase, breaches are becoming more frequent and consequential, leading to significant financial and reputational damage. More sophisticated deep fakes are rendering voice recognition ineffective as a method of customer verification.</p> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/tip/Call-center-security-best-practices-to-protect-customer-data">Implementing comprehensive cybersecurity measures</a>, including encryption, multifactor authentication, and regular security audits, safeguard customer data. Sensitive customer data can be better protected through advanced security protocols, security tools such as system scanners with <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/tip/How-to-train-agents-on-call-center-fraud-detection">data loss prevention, and fraud detection</a>. Most companies need to adopt zero trust architectures and principles, and agents need to be trained on data protection protocols. It should be standard practice to have a culture of security awareness, including periodic companywide security training.</p> <p>Across these challenges, AI increasingly acts as both a solution and a source of new complexity, raising the bar for data quality, governance and trust in contact center operations.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/crm-contact_centers.jpg"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/crm-contact_centers_mobile.jpg" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/crm-contact_centers_mobile.jpg 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/crm-contact_centers.jpg 1280w" alt="Multifunctional contact centers" height="288" width="559"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Contact centers are evolving into complex facilities that meet business and customer needs. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Build on flexibility, scalability and humanity"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Build on flexibility, scalability and humanity</h2> <p>Addressing contact center challenges requires more than incremental tooling changes. As customer expectations rise and AI reshapes service interactions, contact centers must balance efficiency with empathy, automation with oversight, and data access with security. Organizations that approach these challenges strategically -- rather than tactically -- are better positioned to turn their contact centers into long-term assets rather than ongoing cost centers.</p> <p><b>Editor's note:</b><i>&nbsp;This article has been updated to reflect the changing nature of modern contact center challenges.</i></p> <p><i>Jerald Murphy is senior vice president of research and consulting at Nemertes Research. He has more than three decades of technology experience, including neural networking research, integrated circuit design, computer programming, global data center designing and CEO of a managed services company.</i></p> </section> Modern contact centers face persistent challenges around customer expectations, staffing and data access. Addressing them requires more than incremental operational fixes. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/chatbot_g1250576636.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/tip/Contact-center-challenges-and-how-to-overcome-them Wed, 11 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT <p>Contact center software has existed since the dawn of digital contact centers decades ago. But, in recent years, the contact center software industry has changed significantly.</p> <p>New technologies, such as generative AI, have spawned powerful and innovative contact center features. Hyperscalers, too, like Microsoft and Amazon, have entered the space, hoping to use their command of adjacent markets to claim a slice of the contact center software ecosystem.</p> <p>All these developments prompt a re-evaluation of <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/feature/The-ultimate-guide-to-contact-center-modernization">modern contact center platform options</a>. Below, we identify the leading contact center platforms and summarize their key features and drawbacks so businesses can make informed decisions when evaluating these products.</p> <p>In developing this list, we examined research and independent user reviews from leading analyst firms and buyer intelligence platforms. Based on this analysis, we created an unranked list of the top 19 contact center platforms. The list is in alphabetical order.</p> <p>The software providers range from new players to more established vendors. While they all deliver <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/How-to-choose-a-contact-center-software-system">core contact center software capabilities</a>, they vary in areas like major features, pricing, AI capabilities, scalability and integrations.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="1. 8x8"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>1. 8x8</h2> <p>Founded in 1987, 8x8 has built up its contact center platform over many years, largely through acquisitions. What began as a basic voice calling tool has evolved into a full-fledged platform for multi-channel customer interaction.</p> <h3>Key features</h3> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>Analytics.</b> Detailed analytics and reporting provide real-time feedback on customer interactions.</li> <li><b>Intelligent call routing.</b> Interactive voice response and customized call routing help to personalize the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/definition/customer-experience-CX">customer experience</a> (CX).</li> <li><b>Extensive CRM integration.</b> Integrations with popular CRM platforms make it easy to use CRM data during customer interactions.</li> </ul> <h3>Scalability</h3> <p>8x8's cloud-based hosting model allows the platform's software to scale easily. Flexible licensing also helps enable scalability from a purchasing standpoint.</p> <h3>Integrations</h3> <p>8x8 integrates by default with major CRM and communications platforms like Salesforce, HubSpot and Microsoft Teams. An API enables custom integrations.</p> <h3>Pricing</h3> <p>Pricing varies widely depending on feature selection, and 8x8 offers custom quotes rather than publishing pricing details publicly. As a baseline, however, pricing generally starts around $20 per user per month, although it can extend above $100 per user per month for feature-rich plans.</p> <p>8x8 is most notable for its affordable pricing for basic plans and easy integration with external platforms.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="2. Amazon Connect"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>2. Amazon Connect</h2> <p>Introduced in 2017, Amazon Connect offers a centralized hub from which <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/answer/5-ways-to-improve-call-center-agent-performance?Offer=ab_MeteredFormCopyEoc_var3">contact center agents</a> can engage with customers across multiple channels, including voice, chat and messaging. It also integrates with other Amazon products and services. In 2023, Amazon Connect incorporated several AI-based capabilities, such as support for creating virtual assistants.</p> <h3>Key features</h3> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>Centralized interface.</b> Contact center agents can handle interactions via voice, chat, email and text through a centralized channel.</li> <li><b>No-code flow builder.</b> To configure workflows for different types of interactions or customer needs, businesses can use a visual workflow builder.</li> <li><b>AI-driven automation.</b> Partly via integrations with other Amazon services -- such as Lex, which powers AI chatbots -- Amazon Connect enables the automation of some interactions using AI. For example, users can use Amazon Q in Connect to deploy GenAI chatbots. AI features can also automatically route requests to agents.</li> </ul> <h3>Scalability</h3> <p>As a platform hosted across multiple regions in the AWS cloud, Connect is a highly scalable and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/tip/Compare-high-availability-vs-fault-tolerance-in-AWS?Offer=ab_MeteredFormCopyEoc_var3">fault-tolerant service</a>. It can support a virtually unlimited volume of agents or interactions.</p> <h3>Integrations</h3> <p>Connect integrates most closely with other services within the Amazon cloud. However, it supports limited integrations with external platforms, such as Salesforce and Zendesk, which businesses can use to look up or import data during customer interactions.</p> <h3>Pricing</h3> <p>Connect pricing is based mostly on volume usage. It starts at around $0.018 per minute for voice calls and $0.004 per chat message. Additional fees apply for using optional features, like Amazon Q.</p> <p>Amazon Connect is most notable for hyperscale-level scalability and availability, as well as tight integration with other Amazon services.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/ai_sharpens_contact_center_features_and_actions-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/ai_sharpens_contact_center_features_and_actions-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/ai_sharpens_contact_center_features_and_actions-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/ai_sharpens_contact_center_features_and_actions-f.png 1280w" alt="Integrating AI in contact center software" height="355" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>AI and generative AI integration is remaking contact center software. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="3. Avaya"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>3. Avaya</h2> <p>Traditionally, Avaya focused its contact center software on <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/tip/On-premises-vs-cloud-contact-center-Whats-the-difference">on-premises hosting models</a>. However, it has expanded into cloud-based options that support public and private cloud deployments. Avaya provides all the core capabilities that businesses expect from a modern contact center platform as well as certain innovative features like AI-based virtual assistants.</p> <h3>Key features</h3> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>Flexible deployment options.</b> Avaya offers on-premises and cloud-based contact center products. The on-prem offering may be an advantage for organizations that, due to <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/tip/Call-center-compliance-checklist-for-hybrid-workforces">compliance or privacy concerns</a>, can't or don't want to store contact center data on third-party infrastructure.</li> <li><b>Process optimization.</b> Native features assist with the optimization of tasks such as scheduling and agent training.</li> <li><b>Real-time reporting.</b> Continuous analytics further assist with the identification of opportunities to optimize.</li> </ul> <h3>Scalability</h3> <p>While the scalability of Avaya's on-premises offering is limited by the scope of the host infrastructure, its cloud-based platform can scale virtually without limit.</p> <h3>Integrations</h3> <p>Avaya integrates with popular CRM platforms like Salesforce, ServiceNow and Microsoft Dynamics 365. Custom integrations are available through an API.</p> <h3>Pricing</h3> <p>The cost of Avaya starts at $20 per user per month for the Core plan. The highest-cost plan is priced at $35 per user per month. These prices reflect a 20% discount for a yearly contractual commitment.</p> <p>Avaya is most notable for its on-premises deployment option and competitive pricing.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="4. Cisco Contact Center"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>4. Cisco Contact Center</h2> <p>Although Cisco is best known for its networking and communications tools, it has also invested significantly in the contact center space. Its Contact Center product employs Webex, a meeting and collaboration application, as the foundation for omnichannel customer interactions.</p> <h3>Key features</h3> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>Security.</b> Cisco Contact Center goes <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/tip/Call-center-security-best-practices-to-protect-customer-data">above and beyond in the security realm</a>, offering advanced capabilities like endpoint hardening and data masking.</li> <li><b>Enterprise scalability.</b> While the product can work for small businesses, it's designed especially for large-scale, enterprise-grade communications.</li> <li><b>Customer sentiment analysis.</b> The platform uses AI to assess customer reactions to interactions.</li> </ul> <h3>Scalability</h3> <p>Cisco Contact Center scales especially well for large enterprises.</p> <h3>Integrations</h3> <p>Cisco Contact Center integrates tightly with other Cisco tools, particularly the Webex and Jabber communication apps. In fact, to some extent, the contact center service depends on these integrations with other Cisco tools. Integrations are also available for major CRM and IT ticketing platforms.</p> <h3>Pricing</h3> <p>Cisco doesn't publish pricing details for its contact center service, and costs vary depending on features and usage. As a rough baseline, expect to pay anywhere in the range of $30 to $200 per user per month.</p> <p>Cisco Contact Center is most notable for its security features and enterprise-grade scalability.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="5. CloudTalk"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>5. CloudTalk</h2> <p>CloudTalk is most notable for its heavy focus on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cloudtalk.io/blog/call-center-analytics-guide/" rel="noopener">automation and analytics features</a> designed to streamline contact center performance and increase operations efficiency. It also offers innovative AI-powered features, such as topic extraction, which automatically monitors conversational topics.</p> <h3>Key features</h3> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>Agent collaboration.</b> In addition to supporting multi-channel customer engagement, CloudTalk offers native features for agent collaboration, like internal call conferencing and shared workspaces.</li> <li><b>Advanced analytics.</b> CloudTalk offers particularly detailed reporting on engagement metrics and agent performance.</li> <li><b>Extensive integrations.</b> The platform provides a broad range of integrations that include major CRM platforms and communication and automation tools like Slack and Zapier.</li> </ul> <h3>Scalability</h3> <p>As a cloud-based offering, CloudTalk works well at virtually any scale. Flexible pricing terms also enable easy scalability.</p> <h3>Integrations</h3> <p>As noted above, CloudTalk integrates out-of-the-box with a particularly wide range of external platforms. It also provides an API for custom integrations.</p> <h3>Pricing</h3> <p>CloudTalk pricing starts around $25 per user per month. The most feature-rich plan costs about $50 per user per month.</p> <p>CloudTalk is notable for its advanced analytics and broad integrations.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="6. Content Guru"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>6. Content Guru</h2> <p>Launched in 2005, Content Guru offers a contact center and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/definition/customer-engagement">customer engagement</a> service tailored for verticals that require high availability and security, like government and finance. Although the service can be and is used by all types of businesses.</p> <h3>Key features</h3> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>AI-powered automation.</b> Content Guru makes extensive use of AI to automate tasks like call routing. It also supports AI-powered virtual agents.</li> <li><b>Workforce management.</b> Native capabilities assist with scheduling contact center agents and managing workflows.</li> <li><b>Video call support.</b> Supports customer engagement via video as well as more conventional channels, such as voice and text.</li> </ul> <h3>Scalability</h3> <p>Cloud-based deployment enables easy scalability up and down.</p> <h3>Integrations</h3> <p>Content Guru integrates with major CRM platforms out-of-the-box, and an API is available for developing custom integrations.</p> <h3>Pricing</h3> <p>Content Guru pricing varies based on total agent count, type and feature availability. It starts at $22 per digital-only agent per month. Voice agents cost at least $70 per month.</p> <p>Content Guru is most notable for AI-powered automation and workflow optimization capabilities.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="7. Dialpad"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>7. Dialpad</h2> <p>Dialpad initially focused on providing internal communications software for businesses and added contact center software capabilities in 2018. Dialpad is most notable for its extensive investment in AI-based capabilities, such as AI-driven voice analysis and call summaries, as well as AI-powered <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/definition/virtual-agent">virtual agents</a>.</p> <h3>Key features</h3> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>AI capabilities.</b> Dialpad makes especially extensive use of AI to provide capabilities like real-time transcription and sentiment analysis.</li> <li><b>Collaboration.</b> Built-in chat, file sharing and other collaboration tools help agents communicate.</li> <li><b>Broad integrations.</b> Dialpad integrates with external productivity and collaboration platforms like Google Workspace and Microsoft Teams in addition to CRM tools.</li> </ul> <h3>Scalability</h3> <p>Cloud-based deployment and multiple pricing plans make Dialpad easy to scale for businesses of virtually all sizes.</p> <h3>Integrations</h3> <p>As mentioned, Dialpad is notable for integrating with popular CRM platforms, like Salesforce and Zendesk, and productivity and collaboration suites, like Google Workspace and Microsoft Teams. Customers can also build custom workflows.</p> <h3>Pricing</h3> <p>Dialpad pricing starts at $15 per user per month for the Standard plan. The Pro plan is $25 per user per month. An Enterprise plan is also available.</p> <p>Dialpad is most notable for advanced AI features, extensive integrations and competitive entry-level pricing.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="8. Five9"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>8. Five9</h2> <p>Five9 provides a fully cloud-based call and contact center platform. It also places special emphasis on transparency and security for businesses concerned with <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/answer/How-do-companies-protect-customer-data">protecting sensitive customer data</a> or meeting strict compliance mandates related to customer calls.</p> <h3>Key features</h3> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>Dynamic routing.</b> Five9 offers a particularly powerful routing tool that can route calls based on a variety of factors, such as priority level, agent expertise and geographical location.</li> <li><b>Workforce management.</b> Built-in capabilities, including forecasting and automated scheduling, assist with agent workforce management.</li> <li><b>AI capabilities.</b> Five9 includes advanced AI features such as speech recognition and predictive dialing.</li> </ul> <h3>Scalability</h3> <p>Five9 is highly scalable because of its cloud-based deployment model and its flexible pricing terms and plans, which cater to a wide range of business sizes.</p> <h3>Integrations</h3> <p>Five9 integrates with CRM platforms as well as popular IT management suites, like ServiceNow.</p> <h3>Pricing</h3> <p>Five9 doesn't publish full pricing details of all its plans, but its most basic plan starts at $119 per user per month. Its Core plan, which has more features, is $159 per user per month.</p> <p>Five9 is most notable for especially efficient and flexible call routing capabilities and advanced AI features.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/basic_contact_center_business_goals-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/basic_contact_center_business_goals-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/basic_contact_center_business_goals-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/basic_contact_center_business_goals-f.png 1280w" alt="Business goals for contact center software" height="260" width="559"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Today's contact center software must satisfy several business goals. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="9. Genesys"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>9. Genesys</h2> <p>Founded in 1990, Genesys has spent decades building a feature-rich contact center and customer engagement platform. The company caters especially to medium-size and large businesses.</p> <h3>Key features</h3> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>On-premises option.</b> An on-premises deployment option is available, as well as a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/tip/Evaluate-on-premises-vs-cloud-computing-pros-and-cons">cloud-based offering</a>.</li> <li><b>Virtual agents.</b> AI capabilities include virtual agents.</li> <li><b>Collaboration.</b> Internal screen sharing and conferencing capabilities help agents collaborate.</li> </ul> <h3>Scalability</h3> <p>Genesys can operate on any scale, but it focuses especially on deployments for midsize and enterprise customers.</p> <h3>Integrations</h3> <p>Out-of-the-box integrations focus mostly on CRM platforms. An API is available for custom integrations.</p> <h3>Pricing</h3> <p>Costs start at $75 per user per month and range up to $240 per user per month.</p> <p>Genesys is most notable for its on-premises deployment option and extensive collaboration capabilities.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="10. Google Cloud Contact Center as a Service"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>10. Google Cloud Contact Center as a Service</h2> <p>Google Cloud Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) -- also referred to as Google's Contact Center AI Platform (CCAI Platform) -- is among the newer cloud-based contact center products and is focused on AI capabilities such as virtual agents. Behind the scenes, however, Google's contact center offering is powered largely by UJET, an independent contact center platform known for its analytics features and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/tip/Contact-center-back-end-integrations-drive-revenue-growth">integration with CRM systems</a>.</p> <h3>Key features</h3> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>AI capabilities.</b> Advanced AI capabilities include chatbots and virtual agents.</li> <li><b>Speech recognition.</b> AI also enables real-time speech transcription and sentiment analysis.</li> <li><b>Google Cloud integrations.</b> Google's contact center integrates tightly with other Google Cloud services.</li> </ul> <h3>Scalability</h3> <p>Although designed especially for large enterprise customers, Google Cloud's CCaaS can also support smaller teams.</p> <h3>Integrations</h3> <p>The contact center integrates most seamlessly with other Google Cloud products and services, as well as popular CRMs like Salesforce. An API is available for developing custom integrations.</p> <h3>Pricing</h3> <p>Pricing is mostly a pay-as-you-go model and starts at around $0.06 per chat session and $0.05 per voice minute. Some capabilities cost extra, like Conversational Insights, which provides engagement analytics.</p> <p>The CCAI Platform is most notable for its close integration with Google Cloud services and enterprise-grade scalability.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="11. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Contact Center"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>11. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Contact Center</h2> <p>Microsoft developed the Microsoft Dynamics contact center platform in-house and released it in July 2024. Microsoft emphasizes self-service on a customer-preferred channel as well as <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/tip/Best-practices-for-call-center-monitoring">monitoring and reporting features to improve operational efficiency</a>.</p> <h3>Key features</h3> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>Workforce management.</b> Built-in tools assist with agent scheduling and performance assessment.</li> <li><b>Microsoft integrations.</b> Dynamics 365 Contact Center connects to other Microsoft tools and platforms, like Teams, Outlook and Power BI.</li> <li><b>AI features.</b> Dynamics 365 Contact Center uses GenAI services hosted on the Microsoft Azure cloud to enable virtual agents and chatbots.</li> </ul> <h3>Scalability</h3> <p>As a hyperscale-based service, Dynamics 365 offers immense scalability from an infrastructure perspective. That said, its pricing models are flexible enough to accommodate the needs of smaller teams as well.</p> <h3>Integrations</h3> <p>The contact center service integrates most tightly with other Microsoft products, as well as popular CRM platforms. Custom integrations are possible through an API.</p> <h3>Pricing</h3> <p>Costs begin at $95 per user per month. A free trial is also available.</p> <p>Dynamics 365 Contact Center is most notable for integration with other Microsoft products, which facilitates integrating contact center capabilities into broader Microsoft software suites.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="12. Nextiva"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>12. Nextiva</h2> <p>Nextiva offers all the key features that businesses need to operate an effective contact center, such as<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/skill-based-routing-SBR"> skills-based call routing</a> and advanced call management. Nextiva has invested in AI-based capabilities and places special emphasis on platform reliability and a fast response to service requests from its customers.</p> <h3>Key features</h3> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>Intelligent call routing.</b> Nextiva provides highly flexible and efficient call routing capabilities based on criteria defined by users.</li> <li><b>AI capabilities.</b> The platform uses AI to generate call summaries. An AI answering feature is also available.</li> <li><b>High availability.</b> Nextiva's platform is cloud-based, and the company focuses on achieving particularly high availability through a multi-site hosting model.</li> </ul> <h3>Scalability</h3> <p>Multi-site hosting and flexible pricing plans enable a high degree of scalability.</p> <h3>Integrations</h3> <p>Nextiva connects to major CRM platforms. An API supports custom integrations.</p> <h3>Pricing</h3> <p>Costs start at $15 per user per month, and increase to $75 per user per month for more features geared toward small businesses. Larger enterprise plans are also available.</p> <p>Nextiva is most notable for reliability and affordable entry-level pricing.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="13. NiCE CXone Mpower"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>13. NiCE CXone Mpower</h2> <p>Launched in 2024, CXone Mpower from NiCE is one of the newest contact center platforms on our list. The company promotes CXone Mpower as a "CX-aware" service because it uses AI to inject <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/transform-customer-experiences-real-time-using-contextual-goyal-hlw8c/" rel="noopener">context into customer interactions</a>.</p> <h3>Key features</h3> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>AI integrations.</b> The platform makes extensive use of AI to help optimize workflows and generate context for customer integrations.</li> <li><b>Chatbots and virtual agents.</b> AI also supports chatbots and virtual agents within CXone Mpower.</li> <li><b>Scalability.</b> The platform is particularly notable for its ability to cater to customers of all types and sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises.</li> </ul> <h3>Scalability</h3> <p>As noted above, CXone Mpower is an especially scalable service due to its cloud-based hosting model and the ease of accommodating increased customers or communication channels.</p> <h3>Integrations</h3> <p>Core integrations support major CRM platforms. Custom integrations are possible through an API.</p> <h3>Pricing</h3> <p>Costs range from $110 to $249 per user per month.</p> <p>NiCE CXone Mpower is most notable for AI-enhanced efficiency capabilities.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="14. RingCentral"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>14. RingCentral</h2> <p>Founded in 1999, RingCentral originally specialized in on-premises phone connectivity. Since then, it has expanded into a broad set of business communication and collaboration services, including a contact center platform.&nbsp;</p> <h3>Key features</h3> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>Mobile app for agents.</b> A mobile app allows agents to engage with customers from virtually any location.</li> <li><b>Collaboration.</b> Internal video calling, team messaging and file sharing help agents collaborate.</li> <li><b>Analytics.</b> RingCentral supports both real-time and historical reporting on agent performance and service levels.</li> </ul> <h3>Scalability</h3> <p>A cloud-based deployment model enables a high degree of scalability.</p> <h3>Integrations</h3> <p>RingCentral integrates with major CRM platforms as well as certain business productivity suites, such as Google Workspace.</p> <h3>Pricing</h3> <p>RingCentral's RingCX product features a Standard plan at $65 per user per month. The Professional plan is $95 per user per month, and the Elite plan is $145 per user per month. An enterprise package is also available.</p> <p>RingCentral is most notable for its agent <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/tip/7-reasons-why-businesses-need-mobile-apps">mobile app option</a>, collaboration features and scalability.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="15. Salesforce Service Cloud Contact Center"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>15. Salesforce Service Cloud Contact Center</h2> <p>Although Salesforce is best known for CRM, its Service Cloud platform includes a contact center offering to pull customer data into contact center engagements and tightly integrate with the Salesforce product ecosystem.</p> <h3>Key features</h3> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>AI features.</b> Using Salesforce's Einstein AI tools, Service Cloud uses AI to automate tasks like routing.</li> <li><b>Custom chatbots.</b> Businesses can also use Einstein AI to configure custom AI chatbots to serve as virtual agents.</li> <li><b>Knowledge management.</b> Built-in knowledge management capabilities aim to accelerate the rate at which agents can solve customer requests.</li> </ul> <h3>Scalability</h3> <p>Service Cloud can support businesses of all sizes, but it's geared especially toward large, enterprise-scale customers.</p> <h3>Integrations</h3> <p>Salesforce contact center integrates most tightly with other Salesforce products but also provides core integration with certain third-party platforms, such as Zendesk and HubSpot.</p> <h3>Pricing</h3> <p>Salesforce offers one pricing plan, at $150 per user per month, for its contact center software.</p> <p>The Salesforce contact center is most notable for enterprise-grade scalability and extensive Salesforce integrations.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="16. Talkdesk"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>16. Talkdesk</h2> <p>Talkdesk promotes its CX automation via its AI multi-agent workflows and AI-first <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/tip/5-customer-journey-phases-for-businesses-to-understand">customer journey</a>. Talkdesk also emphasizes its capabilities across several vertical industries. The product -- dubbed Customer Experience Automation, or CXA -- is known for its ease of use, intuitive interface and call routing capabilities.</p> <h3>Key features</h3> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>Virtual agents.</b> Talkdesk offers GenAI-powered virtual agents to automate customer interactions.</li> <li><b>No-code workflow management.</b> A visual interface enables workflow configuration and modifications.</li> <li><b>Hybrid cloud deployment option.</b> While Talkdesk can't run fully on-premises, a hybrid deployment model is available that allows businesses to route communications through on-prem telephony infrastructure, which can be advantageous from a privacy and compliance standpoint.</li> </ul> <h3>Scalability</h3> <p>A flexible deployment architecture enables a high degree of scalability, making Talkdesk appropriate for small businesses and large enterprises.</p> <h3>Integrations</h3> <p>Integrations focus mostly on CRM platforms, but Google Workspace is also supported, and a custom integration API is available.</p> <h3>Pricing</h3> <p>Costs range from $85 to $225 per user per month.</p> <p>Talkdesk is most notable for its feature-rich virtual agents and hybrid deployment option.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="17. Vonage Contact Center"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>17. Vonage Contact Center</h2> <p>Vonage Contact Center's natively built features, including AI-powered virtual assistants, rely on integrations with external platforms, particularly Salesforce, to power some of its capabilities and access customer data. Vonage also emphasizes <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vonage.com/resources/articles/video-contact-center/" rel="noopener">video-based customer engagement</a>.</p> <h3>Key features</h3> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>AI-based sentiment analysis.</b> Vonage uses AI to evaluate customer interactions across multiple channels, including voice, text and social media.</li> <li><b>Virtual agents.</b> AI also powers virtual agents, which businesses can configure to perform a range of custom tasks.</li> <li><b>Business continuity.</b> Vonage offers business continuity and disaster recovery features, such as emergency call routing options.</li> </ul> <h3>Scalability</h3> <p>Cloud-based deployment provides a high degree of scalability.</p> <h3>Integrations</h3> <p>Integrations focus mostly on CRM platforms, with an API available for custom integrations.</p> <h3>Pricing</h3> <p>Vonage does not list pricing information on its website specifically for its contact center plans, which include a Priority plan, Premium plan and add-on options. It offers volume-based API pricing with rates at $0.00809 per SMS and $0.01446 per minute for voice calls. Additional capabilities, like anti-fraud features and customer identification, cost extra.</p> <p>Vonage is most notable for omnichannel sentiment analysis, affordable volume-based pricing and business continuity features.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="18. Zendesk Contact Center"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>18. Zendesk Contact Center</h2> <p>Although primarily a CRM platform, Zendesk also provides a dedicated contact center offering. The company first entered the call center space in 2011, but it completed a major overhaul of its customer communications and engagement platform in 2025, which now features cutting-edge AI capabilities.</p> <h3>Key features</h3> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>AI-powered automation.</b> Zendesk contact center makes extensive use of AI to automate virtually all core tasks, from routing to agent response.</li> <li><b>Chatbots.</b> AI-powered chatbots can perform custom tasks.</li> <li><b>Knowledge management.</b> Native knowledge management tools assist agents in finding the information they need to address customer requests.</li> </ul> <h3>Scalability</h3> <p>Zendesk contact center can support businesses of all sizes, but it caters especially to midsize and enterprise organizations.</p> <h3>Integrations</h3> <p>Core integrations support other Zendesk products and other popular CRMs, including Salesforce and HubSpot, as well as communications platforms like Slack.</p> <h3>Pricing</h3> <p>Price plans start at $19 per user per month. The Suite Enterprise plan is $169 per user per month for enterprise-grade capabilities. Other plans are priced at $55 and $115 per user per month.</p> <p>Zendesk is most notable for its AI capabilities and a broad set of pricing options.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="19. Zoom Contact Center"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>19. Zoom Contact Center</h2> <p>Best known for its teleconferencing software, Zoom launched a contact center platform originally called Video Engagement Center and rebranded as Zoom Contact Center. The platform offers all core contact center software features with a focus on video-based customer meetings, while supporting other communications media over multiple channels.</p> <h3>Key features</h3> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>AI agent assist.</b> AI capabilities help guide human agents by suggesting actions and providing information during customer interactions.</li> <li><b>Virtual agents.</b> Fully independent, AI-powered agents are also available for engaging customers.</li> <li><b>Video support.</b> Zoom Contact Center supports customer engagement via video as well as more traditional channels.</li> </ul> <h3>Scalability</h3> <p>Zoom Contact Center provides a high degree of scalability due to its cloud-based deployment model, although its pricing plans are geared mainly toward midsize and larger organizations.</p> <h3>Integrations</h3> <p>Zoom Contact Center integrates with popular CRM platforms as well as other Zoom software.</p> <h3>Pricing</h3> <p>Pricing ranges from $69 to $149 per user per month.</p> <p>Zoom is most notable for its video calling support and AI capabilities that can assist human agents as well as power autonomous virtual agents.</p> <p>Clearly, the contact center market is crowded with many options for contact center buyers and C-suite decision-makers. Many of the platforms have similar and overlapping features, especially around AI capabilities, integrations with adjacent products and scalability performance. Contact center buyers need to evaluate these platforms carefully to find the right one for their organization.</p> <p><b>Editor's note:</b>&nbsp;<i>This article was updated to reflect recent developments in contact center platforms and the market in general.</i></p> <p><i>Chris Tozzi is an adjunct research adviser at IDC as well as an adviser for Fixate IO and a professor of IT and society at a polytechnic university in upstate New York.</i></p> </section> By now, many contact center software providers offer similar features. But large and small enterprises should consider some key differences among vendors. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/chatbot_g1206801125.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/tip/Top-10-contact-center-platforms Thu, 05 Feb 2026 12:00:00 GMT <p>Complying with <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhealthit/definition/HIPAA">HIPAA</a> on mobile devices is no longer just a technical exercise. As smartphones and tablets become part of everyday clinical workflows, organizations must be able to demonstrate who can access protected health information, under what conditions and how that access is governed across different device types.</p> <p>Mobile environments add complexity because control is not uniform. Some devices are fully managed and owned by the organization, while others are personal devices with limited enforcement capabilities. In both cases, compliance depends less on locking down hardware and more on consistent access controls, application governance and audit visibility.</p> <p>The most effective HIPAA strategies for mobile devices combine encryption and device management with strong identity controls and application-level protections. The steps below outline how healthcare IT and security leaders can reduce risk, support clinical mobility and remain defensible during audits and incident response.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="HIPAA compliance for BYOD vs. corporate-owned endpoints"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>HIPAA compliance for BYOD vs. corporate-owned endpoints</h2> <p>BYOD and corporate-owned mobile devices introduce different <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/answer/What-mobile-network-security-tools-should-organizations-use">risk and governance considerations</a>. In both cases, organizations are responsible for demonstrating that access to protected health information (PHI) is controlled, monitored and enforceable. During a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/compliance-audit">compliance audit</a>, the burden is to show not only that policies exist, but that they are applied consistently across ownership models.</p> <blockquote class="main-article-pullquote"> <div class="main-article-pullquote-inner"> <figure> HIPAA compliance on mobile devices depends less on locking down hardware and more on governing who can access PHI and under what conditions. </figure> <i class="icon" data-icon="z"></i> </div> </blockquote> <p>With corporate-owned devices, organizations typically have the highest level of control and can enforce security controls and device monitoring more consistently. This can include complex passcode policies, full wipe and reset capabilities, always-on VPN and similar controls.</p> <p>With BYOD, device control is shared, and organizations must <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/tip/What-can-organizations-do-to-address-BYOD-privacy-concerns">balance user privacy with the need to govern access</a> to PHI. Depending on how a device is enrolled, organizations might lose commands, such as full device reset.</p> <p>In these environments, compliance depends on app-level controls, identity-based access decisions and selective enforcement rather than full device lockdown. However, admins can still deploy managed applications, perform selective wipes and enforce other critical security controls. BYOD and corporate-owned devices each come with distinct challenges, but HIPAA compliance is achievable across both ownership models when controls are applied consistently.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/security-hipaa_compliance-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/security-hipaa_compliance-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/security-hipaa_compliance-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/security-hipaa_compliance-f.png 1280w" alt="Illustration showing a HIPAA compliance checklist alongside mobile health data and secure access controls" height="310" width="559"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Mobile HIPAA compliance requires consistent governance across devices, applications and access to PHI, especially in mixed BYOD and corporate-owned environments. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="5 steps to ensure HIPAA compliance on mobile devices"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>5 steps to ensure HIPAA compliance on mobile devices</h2> <p>Organizations should do a few things to maintain HIPAA compliance on mobile endpoints. Many best practices come down to how IT manages enterprise devices and approaches data security overall. In addition to ensuring their own regulatory compliance, organizations should vet any third-party service providers they work with. Confirm that providers such as app developers or cloud storage platforms also comply with HIPAA guidelines to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive patient information.</p> <p>The following controls can help organizations ensure that mobile devices accessing PHI remain HIPAA-compliant:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Mobile device management (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/definition/mobile-device-management">MDM</a>) to control and manage security and information on devices.</li> <li>Mobile threat detection to help prevent phishing and malicious attacks.</li> <li>Endpoint security tools.</li> <li>Network access control systems.</li> <li>Authentication systems and identity and access management (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/identity-access-management-IAM-system">IAM</a>) services.</li> </ul> <p>By taking steps to protect mobile devices, organizations can provide a safe and secure environment for handling sensitive information. The most important practices to apply include data encryption, strong authentication, clear policies, regular auditing and application management.</p> <h3>1. Ensure devices and data are secure and encrypted</h3> <p>The first step to ensuring HIPAA compliance on mobile devices is to secure the device through encryption. Encrypting mobile data prevents unauthorized access and protects patient information. IT teams should <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterprisedesktop/tip/How-to-successfully-implement-MDM-for-BYOD">implement MDM for BYOD</a> and corporate-owned endpoints with strong encryption protocols for the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Data transmission and storage.</li> <li>Regularly monitoring systems for potential security issues, OS patching and updates.</li> <li>Enhanced security and networking policies and tools to prevent malicious attacks.</li> </ul> <h3>2. Implement strong authentication controls</h3> <p>Strong authentication is the foundation for governing access to PHI on mobile devices. Rather than treating authentication as a one-time gate, healthcare organizations should use identity as the primary control point for determining who can access sensitive data, under what conditions and from which devices.</p> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tip/Identity-management-compliance-How-IAM-systems-support-compliance">IAM systems also play a broader role</a> in supporting regulatory compliance by enforcing access controls, logging activity and supporting audit requirements.</p> <p>In addition, it is important to enforce secure passcode policies. Most newer devices are encrypted by default, and enforcing a passcode ensures that only approved users can access the device. When identity, authentication strength and device context are evaluated together, organizations gain more consistent control over mobile access to PHI without relying solely on full device ownership.</p> <h3>3. Establish clear device usage policies</h3> <p>To support HIPAA compliance at scale, organizations should establish <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/tip/How-to-create-a-mobile-device-management-policy-for-your-org">clear policies governing how mobile devices</a> are used to access PHI. Provide specifics, such as who can access these devices, how often users must update them and which apps users can install on them.</p> <p>Keep in mind that IT often needs to build policies for BYOD and corporate endpoints. Many organizations have a mix of both types of users, and securing both user bases is crucial. In addition to policies around corporate-owned devices, organizations should <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/feature/Key-benefits-of-enacting-a-BYOD-policy">consider developing a BYOD policy</a>. This can help ensure that staff members who use their personal devices for work purposes still follow HIPAA regulations.</p> <p>A BYOD policy should include clearly defined rules about using the device. The policy can require secure password protection, restrict access to specific programs or applications, and specify when the device cannot be used while handling PHI. Organizations should regularly train staff on proper mobile device usage and enforce relevant policies.</p> <h3>4. Conduct regular security audits</h3> <p>Regular audits are essential for demonstrating HIPAA compliance in mobile environments. Beyond verifying that controls are in place, organizations must be able to show how mobile access to PHI is governed, monitored and reviewed across users, devices and applications.</p> <p>This includes maintaining logs that show who accessed PHI, from which devices and under what conditions, as well as having a documented response process if mobile access policies are violated or a breach occurs.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oZF-OUPMLRI?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> <h3>5. Carefully manage applications</h3> <p>Lastly, organizations must ensure that application data is digitally <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/sandbox">sandboxed</a> to control how data can be accessed, viewed and shared. Organizations can manage apps through MDM. Both iOS and Android support managed applications, although they handle them differently.</p> <p>On Android, admins can use MDM to push managed Google Play apps to devices housed in their own container. A briefcase symbol is visible on the application icon to inform users that it is a managed app with extra security controls.</p> <p>On iOS, admins can push managed applications from MDM to devices. If a user already has the same app installed on the device, MDM can ask the user for permission to manage it. Once the user approves, MDM can enforce data loss prevention (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/data-loss-prevention-DLP">DLP</a>), selective wipe and other security commands for the app.</p> <p>Additionally, Apple <a target="_blank" href="https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210737" rel="noopener">introduced</a> Managed Apple IDs, which admins can use to enroll a device into MDM and create its own container with sandboxed data. The organization then has visibility and management over that data.</p> <p>DLP policies are another application management feature to consider. With MDM, admins can configure DLP policies to control how managed apps can interact with other apps and data within the OS.</p> <p>Healthcare institutions must also ensure that any apps on the device comply with HIPAA regulations. This can include checking that any apps in use are managed by MDM and applying DLP policies for information security.</p> <p>Many apps have additional application-based controls for enhanced data security. One example is Epic Rover, which allows admins to control the timeout session. If a user has not opened the app for a period of time, the app can log the user off automatically, ensuring that application data is secure and cannot be accessed without reauthentication. Stacking MDM policies with app-based controls can give admins a more secure approach to HIPAA compliance.</p> <p>Applied consistently, these controls help organizations govern mobile access to PHI in ways that remain defensible during audits and incidents.</p> <p><b>Editor's note:</b> <i>This article was updated in January 2026 to improve the reader experience.</i></p> <p><em>Michael Goad is a freelance writer and solutions architect with experience handling mobility in an enterprise setting.</em></p> </section> HIPAA compliance on mobile devices depends on governing access to PHI across both managed and personal endpoints. Here are five steps to achieving compliance in clinical settings. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/mobile_g1097898396.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/tip/Steps-to-ensure-HIPAA-compliance-on-mobile-devices Tue, 27 Jan 2026 12:25:00 GMT <p>Endpoint usage policies must evolve as user behavior, device ownership models and regulatory expectations continue to shift. BYOD endpoints present especially complicated challenges for organizations, which have to ensure all endpoints meet data privacy and security regulations, despite not owning the devices.</p> <p>From a compliance perspective, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/BYOD-bring-your-own-device">BYOD</a> complicates an organization's ability to demonstrate consistent access control, policy enforcement and audit readiness across enterprise data. Therefore, it's necessary to build a BYOD policy foundation that incorporates feedback from users in different business units.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Develop a BYOD policy and communicate it to users"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Develop a BYOD policy and communicate it to users</h2> <p>As with any security initiative, building a BYOD policy foundation will have the greatest likelihood of success. Take the time to clearly articulate the boundaries of personal device use within an enterprise. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/tip/3-BYOD-security-risks-and-how-to-prevent-them">Enterprise BYOD security policies</a> should answer many common questions about personal device use for both end users and IT professionals. Here are some questions to consider:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Who's authorized to access enterprise data from personal devices?</li> <li>Under what conditions may personal devices connect to enterprise networks?</li> <li>Does the organization require explicit approval for each BYOD instance?</li> <li>What security controls must exist on BYOD endpoints?</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Build BYOD policies around user needs, if possible"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Build BYOD policies around user needs, if possible</h2> <p>Setting BYOD policies in an IT silo tends to be counterproductive in the end, especially as more workers are outside the traditional network of endpoints. Work to build alliances and partnerships with workers in business units to set a positive foundation for the BYOD initiative.</p> <p>Resist the pull of giving HR an outsized voice as employee representatives in BYOD policy creation and maintenance. Rather, treat HR as any other business unit. The reason is that IT departments want unfiltered, firsthand feedback about how BYOD policies affect their productivity. Building relationships with end users will also improve the feedback because IT will discover which policies are working and which are hindering productivity.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g4TMM7FrmzI?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> <p>Meeting BYOD compliance requirements requires aligning policy, access controls, user behavior and verification processes rather than relying on device ownership alone.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="5 steps to manage BYOD security policies and stay compliant"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>5 steps to manage BYOD security policies and stay compliant</h2> <p>Simply establishing BYOD security policies isn't sufficient to meet mobile device compliance obligations. Users must follow the requirements of the policy, and this is only possible if they're familiar with the policy details in the first place. That's where training and awareness efforts come into play.</p> <p>BYOD training and subsequent personal device onboarding should become part of employee onboarding if it's not already. Current employees who opt in to the BYOD program later should receive more extensive training on what the policy allows and prohibits. At a minimum, every employee should know BYOD security policies exist, and they should consult IT staff before using personal devices for work.</p> <p>It's important to be realistic with BYOD policy decisions, which might include limiting the mobile OSes that IT can support without falling out of compliance. For example, if users work in financial services or healthcare, IT may want to restrict BYOD users to one mobile OS. This will make it easier to support mobile device compliance and not overwhelm the security team.</p> <h3>1. Implement MDM</h3> <p>Mobile device management (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/definition/mobile-device-management">MDM</a>) platforms offer the ability to conduct policy-based management of mobile devices. MDM offerings enforce corporate security requirements, such as encrypting device contents, requiring a passcode to access the device, locking certain apps behind a passcode and facilitating the remote wiping of lost or stolen phones and tablets. Some MDM products also allow IT staff to specify the applications that can run on a device or those that can access sensitive corporate information.</p> <p>Common MDM platforms include Jamf, Kandji and Esper, among others. An organization should install and configure an MDM for BYOD devices to meet its compliance obligations and fit within the constraints of the corporate culture. Quite often, this translates into a back-and-forth between users and IT about the device policies their employer can implement on their personal devices.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mobilecomputing-byod_vs_cyod_vs_cope_vs_cobo-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mobilecomputing-byod_vs_cyod_vs_cope_vs_cobo-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mobilecomputing-byod_vs_cyod_vs_cope_vs_cobo-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mobilecomputing-byod_vs_cyod_vs_cope_vs_cobo-f.png 1280w" alt="Chart comparing BYOD, CYOD, COPE and COBO device ownership models, outlining differences in employee choice, IT control, security tradeoffs and typical enterprise use cases" height="426" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Comparing mobile device ownership models helps organizations balance user flexibility, management overhead and compliance requirements across different workforce needs. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterprisedesktop/tip/How-to-successfully-implement-MDM-for-BYOD">Having an MDM in place to implement a BYOD program</a> enables IT to establish policies, such as the following, on enrolled devices:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Requiring that the device run the latest mobile OS and security updates without depending on users doing it themselves.</li> <li>Requiring strong and unique passwords -- or even multifactor authentication -- for device access.</li> <li>Enforcing encryption on all devices to protect sensitive corporate data both at rest and in transit.</li> <li>Enabling remote wipe capabilities on devices that connect within the corporate network.</li> </ul> <p>IT must also prepare for employees who might not want an MDM client on their personal devices. They must respect that decision and come up with equitable options, depending on the organization's culture and internal politics.</p> <h3>2. Segregate data with containerization and virtualization</h3> <p>One of the greatest challenges for BYOD in organizations is protecting corporate information without adversely affecting personal use of the device. After all, employees are unlikely to react well to stringent corporate security requirements when they target the device they use for non-work tasks. Organizations can approach this segregation issue using containerization or virtualization to separate corporate data and apps from the user's personal data. These technologies help mitigate the risk of data leakage and enable the easy removal of any corporate resources without affecting personal data.</p> <blockquote class="main-article-pullquote"> <div class="main-article-pullquote-inner"> <figure> BYOD compliance depends on governing access to enterprise data without assuming ownership of the device. </figure> <i class="icon" data-icon="z"></i> </div> </blockquote> <p>If an organization is subject to strict compliance obligations such as HIPAA or the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/Sarbanes-Oxley-Act">Sarbanes-Oxley Act</a>, it can choose to approach BYOD through the use of <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/definition/application-containerization-app-containerization">application containerization</a>. Samsung Knox is a widely used example of application containerization that separates corporate and personal data on mobile devices.</p> <p>With this approach, employees working with enterprise data on a personal device can access that data through a secure <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/secure-container">container</a> that lives as an application on the device. When the employee opens the application, they can access corporate information through the application's interface. When the application closes, it deletes all enterprise information from the device, removing the need for restrictions during users' personal tasks and communications. Enterprise organizations can view this approach as a secure island on an otherwise unmanaged personal device.</p> <h3>3. Factor generative AI into a BYOD compliance plan</h3> <p>Generative AI expands the number of data exposure paths on personal devices, increasing the importance of clear access governance in BYOD environments. The availability of generative AI applications on mobile platforms raises new questions about <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/feature/The-future-of-BYOD-Trends-and-predictions">how AI factors into BYOD security and compliance</a>. Organizations that ban generative AI on corporate-owned IT will be able to implement this policy easily. However, organizations that implement BYOD will need to work with IT and security teams to assess the potential risks of generative AI apps running on BYOD endpoints. The risks of running these apps on an endpoint that can access business data include data leakage and the sharing of company data or content with the program.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-1" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1U83yhGY_pI?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> <p>Either way, it means setting restrictive MDM policies on employee-owned devices, which could provoke some pushback from employees who want to access generative AI apps or services.</p> <h3>4. Conduct regular risk assessments</h3> <p>Regularly assess the risks associated with a BYOD implementation to address new or overlooked issues. Identify potential threats, vulnerabilities and compliance gaps. The risk assessment strategy should include evaluating network infrastructure, data storage, access controls and user behavior.</p> <h3>5. Audit regularly and practice continuous improvement</h3> <p>No matter what approach an organization chooses for handling BYOD issues, it should regularly audit the reality of its IT operations against stated BYOD security policies. Even if an organization prohibits BYOD entirely, its security team should take steps to verify that only corporate-owned devices connect to enterprise networks. Organizations that allow BYOD should verify that BYOD users operate within the bounds of enterprise computing policies and external compliance obligations.</p> <p>Organizations that conduct regular BYOD audits can hone and improve BYOD security policies and practices continuously. They can bring together the results of these audits with user feedback to improve the creation and management of security policies.</p> <p>The principle of "trust, but verify" still applies in BYOD environments, where policy intent must be validated through ongoing enforcement and review.</p> <p><b>Editor's note:</b> <em>This article was updated in January 2026 to improve the reader experience.</em></p> <p><em>Will Kelly is a freelance writer and content strategist who has written about cloud, DevOps, AI and enterprise mobility.</em></p> <p><em>Mike Chapple is academic director of the Master of Science in Business Analytics program and teaching professor of IT, analytics and operations at the University of Notre Dame.</em></p> </section> BYOD endpoints are difficult to secure because IT does not own or preconfigure the device. Learn about policies and controls that help organizations stay compliant. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/search400/file_sharing/search400_article_002.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tip/How-to-manage-BYOD-security-policies-and-stay-compliant Tue, 27 Jan 2026 09:45:00 GMT <p>Mobile compliance has become a core governance issue for modern enterprises. As smartphones and tablets are used to access customer, financial and operational data across industries, organizations must be able to demonstrate how that access is controlled, monitored and reviewed.</p> <p>Unlike traditional endpoints, mobile devices operate across mixed ownership models, shifting networks and application ecosystems. Some devices are fully managed. Others are personal endpoints with limited enforcement. In both cases, compliance frameworks depend less on securing hardware and more on governing access to sensitive data across users, devices and applications.</p> <p>Regulatory frameworks such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhealthit/definition/HIPAA">HIPAA</a>), the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/PCI-DSS-Payment-Card-Industry-Data-Security-Standard">PCI DSS</a>), the General Data Protection Regulation (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/General-Data-Protection-Regulation-GDPR">GDPR</a>) and state-level privacy laws differ in scope, but they share common expectations around access control, data handling, auditability and incident response. Mobile environments expose gaps in these areas faster than any other endpoint category.</p> <p>Addressing mobile compliance requires organizations to rethink how policies, identity, application controls and monitoring work together across the device lifecycle.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What mobile compliance requirements are common in the enterprise?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What mobile compliance requirements are common in the enterprise?</h2> <p>Mobile compliance requirements vary by regulation, but they share a common set of expectations that apply across industries and jurisdictions. At a high level, organizations are expected to know what data is being accessed on mobile devices, who can access it and how that access is governed over time.</p> <p>Across privacy, financial and healthcare regulations, mobile compliance typically requires organizations to do the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Define and enforce access controls for sensitive data based on user role, device context and application use.</li> <li>Maintain visibility into how <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcontentmanagement/feature/Compare-information-governance-vs-records-management">data is accessed, transmitted and stored</a> on mobile devices.</li> <li>Support audit and reporting requirements that demonstrate policy enforcement and access governance.</li> <li>Enable incident response processes that can contain, investigate and remediate mobile-related data exposure.</li> </ul> <p>Mobile environments make these requirements harder to meet because access is distributed across managed and personal devices, cloud-based applications and external networks. As a result, compliance efforts must focus on governing access and behavior rather than relying solely on device ownership or perimeter controls.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/security-hipaa_compliance-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/security-hipaa_compliance-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/security-hipaa_compliance-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/security-hipaa_compliance-f.png 1280w" alt="Illustration showing mobile compliance controls for protecting sensitive data, including access governance, training and monitoring" height="310" width="559"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Mobile compliance requires governing how sensitive data is accessed, monitored and audited across devices, applications and users. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Why is mobile compliance so difficult to manage?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Why is mobile compliance so difficult to manage?</h2> <p>Mobile compliance is difficult to manage because organizations often lack consistent visibility and enforcement across the mobile device fleet. Unlike traditional endpoints, mobile devices operate across mixed ownership models, diverse operating systems and rapidly changing application environments.</p> <p>In many cases, organizations cannot easily answer basic compliance questions, such as which users can access sensitive data from mobile devices, which applications are involved and whether access policies are enforced consistently over time. This lack of clarity becomes a serious issue during audits or incident response, when organizations must demonstrate how access was governed rather than simply assert that controls existed.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What can IT do to meet mobile compliance regulations?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What can IT do to meet mobile compliance regulations?</h2> <p>Meeting mobile compliance requirements requires more than deploying security tools. Organizations must establish clear governance over how mobile devices access sensitive data, how policies are enforced across ownership models and how compliance is demonstrated over time. The following practices focus on aligning policy, access controls and operational oversight across the mobile environment.</p> <figure class="main-article-image half-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/security-ccpa_compliance-h.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/security-ccpa_compliance-h_half_column_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/security-ccpa_compliance-h_half_column_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/security-ccpa_compliance-h.png 1280w" alt="Illustration showing privacy compliance controls for mobile devices, including data access rules, consent handling and monitoring" height="358" width="279"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Privacy regulations require organizations to demonstrate how mobile access to personal data is controlled and enforced across managed and personal devices. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <h3>Establish and enforce an organization-wide mobile policy</h3> <p>To meet regulatory requirements and reduce mobile risk, organizations should establish a clearly defined, organization-wide mobile policy. This policy should govern how sensitive data can be accessed from mobile devices, which applications and services are permitted, and how authentication and authorization are enforced across different device types and ownership models.</p> <p>Enforcing these policies typically requires organizations to use mobile device management (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/definition/mobile-device-management">MDM</a>), enterprise mobility management (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/definition/enterprise-mobility-management-EMM">EMM</a>) or unified endpoint management (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterprisedesktop/definition/unified-endpoint-management-UEM">UEM</a>) platforms to apply controls and maintain visibility across the mobile environment. These tools <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterprisedesktop/feature/Understand-how-UEM-EMM-and-MDM-differ-from-one-another">support policy enforcement, monitoring and response</a>, but they are effective only when aligned with clearly defined governance requirements.</p> <p>IT departments in highly regulated industries may already have portions of this structure in place. In some cases, organizations manage mobile compliance internally. In others, they rely on third-party mobility managed services providers (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitchannel/definition/managed-service-provider">MSPs</a>) with experience supporting regulatory and audit requirements.</p> <h3>Implement an effective mobile security strategy across the device fleet</h3> <p>Mobile devices are at a higher risk of theft, loss or compromise in hybrid and remote work scenarios, thus putting sensitive corporate data at risk. Use an MDM platform to provide a standard level of encryption, secure authentication and remote wipe capabilities.</p> <p>Managing corporate-owned devices makes implementing an effective strategy easier. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/tip/3-BYOD-security-risks-and-how-to-prevent-them">Managing the compliance of BYOD endpoints</a> becomes more challenging due to the diversity of configurations, mobile OSes and app versions across user devices. The only way to preempt these challenges is to spend the extra time to put in a support structure for BYOD, starting with device requirements governed by MDM policies to help ensure mobile compliance by the authorization of devices.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ilLEdbfzw-I?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> <h3>Institute a compliance plan for mobile users</h3> <p>Organizations without an internal compliance plan for mobile users should either build one, seek guidance from a consulting group familiar with compliance requirements or outsource mobile governance to a specialized provider. Enforcement actions over the past decade highlight how recurring gaps in mobile governance and policy enforcement have led to compliance failures across industries.</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Jam City was fined $1.4 million in 2025 by California's Attorney General for alleged violations of the California Consumer Privacy Act (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/California-Consumer-Privacy-Act-CCPA">CCPA</a>), including failures to honor opt-out requests and improper data sharing.</li> <li>Uber was fined €290 million in 2024 by the Dutch Data Protection Authority for GDPR violations related to unlawful transfers of European drivers' personal data to U.S. servers.</li> <li>Zoom was found to share users' personal data with Facebook without user consent, violating HIPAA regulations. In 2021, Zoom paid $85 million for failing to comply with HIPAA regulations. Allegations included Zoom sharing users' personal information with Facebook and Google without user consent and lying about its encryption practices.</li> <li>WhatsApp was fined $267 million in 2021 for violating GDPR related to a May 25, 2018, update to its Terms of Service.</li> <li>Bank of America, Barclays and Morgan Stanley are among the banks that have disclosed agreements to pay as much as $200 million because of employee use of unapproved messaging apps.</li> </ul> <p>Also, the Attorney General of the State of California announced an <a target="_blank" href="https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/ahead-data-privacy-day-attorney-general-bonta-focuses-mobile-applications%E2%80%99" rel="noopener">investigative sweep</a> in January 2023 focusing on mobile app compliance. They sent letters to businesses in the retail, travel and food services industries that allegedly failed to comply with the CCPA -- in particular, consumer opt-out requests or consumers who wanted to stop the sale of their data.</p> <h3>Regularly monitor and update software and devices</h3> <p>Just as IT teams must monitor and update the software, PCs and servers that comprise the corporate network, IT must extend a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/tip/Enterprise-mobile-compliance-is-critical-but-often-neglected">similar strategy over the corporate-owned and BYOD endpoints</a> and software that interact with IT infrastructure and back-end systems to ensure security and compliance.</p> <p>A useful reference point for mobile compliance best practices comes from the PCI Security Standards Council, the global body responsible for developing and maintaining payment security standards. The council's Mobile Payments on Commercial Off-The-Shelf (MPoC) Standard, most recently updated in late 2024, outlines <a href="https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/standards/mobile-payments-on-cots-mpo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">modern security requirements</a> for accepting payments on smartphones and other commercial mobile devices. MPoC reflects current mobile payment models and has effectively superseded earlier guideline-style publications, including the PCI Mobile Payment Acceptance Security Guidelines.</p> <h3>Maintain accurate records</h3> <p>Managing the mobile device lifecycle with its accurate records is a necessity in meeting mobile compliance regulations. Records include tracking which devices an organization issues to employees, which employees have access to sensitive corporate data, and what security measures are on employee devices.</p> <h3>Deliver ongoing mobile security training to all users</h3> <p>Hybrid and remote work require organizations to rethink how they educate their users about mobile security and compliance. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/The-ultimate-guide-to-mobile-device-security-in-the-workplace">Mobile device security</a> can no longer be a module in an online security awareness training course that's fluffy, with little regard to specifics for the organization, leading employees to blow through the course so they can email their manager a PDF certificate.</p> <p>Mobile security training in the hybrid and remote work era requires the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Dedicated mobile device training starting from the time of employee onboarding that focuses on security and compliance.</li> <li>Publication and dissemination of mobile security-focused job aids and documentation through channels such as Notion or other centralized platforms.</li> <li>Mobile security becoming part of team meetings and asynchronous communication channels such as Slack.</li> <li>"Just-in-time" mobile security training as new threats surface in the industry or as the mobile security strategy changes.</li> </ul> <h3>Take mobile compliance seriously</h3> <p>Mobile compliance is no longer a secondary concern or a problem limited to highly regulated industries. As mobile devices become primary access points for sensitive data, organizations must be able to demonstrate how access is governed, monitored and reviewed across the mobile environment.</p> <blockquote class="main-article-pullquote"> <div class="main-article-pullquote-inner"> <figure> Mobile compliance depends on governing how sensitive data is accessed, monitored and reviewed across devices and applications. </figure> <i class="icon" data-icon="z"></i> </div> </blockquote> <p>Sustainable mobile compliance depends on clear policies, consistent enforcement and ongoing visibility into how devices, applications and users interact with sensitive data. Organizations that treat mobile compliance as a governance responsibility rather than a one-time security project are better positioned to meet regulatory expectations, support audits and adapt as mobile platforms and regulations evolve.</p> <p><b>Editor's note</b><strong>:</strong> This article was updated in January 2026 to improve the reader experience.</p> <p><i>Will Kelly is a freelance writer and content strategist who has written about cloud, DevOps, AI and enterprise mobility.</i></p> <p><i>Jack Gold is the founder and president of J.Gold Associates, LLC and has been a technology analyst for more than 20 years.</i></p> </section> Mobile compliance now requires governance over how sensitive data is accessed across managed and personal devices. Here are practical steps for sustainable enterprise compliance. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/customer_service04.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/tip/Enterprise-mobile-compliance-is-critical-but-often-neglected Mon, 26 Jan 2026 10:00:00 GMT <p>5G's high-performance, low-latency wireless connectivity is steadily integrating with and being intelligently managed by SD-WAN architectures. The result is flexible, high-capacity, and application-aware WANs for distributed enterprises, despite challenges in availability and initial cost.</p> <p>5G is profoundly shaping WAN services by offering wireless connectivity with performance characteristics -- including high speed, ultra-low latency and massive connection density -- that rival or surpass traditional wired connections like broadband and MPLS. This enables a fundamental shift in how organizations build and operate their WANs, primarily by accelerating the adoption of wireless WAN and integrating tightly with software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) architectures.</p> <p>Organizations now use 5G as a reliable primary or secondary WAN link for fixed locations, providing rapid deployment -- for temporary or pop-up sites, for example -- and resilience. Meanwhile, 5G's low latency and high capacity unlock new enterprise use cases at the edge, such as advanced IoT, real-time <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/edge-computing">edge computing</a> and high-quality mobile workforce connectivity. Features like <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/network-slicing">network slicing</a> promise tailored performance and security for diverse applications.</p> <p>The market for integrated 5G and SD-WAN isn't tracked as a single metric, but its growth is undoubtedly a major accelerator of the SD-WAN market, which was estimated to be worth $7.1 billion in 2025, according to Future Market Insights.</p> <p>The market direction is one of strong and rapid expansion, with the overall SD-WAN sector projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate exceeding 31% in the next decade. This significant growth is directly driven by using 5G for both primary and diverse backup connectivity that enables high-performance, flexible and rapidly deployed branch and edge networks.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Power couple: The potential role of SD-WAN in enterprise 5G"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Power couple: The potential role of SD-WAN in enterprise 5G</h2> <p>The role of SD-WAN in 5G networks has significantly matured from a simple pairing to today's critical, integrated platform. The benefits have advanced from nice-to-have resilience to must-have performance for distributed enterprises.</p> <p>The core function remains SD-WAN's intelligent management of multiple links, but its capabilities have evolved to directly take advantage of 5G's advanced features in the following ways:</p> <ol class="default-list"> <li><b>Becoming a primary WAN fabric.</b> SD-WAN is now routinely used to orchestrate 5G as the primary, high-bandwidth connection for fixed branch offices, such as retail, quick-service restaurants and remote sites, often replacing costly MPLS or serving as a superior alternative to basic broadband. It's all powered by the wire-like performance of midband (C-band) 5G and SD-WAN's ability to ensure zero-touch provisioning over cellular for fast, scalable deployment.</li> <li><b>Convergence to SASE.</b> The 5G SD-WAN combination is now largely framed within the secure access service edge (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/Secure-Access-Service-Edge-SASE">SASE</a>) architecture, which unifies and simplifies network and security management in a SaaS platform. The SD-WAN function manages the high-performance 5G transport, while integrated security services, such as zero-trust network access (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/tip/The-basics-of-zero-trust-network-access-explained">ZTNA</a>), secure the traffic, which is essential for the hybrid workforce and massive numbers of IoT devices connecting over 5G.</li> <li><b>Application-specific slicing.</b> The growing ability of "5G-aware" SD-WAN to integrate with 5G standalone (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/5G-standalone-5G-SA">5G SA</a>) network slicing is a major evolution. It enables the SD-WAN controller to classify traffic, such as real-time industrial automation data or remote surgery telemetry, and dynamically steer it onto a dedicated 5G slice that assures specific, mission-critical quality of service (QoS) for ultra-low latency or high reliability.</li> <li><b>Enabling edge computing.</b> The low latency of 5G combined with SD-WAN can help accelerate edge computing implementations. SD-WAN directs traffic to the nearest edge computing location for processing, further reducing the round-trip time for applications such as connected vehicles, real-time analytics for oil and gas fields, and AI-driven factory operations.</li> </ol> <figure class="main-article-image half-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/networking-brave_new_world_5G.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/networking-brave_new_world_5G_half_column_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/networking-brave_new_world_5G_half_column_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/networking-brave_new_world_5G.png 1280w" alt="5G and SD-WAN benefits" height="375" width="279"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Together, 5G and SD-WAN can bring reliable connectivity to branch offices and remote employees. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="5G and SD-WAN synergy: Benefits of using them together"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>5G and SD-WAN synergy: Benefits of using them together</h2> <p>SD-WAN is rapidly becoming the standard technology for organizations seeking to intelligently manage and steer traffic across multiple WAN links. It can enhance the security, reliability and performance of internet connections, enabling organizations to increase their WAN bandwidth capacity while keeping costs reasonable.</p> <p>SD-WAN functionality continues to evolve, extending its capabilities beyond the WAN to areas including LAN and Wi-Fi. Furthermore, native security features are advancing to reduce the attack surface alongside continuous improvement in traffic management. As telecom providers introduce comprehensive software-defined branch services, they can offer organizations end-to-end traffic visibility that spans from the user device and LAN all the way through the WAN to the cloud environment.</p> <p>In addition, high-speed 5G connections provide IT organizations with another flexible WAN option to integrate into their SD-WAN architecture. 5G is valued for being simple and quick to provision, offering crucial link diversity that helps protect against physical cable disruptions, such as outages caused by cable cuts. 5G presents a cableless alternative to traditional transports, such as MPLS, DSL and broadband cable, that is often easier to purchase, deploy and manage.</p> <p>A core advantage of SD-WAN is its capacity for simple, unified management of different network links for purposes such as redundancy, load balancing and traffic segmentation. Beyond its role as a primary WAN transport, 5G can also serve as an out-of-band management capability, ensuring access to network resources via external means.</p> <p>The integration of 5G and SD-WAN provides a suite of advantages for modern networking, beginning with easy link provisioning and reasonable cost. This combination offers crucial connectivity diversity for both branch offices and work-from-home locations while delivering enhanced link redundancy and QoS. Organizations can employ active-active connections with performance characteristics -- specifically bandwidth and latency -- that are comparable to those of traditional MPLS. Furthermore, the combined architecture can enable better application performance through network slicing, alongside improved security, visibility and traffic management. Finally, it offers integral support for edge computing environments and more functionality for remote sites.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QZCmsHdMwdg?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Downsides of 5G and SD-WAN"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Downsides of 5G and SD-WAN</h2> <p>The primary obstacles for organizations wanting to use 5G wireless technology for SD-WAN connectivity are availability and cost. Carrier deployment schedules remain a significant concern, as many organizations might find that 5G rollout timelines don't align with their needs. The lack of consistent availability forces some businesses to hold off on adoption or explore other options while waiting for carriers to expand into their required areas of operation. However, the broadening availability of 5G SA is driving improvement in this area.</p> <p>Even where 5G is available, performance can be a letdown. Customers are sometimes disappointed with signal strength because 5G signals often struggle to penetrate building obstructions, such as concrete walls. To overcome this, businesses might need to invest in a retrofit, adding external antennas to their networking closets, which can introduce an unexpected build-out expense.</p> <p>The initial cost of 5G can reduce the anticipated savings. Like any new technology, high starting prices help operators offset their large capital and operational expenditures. As a result, organizations that adopt 5G early, with the goal of reducing WAN costs, might be disappointed. Many organizations are choosing to wait until increased competition among carriers drives down the cost of enterprise-grade, fixed 5G connectivity.</p> <p>Another challenge is the lack of vendor consistency, as not all SD-WAN providers sell a fully unified offering that integrates 5G connectivity, which forces organizations to piece together disparate hardware and management tools. Such complexity makes deployment and long-term network management more difficult compared with using a single, cohesive SD-WAN platform.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="5G and SD-WAN key use cases"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>5G and SD-WAN key use cases</h2> <p>Mature use cases fall into the following three categories:</p> <ol type="1" start="1" class="default-list"> <li><b>Manufacturing and automation.</b> 5G's reliable, low-latency connections are used for factory automation, with SD-WAN steering critical operational technology traffic into a guaranteed network slice to ensure real-time control and monitoring.</li> <li><b>Hybrid and remote work.</b> The 5G SD-WAN combination is a mature networking option for high-performance, secure home offices. SD-WAN devices in homes and remote locations use 5G as an always-on, high-speed connection, ensuring business-critical applications such as VoIP and video conferencing are prioritized, secured via ZTNA and dynamically routed for the best performance.</li> <li><b>Fleet mobility.</b> Ruggedized SD-WAN appliances with multi-SIM 5G connectivity are becoming the standard for logistics, emergency services and connected farms, providing reliable, high-bandwidth connections on the move, with dynamic carrier switching for uninterrupted service.</li> </ol> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Recommendations for IT leaders"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Recommendations for IT leaders</h2> <p>As 5G services become more widespread and as carriers broaden their unlimited data plans, the role of cellular wireless in SD-WAN will shift in a positive direction. While most organizations currently use wireless only as a backup circuit during outages of primary wired connections or drops in performance, 5G is poised to become a strong, primary alternative for SD-WAN connectivity.</p> <p>IT leaders should take note of the successful integration of 4G and 5G already demonstrated by SD-WAN vendors. They should consider 5G for pop-up or temporary locations and, as unlimited data plans materialize, include it as a serious option in their connectivity packages alongside traditional links such as MPLS and internet broadband.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What's next for 5G and SD-WAN?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What's next for 5G and SD-WAN?</h2> <p>As 5G technology expands and becomes increasingly available and reliable, it offers new possibilities for SD-WAN branch connectivity. Businesses are actively exploring how to take advantage of 5G's high speeds and low latency, particularly for real-time and latency-sensitive applications such as voice and video unified communications. Over time, remote offices can adopt 5G services as their primary connectivity link, reserving a traditional wired medium for backup or to offload data that isn't sensitive to latency.</p> <p>Moreover, the 5G SD-WAN combination is expected to see far greater use in temporary and mobile scenarios. The combination provides the reliable connectivity needed for applications like freight asset tracking and setting up networks quickly for special events.</p> <p>Over the next 12 months, organizations can improve their implementation of 5G with SD-WAN by following a secure, managed hybrid strategy and by integrating 5G as a high-speed link alongside wired connections while consolidating security into a single platform, such as SASE. They must actively optimize traffic steering policies to use 5G's low latency for applications like real-time voice and video, ensuring the SD-WAN fabric dynamically manages performance based on application needs rather than link type.</p> <p>Finally, IT decision-makers should pilot 5G in specific use cases, such as pop-up sites or remote assets, to measure its true signal reliability and cost-effectiveness before committing to a wide-scale rollout to minimize unforeseen installation and performance issues.</p> <p><i>Ron Westfall is vice president and practice leader for infrastructure and networking at HyperFRAME Research, where he covers topics such as hybrid cloud, AI, security, edge computing, wired and wireless networking, 5G and IoT.</i></p> </section> 5G's performance advantages and improved integration with SD-WAN make the combination an increasingly powerful and affordable networking option for distributed enterprises. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/container_g1294273513.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/tip/5G-and-SD-WAN-pair-is-a-game-changer-for-branch-connectivity Tue, 20 Jan 2026 09:00:00 GMT <p><a name="_Hlk193123313"></a><b>Executive summary:</b> Mobile devices are a key driver of productivity and business agility today. The effectiveness of mobility strategies affects operations, employee experience and data protection across the enterprise. To stay competitive in the digital landscape of 2026, IT leaders will need to define mobile priorities, adopt new technologies and modernize mobile workflows.</p> <p>Enterprise mobility is now a critical aspect of modern business.</p> <p>In the past few years, new mobile tools and technologies have emerged that make it easier for organizations to support a flexible workforce while maintaining productivity and security. The field will change even more in the coming years, and IT leaders must prepare for new and evolving trends around enterprise mobility in 2026 and beyond.</p> <p>Here are seven enterprise mobility trends to watch in 2026.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="1. Android Enterprise will become more common for frontline workers"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>1. Android Enterprise will become more common for frontline workers</h2> <p>In 2026, Google's Android Enterprise is likely to become the framework of choice for enterprise mobility management (EMM). First launched in 2014, Android Enterprise enables organizations to easily and effectively use, manage and secure Android devices and apps.</p> <p>In the past, many firms avoided adopting Android, even though this mobile OS has an overall <a target="_blank" href="https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/mobile/worldwide" rel="noopener">market share</a> of nearly 72%. Reasons for such a lukewarm enterprise response to Android include security concerns, integration challenges with existing enterprise systems, and high development and optimization costs. Android Enterprise eases these challenges with enterprise-grade EMM tools, services and APIs.</p> <p>These tools and features enable organizations to <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/tip/How-to-choose-an-Android-Enterprise-enrollment-method">easily enroll, provision and manage</a> corporate devices through third-party EMM platforms and integrate support for Android into those tools. Additionally, Android Enterprise provides centralized management for device security, data protection, app updates and compliance monitoring and management.</p> <p>Android Enterprise supports many types of devices, including rugged devices and kiosks. IT can configure and manage these and other mobile devices for many different environments, such as offices, factories and industrial settings. The tools and services included in the platform support use cases for EMM, including work profiles for BYOD endpoints and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/tip/Getting-started-with-kiosk-mode-for-the-enterprise">kiosk mode</a> for dedicated devices. Different settings and enrollment options enable IT to apply policies to specific management sets, groups of users or individual devices as needed. These features help keep enterprise data secure without impeding user privacy or productivity.</p> <p>Because of these features, Android Enterprise is expected to continue gaining prevalence in 2026, especially for frontline and shift-based workers.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="2. Knowledge workers will continue to prefer iOS, but it will see tighter identity enforcement"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>2. Knowledge workers will continue to prefer iOS, but it will see tighter identity enforcement</h2> <p>Among knowledge workers, particularly in developed countries, the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/feature/Comparing-iPhone-vs-Android-for-business">iPhone is a popular device for work</a>. This is because iOS offers reliable performance and enables easy access to user-friendly apps and tools. Apple also has an interconnected device ecosystem, which facilitates seamless workflows across different Apple endpoints. Users can easily create, edit, store and share work documents from multiple Apple devices.</p> <p>Strong security and privacy protections are another benefit. Using features like App Tracking Transparency, hardware-level encryption, Face ID and Touch ID, workers can securely access important files, handle sensitive data and engage in confidential communications.</p> <p>However, in corporate environments, the baseline security framework of any OS isn't enough to mitigate enterprise risks or ensure regulatory compliance. Because knowledge workers who handle critical data commonly use iOS, these devices require stronger, more consistent security measures, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/answer/What-are-some-of-the-top-identity-and-access-management-risks">especially around identity</a>.</p> <blockquote class="main-article-pullquote"> <div class="main-article-pullquote-inner"> <figure> More stringent identity controls will likely become the norm in 2026 to protect sensitive workflows and corporate data. </figure> <i class="icon" data-icon="z"></i> </div> </blockquote> <p>Apple has responded by tightening identity enforcement. Organizations can use these identity services to implement scalable, identity-first governance. By treating identities as the chief control point for corporate mobile use, device administrators can securely manage passwords and usernames across the workplace.</p> <p>Apple has also enabled identity federation across identity providers, Google Workspace and Microsoft Entra ID to ease resource access for authorized users while maintaining strict security controls for corporate data.</p> <p>Still, the popularity of iOS among knowledge workers and executives makes it a strategic target for threats. More stringent identity controls will likely become the norm in 2026 to protect sensitive workflows and corporate data. To adopt this approach, organizations must implement the following best practices:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Stricter conditional access policies.</b> Make sure that only authorized users and compliant devices can access corporate resources.</li> <li><b>Device posture checks.</b> Continuously verify device health metrics, including encryption status, jailbreak status, OS version and security update compliance.</li> <li><b>Identity-driven governance.</b> Use multifactor authentication, single sign-on (SSO) and centralized identity management to tie access control directly to verified user identities.</li> <li><b>Automated compliance monitoring and enforcement.</b> Audit devices, apps and access logs in real time to maintain security standards.</li> <li><b>Segmentation of sensitive resources.</b> Grant access based on role, risk or device trust to reduce data exposure.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="3. Mobile threat defense will become an enterprise priority"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>3. Mobile threat defense will become an enterprise priority</h2> <p>Mobile devices are highly attractive to threat actors because they present a different type of attack surface from PCs. The integrated hardware components -- coupled with wireless communication mechanisms and physical connections -- expose devices to a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/tip/Top-4-mobile-security-threats-and-challenges-for-businesses">distinct set of threats</a>, including smishing, rooting and session hijacking. Any of these threats can compromise one or more devices on the enterprise network.</p> <p>To keep data secure across devices and networks, organizations will prioritize mobile threat defense (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/definition/Mobile-Threat-Defense-MTD">MTD</a>) in 2026 and beyond. MTD tools monitor mobile devices across different platforms for signs of malicious activity, detecting and flagging threats in real time. Many of these tools can be integrated with an organization's EMM or other management software for seamless tracking and protection. Some can even remediate threats automatically.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mobile_computing-mtd_works_with_emm-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mobile_computing-mtd_works_with_emm-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mobile_computing-mtd_works_with_emm-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mobile_computing-mtd_works_with_emm-f.png 1280w" alt="How MTD works with EMM." data-credit="Informa TechTarget" height="224" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>MTD can integrate with EMM to help streamline threat detection and response. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <p>As mobile threats continue to grow, organizations that make mobile security a priority will be better prepared to protect their data and stay ahead of attacks. MTD is a key tool to aid in this process.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="4. Generative AI copilots will become core mobile workplace experiences"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>4. Generative AI copilots will become core mobile workplace experiences</h2> <p>In 2024, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gartner.com/en/insights/generative-ai-for-business" rel="noopener">one in five</a> organizations had generative AI (GenAI) tools in production, and nearly two-thirds of them were using the technology across multiple business units.</p> <p>AI copilots are among the most popular applications of GenAI in the workplace. Many enterprise software products now include copilots. They're increasingly embedded in mobile workplace applications, spanning email, CRM, scheduling and support apps.</p> <p>Powered by large language models (LLMs), copilots are advanced virtual assistants that can understand and generate human language. They can help automate routine tasks, create content, analyze data and manage projects. Some copilots can also perform the following tasks:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Summarize information.</li> <li>Suggest changes to the tone and structure of text.</li> <li>Create presentations.</li> <li>Draft work reports.</li> <li>Translate text from one language to another.</li> </ul> <p>With all these built-in capabilities, AI copilots could have a tangible effect on employee productivity and efficiency. However, organizations must also contend with the governance, privacy and performance concerns that accompany this trend.</p> <p>Organizations must ensure that AI-generated suggestions are accurate, compliant and auditable. Sensitive employee or customer data processed by mobile apps also raises privacy concerns, especially if sent to cloud servers. And when interacting with LLMs, a mobile device might experience latency issues, bandwidth constraints or limited processing power.</p> <p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.computerweekly.com/opinion/Why-On-Device-AI-Is-the-future-of-consumer-and-enterprise-applications" rel="noopener">On-device AI</a> might be able to mitigate some of these issues. By running models locally, mobile copilots can keep sensitive information on the device, reducing the risk of data exposure. On-device AI also enables offline functionality. Employees can generate drafts, summarize messages or receive scheduling suggestions without network connectivity.</p> <p>As mobile-first AI copilots mature, they're poised to become integral to workflows across departments. The most successful deployments will balance intelligent automation with strong governance, privacy safeguards and efficient on-device processing.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="5. Shared-device and shift-based environments will get standardized"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>5. Shared-device and shift-based environments will get standardized</h2> <p>Organizations need to equip their workers with the right devices, including mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. However, equipping each worker with a unique device can be a costly endeavor, particularly for firms with shift-based or large, geographically dispersed workforces. It can also be burdensome to manually manage the enrollment, configuration, inventory, remote support and security of large device fleets. In these situations, shared devices can be a more feasible enterprise mobility approach.</p> <p>In 2026, organizations will aim to standardize shift-based and shared-mobile-device environments. A key part of this process is device enrollment into MDM platforms. MDM enables admins to fine-tune users' requirements while also easing device configuration, security and management. Organizations will look for MDM tools that can perform the following tasks:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Enable faster user switching and authentication on shared mobile devices.</li> <li>Automatically log out users based on their shift times.</li> <li>Ensure strong session security to protect corporate data.</li> </ul> <p>The current market is well-positioned for this development. Google and Apple both support shared-device management for their mobile OSes.</p> <p>One popular identity and access management service for shift-based and shared-device environments is <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchwindowsserver/tip/What-should-admins-know-about-Microsoft-Entra-features">Microsoft Entra ID</a>. The platform includes a shared device mode (SDM) feature for securely configuring iOS, iPadOS and Android devices for shared use among multiple employees. Entra ID SDM also supports SSO, which eliminates the need for multiple sign-ins.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="6. Use of private 5G will expand"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>6. Use of private 5G will expand</h2> <p>A private 5G network is a non-public mobile network belonging to a specific owner. It can use a licensed, unlicensed or shared spectrum, and network owners can control who can access it. For users, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/feature/Private-5G-for-utilities-Benefits-use-cases-and-deployment">benefits of private 5G</a> include low-latency access and high-throughput device connectivity. These advantages make it particularly useful for industries and apps that require fast, reliable, high-performance connectivity, such as manufacturing, energy, mining, logistics, hospitality and education, as well as for critical public services like emergency medical care.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UCLtahIJfYY?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> <p>There are also security benefits. Private 5G networks aren't connected to public networks, and all communications are encrypted. Plus, any endpoint attempting to connect to the network must have an authorized SIM card. These features keep unauthorized devices off the network and help protect enterprise assets and data from compromise.</p> <p>As a result, more organizations will plan for 5G readiness in 2026. This means investing in 5G spectrum and equipment and embracing technologies like containerization, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchapparchitecture/definition/microservices">microservices</a> and private clouds. It also affects mobile device strategy, as devices become the primary endpoints in private 5G deployments.</p> <p>For example, mobile device requirements might change. Devices must support SIM-based authentication and be compatible with private 5G bands. To support the full range of private 5G use cases, organizations will need to integrate both traditional mobile devices and specialized IoT endpoints into the network.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="7. App modernization will accelerate for mobile workflows"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>7. App modernization will accelerate for mobile workflows</h2> <p>According to a research <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/applicatoin-modernization-market" rel="noopener">report</a> from Mordor Intelligence, the app modernization market was worth $21.91 billion in 2025. The report also predicts that this number will grow to $42.6 billion by 2030. One reason for this increase is that app modernization, particularly mobile app modernization, delivers several measurable benefits.</p> <p>App modernization refers to the consolidation, repurposing or restructuring of old software code, and the migration of legacy on-premises software systems to a modern, cloud-native environment. It can also involve adopting no-code or low-code workflows and implementing strategies to improve UX. Improving continuous integration and continuous deployment pipelines, code refactoring and data modernization are some of the other aspects of app modernization initiatives.</p> <p>Modernizing the legacy application landscape enables organizations to streamline processes, increase operational efficiency and improve customer experiences. It can also <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/feature/Key-technical-debt-reduction-strategies">lower their technical debt</a> and enhance their business agility and resilience.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/phases_of_application_modernization-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/phases_of_application_modernization-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/phases_of_application_modernization-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/phases_of_application_modernization-f.png 1280w" alt="Phases of application modernization." data-credit="Informa TechTarget" height="249" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>The app modernization process can be complex, but it's an investment organizations today must make. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <p>Modern applications offer the following advantages over legacy apps:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>They're more secure, making them better able to protect corporate data and comply with regulatory standards.</li> <li>They're easier to integrate with other enterprise systems and applications.</li> <li>They're easier to update due to their microservices architecture.</li> </ul> <p>And because modernizing legacy apps increases reliability, scalability and security, over time, it also eases app maintenance and reduces support costs.</p> <p>Given the significant operational benefits of mobile app modernization, it will no longer be an optional activity in the coming years. It will emerge as a key differentiator that enables modernizing organizations to grow, leaving the laggards behind to stagnate.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Conclusion"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Conclusion</h2> <p>Enterprise mobility can help organizations tap into new opportunities to streamline operations, enhance innovation and gain a competitive advantage.</p> <p>That said, this area is rapidly changing due to the emergence of new technologies and trends. Enterprise leaders need to be aware of these trends and make them actionable. That means prioritizing initiatives like identity-first governance for fleets, adoption of mobile threat defense tools and standardization of shared-device environments. Organizations that understand the direction of change will be well-prepared to optimize their investments and operate successfully in a mobile-first world.</p> <p><i>Rahul Awati is a PMP-certified project manager with IT infrastructure experience spanning storage, compute and enterprise networking.</i></p> </section> Enterprise mobility is a dynamic area that is constantly evolving. IT leaders should know what trends to look out for in 2026, from shared devices to private 5G and AI copilots. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/mobile_g1182604339.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/feature/enterprise-mobility-trends-to-watch Tue, 13 Jan 2026 13:13:00 GMT <p>Apple does not offer work profiles for its mobile devices, but the vendor employs MDM protocols and management controls to keep personal and corporate data separate and secure.</p> <p>For enterprise IT leaders, the distinction between Android work profiles and Apple's managed data system is not just a technical one. It affects how organizations define mobile governance, enforce compliance controls and balance user experience with centralized oversight. Understanding this difference early helps teams design BYOD and corporate mobile strategies that align with security, audit and support requirements.</p> <p>A <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/tip/How-does-Android-13-work-profile-improve-IT-management">work profile is a distinct area of an Android device</a> solely dedicated to saving work data and apps, differentiating them from users' personal information. These are clear-cut domains that enable platform-level separation of work data and applications, enabling organizations to administer control over professional apps, data and security policies within a work profile.</p> <p>Apple handles corporate mobile applications and data for its iOS devices somewhat differently. Through Apple's MDM protocol and data management framework, IT teams can separate corporate data into a managed environment. The environment enforces policies that control data movement across business-approved applications, accounts and unregulated apps.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="How does Apple's managed device system work?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>How does Apple's managed device system work?</h2> <p>Since Apple introduced its MDM protocol in 2010, iOS has been at the forefront of mobile OSes for enterprise use. The MDM protocol lets IT send administration commands to managed iOS and macOS devices. This enables Apple to run its enterprise data management system on iPhones and work with third-party MDM software providers.</p> <p><a name="_Hlk126668732"></a></p> <p>The goal of an enterprise data separation system is to prevent employees from moving data from a work program into an unregulated app. Before Apple, many enterprise software companies created independent container applications that sat above OSes and prevented users from sharing corporate data.</p> <blockquote class="main-article-pullquote"> <div class="main-article-pullquote-inner"> <figure> The goal of an enterprise data separation system is to prevent employees from moving data from a work program into an unregulated app. </figure> <i class="icon" data-icon="z"></i> </div> </blockquote> <p>Because Apple owns the operating system for iOS devices, the company has built its native managed data system right into its baseline code. This system uses policies to control managed apps and data rather than creating a strictly separate "container" UI like Android's work profile. The system allows users to share data using native and other trusted third-party programs that an organization's IT team has vetted. This means that the IT department can select a group of apps, as well as approved content downloaded through email and the web, that the iOS managed data system can access.</p> <p>IT departments can also work with security teams and users to select preferred apps and data for the iOS management policies to support and trust. IT can push out applications to users, or users can select them from a dedicated enterprise app catalog, which delivers a protected environment for users to work in.</p> <p>With Apple's iOS framework, IT teams can secure corporate data with either Apple or <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/tip/Top-7-mobile-device-management-tools-to-consider">third-party MDM software</a>.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Capabilities of Apple device management"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Capabilities of Apple device management</h2> <p>Apple's system of MDM-enforced data controls enables IT teams to manage BYOD units that employees bring into the corporate sphere or use remotely in work-from-home scenarios.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g4TMM7FrmzI?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> <p>To secure the most vulnerable and valuable corporate data, IT departments can apply restrictions available through the managed data system. Some useful restrictions IT might implement include the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Prevent unmanaged apps from reading managed contacts.</li> <li>Prevent unregulated sources from opening work documents.</li> <li>Stop managed documents from being shared through Apple's <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/definition/Apple-AirDrop">AirDrop</a> wireless file-sharing system, which runs over Bluetooth and can be a security risk.</li> <li>Prevent work data from synchronizing with Apple's iCloud software.</li> </ul> <p>Enabling or disabling Touch ID in an enterprise environment is possible with managed profiles and MDM software as well. Apple says that its Face ID facial recognition feature is even safer than Touch ID for security, and this biometric authentication option can also be enabled or disabled by an organization's MDM policies.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Android work profiles vs. Apple managed devices"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Android work profiles vs. Apple managed devices</h2> <p>The work profile software on Android smartphones differs from Apple's corporate data management system in a few major ways. The Android Enterprise platform looks different, marking work items on a user's device with blue suitcase icons to distinguish them from personal apps. Users can also turn off the Android work profile at the end of the business day.</p> <p>In iOS, however, the managed environment is active in the background at all times. So if Microsoft Word is designated as a business app, for example, users must always comply with managed policies, no matter how they want to use the application. Users do not get separate personal and work instances of the same app like on Android. They would need to download another word processing application -- such as Google Docs or Apple Pages -- if they wanted to use their device for personal writing purposes, free of any corporate policies.</p> <p>For greater separation of corporate and personal data, organizations can enroll devices with <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/definition/Apple-User-Enrollment">Apple User Enrollment</a>. This MDM option further ensures that user information is secure on BYOD iPhones, limiting IT's supervision of personal apps and data on enrolled devices.</p> <p>While Android work profiles have been available since 2014 and might appear more straightforward to users, Apple's managed data system is considered more secure overall than the Android alternative. This is because Apple holds tighter control over its OS, app store and devices.</p> <p>According to 2025 <a target="_blank" href="https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/mobile/worldwide/2025" rel="noopener">market data</a>, Android continues to dominate globally, holding about 72% of the mobile operating system market, while iOS accounts for roughly 28%. In the United States, iOS leads with roughly 58% to 60% market share compared with around 40% to 42% for Android, reflecting the regional preference differences that often shape enterprise device portfolios.</p> <p>Both Android and Apple provide effective options to separate work and personal data. While Apple devices might offer security benefits, IT teams must understand how to use native tools, deploy configuration profiles and integrate MDM software into a mobile strategy in order to successfully meet corporate and end-user needs.</p> <p><b>Editor's note:</b> <i>This article was written by Dan Jones in February 2023. It was updated in January 2026 to improve the reader experience.</i></p> <p><i>Dan Jones is a tech journalist with 20 years of experience. His specialties include 5G, IoT, 4G small cells and enterprise Wi-Fi. He previously worked for Light Reading and ComputerWire.</i></p> </section> Apple uses data and device management policies -- instead of the Android work profile model -- to split work and personal information on iPhones and support BYOD deployments. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/mobile_g1182604339.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/tip/Does-Apple-offer-work-profiles-for-iPhones Mon, 12 Jan 2026 16:02:00 GMT <p>QR codes are a common sight on everything from restaurant menus to billboards, but these seemingly benign codes can pose a serious threat to enterprise mobile device security.</p> <p>Over the past few years, scanning a quick response code (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/QR-code-quick-response-code">QR code</a>) has become a popular way to access paperless menus, carry out contactless transactions and more. Because of their convenience and growing ubiquity, however, QR codes are also a popular target for hackers seeking new ways to spread malware and steal information. Organizations should learn the different threats that might appear under the guise of a convenient QR code -- and how to avoid them.</p> <p>For enterprise IT and security leaders, QR codes represent a growing form of social engineering rather than a novel technology risk. Because QR codes obscure destination URLs and are increasingly embedded in physical and digital workflows, they can bypass many of the visual and technical checks users rely on to assess links. This makes QR codes a relevant concern for mobile security, identity protection and user awareness programs.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What are QR codes?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What are QR codes?</h2> <p>People sometimes describe QR codes as 3D barcodes. They consist of a series of squares arranged into a much larger square, and function similarly to a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searcherp/definition/bar-code-or-barcode">barcode</a>. While a barcode can normally only represent short alphanumeric strings, a QR code is able to store larger amounts of data.</p> <p>QR codes are often used for advertising because they can store long strings of data, which makes them perfect for storing URLs. This capability has proved to be especially useful given the fact that smartphone use is so widespread, and they can act as QR code scanners. Practically anyone can scan a QR code and be taken directly to the corresponding website without the hassle of having to manually type out the site's address. As a result, advertisers prominently display QR codes on billboards, in magazines, on tradeshow booths and just about anywhere else where a QR code is likely to attract attention.</p> <p>As QR codes have become common across retail, hospitality and enterprise environments, they're increasingly used to link users directly to online content and transactions. This widespread adoption has also made QR codes an attractive vector for attackers looking to redirect users to malicious destinations or trigger unintended device actions.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="QR code security issues"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>QR code security issues</h2> <p>Although QR codes have numerous useful applications, bad actors can also use them for malicious purposes. In July 2025, the FBI released a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA250731" rel="noopener">warning</a> that cybercriminals might send out unsolicited packages containing a QR code. If a victim scans this malicious QR code, it directs them to provide personal information or download malware. Scammers often look to the latest trends for new cybercrime tactics.</p> <p>There are two main types of QR code exploits that cybercriminals use. The first is a QR code-based phishing attack, which is sometimes called <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/QR-code-phishing">quishing</a>. This attack uses a QR code to lure a victim to a phishing page that hackers have designed to steal the victim's credentials, personal data or other sensitive information.</p> <figure class="main-article-image half-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/qr_phish_example-h.jpg"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/qr_phish_example-h_half_column_mobile.jpg" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/qr_phish_example-h_half_column_mobile.jpg 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/qr_phish_example-h.jpg 1280w" alt="Example of a QR code phishing message prompting a user to scan a code for a fake security update." data-credit="Informa TechTarget" height="221" width="280"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Example of a QR code-based phishing message designed to create urgency and prompt users to scan a QR code without verifying the destination. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <p>The other main type of QR code attack is sometimes called QRLjacking. In this type of attack, hackers use a QR code to hijack an authentication session or redirect the victim to a malicious site. The attacker tricks the user into scanning a QR code that directs the user's device to a fraudulent URL, which captures the authentication token or session information and allows the attacker to take over the user's session.</p> <p>Quishing uses QR codes to lure users into entering credentials on phishing pages, while QRLjacking uses QR-based login flows to hijack authenticated sessions without stealing passwords.</p> <p>Besides these two basic types of attacks, QR codes can launch other types of actions at the device level. For example, a hacker might use a QR code to initiate a phone call or text message from the device that scanned the code. Under the right circumstances, hackers can even use QR codes to initiate a payment from the user's device or prompt the device to join a certain Wi-Fi network.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Why QR code exploits work"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Why QR code exploits work</h2> <p>In the past, if cybercriminals wanted to launch a phishing scam or lure potential victims to a malicious website, they would typically resort to using email. The problem with this approach, at least from the criminal's standpoint, is that there are telltale <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tip/How-to-avoid-and-prevent-social-engineering-attacks">signs that an email is not legitimate</a>, such as misspellings or links to sketchy URLs. Oftentimes a phishing message will ask a victim to take actions that seem completely illogical. Some more audacious examples include demands to pay a delinquent tax debt using Apple gift cards, or messages stating that the recipient has won a nonexistent lottery and must click a link to claim their winnings.</p> <p>Even when a phishing message is more convincing, there are always indicators that the message is illegitimate. Anyone who knows what to look for and who takes the time to scrutinize such a message will have no trouble determining that the message is fake.</p> <p>This is not the case for QR codes. People can read a phishing email to vet it for suspicious elements, but QR codes present no such opportunity. When a person scans a QR code, they must inspect the preview of the destination URL to know whether the code is legitimate ahead of time. That's what makes QR code-based attacks so devastating. The basic elements of the attack are no different from an attack that hackers spread through email. Because many victims don't think to assess the validity of a QR code, however, a QR code-based attack is more likely to succeed than an email-based attack.</p> <p>Another problem with QR codes is that hackers can easily replace a legitimate QR code with a malicious one. For example, if a restaurant provides QR codes that link to its menus, an attacker could simply create stickers containing malicious QR codes and then place those stickers on top of the legitimate QR codes. There have also been incidents in which hackers have replaced a legitimate QR code in an email message with a malicious one. There are even incidents in which random QR codes are placed in public places on the off chance that someone will become curious enough to scan the code.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="How organizations can protect against the dangers of QR codes"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>How organizations can protect against the dangers of QR codes</h2> <p>There are three things that organizations must do to protect users against QR code-based attacks. Consider the following steps to avoid the potential consequences of a fraudulent QR code:</p> <ol type="1" start="1" class="default-list"> <li>Make sure that users are running security software on any mobile device that has access to corporate resources. The software should be able to protect against device takeover attacks, phishing attacks and other mobile device exploits.</li> <li>Educate users on the cybersecurity dangers associated with scanning QR codes. Otherwise, users might not realize that QR codes can be problematic. Organizations should also take steps, for example, to <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/feature/Quishing-on-the-rise-How-to-prevent-QR-code-phishing">prevent QR code phishing attacks</a>, as QR codes are increasingly embedded in physical and digital workflows.</li> <li>Implement multifactor authentication requirements across the organization as an interim, and then gradually work on adopting an authentication system that does not rely on passwords. Many QR code-based attacks are designed to trick users into entering their passwords so that cybercriminals can steal their credentials. Working toward the elimination of passwords can help to thwart these types of attacks.</li> </ol> <p>As QR codes continue to appear across physical spaces, digital communications and enterprise workflows, organizations should treat them as a form of social engineering rather than a one-off technical risk. Effective defenses combine user awareness, mobile security controls and strong authentication practices. Taken together, these measures help reduce the likelihood that a simple QR code scan becomes an entry point for broader enterprise compromise.</p> <p>The following video provides additional context on how phishing techniques exploit user trust and urgency, including tactics that increasingly extend beyond email to mobile devices and QR codes.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LrFarFrzbD4?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> <p><em>Brien Posey is a former 22-time Microsoft MVP and a commercial astronaut candidate. In his more than 30 years in IT, he has served as a lead network engineer for the U.S. Department of Defense and a network administrator for some of the largest insurance companies in America. </em></p> </section> QR codes have many uses for organizations and their employees, but cybercriminals can take advantage of them, too. IT should keep these risks in mind and learn how to avoid them. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/security_a244600171.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/tip/Understanding-QR-code-security-issues-for-enterprise-devices Wed, 07 Jan 2026 15:15:00 GMT <p>The use of mobile devices within enterprise organizations is commonplace, so organizations must prepare for all sorts of mobile threat vectors -- including attacks through mobile applications -- to avoid a cybersecurity breach.</p> <p>As remote and hybrid work models have become standard across many organizations, mobile devices have emerged as a primary channel for employees to stay connected to enterprise networks and applications. While this shift has increased flexibility and productivity, greater reliance on mobile devices has also expanded the enterprise attack surface. Ransomware, malware and other threats can target mobile endpoints with significant impact, requiring organizations to account for mobile risk as part of their broader security strategy.</p> <p>For enterprise leaders, mobile application security is no longer just a technical concern for security and development teams. Mobile apps increasingly serve as front doors into core enterprise systems, making them a strategic risk factor tied to identity, access and cloud services. As a result, decisions about mobile app security are being pulled earlier into architecture, governance and vendor selection.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Mobile app breaches threaten enterprises"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Mobile app breaches threaten enterprises</h2> <p>It only takes one compromised mobile device for an attacker to access an organization's network. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/feature/BYOD-vs-COPE-Why-corporate-device-ownership-could-make-a-comeback">Corporate-owned and BYOD mobile devices</a> are the ultimate target for land-and-expand attacks, where an attack on a mobile device sets the stage for another attack on a back-end system or cloud application. A typical corporate user's mobile device might have business email, a unified communications application such as Slack or Teams, and a Salesforce or other CRM client. When attackers compromise such a device, they have full access to the corporate network resources -- as if they're authorized users of the device.</p> <blockquote class="main-article-pullquote"> <div class="main-article-pullquote-inner"> <figure> It only takes one compromised mobile device for an attacker to access an organization's network. </figure> <i class="icon" data-icon="z"></i> </div> </blockquote> <p>Industry threat intelligence shows that mobile applications remain a significant and growing attack surface for enterprises. As mobile devices and apps have become core access points to enterprise email, collaboration tools and cloud services, attackers increasingly target mobile endpoints as a way to bypass traditional network and perimeter controls. As a result, mobile app security is no longer a niche concern but a foundational element of enterprise security strategy.</p> <p>Recent reports from mobile security vendors underscore the scale of the problem. A <a target="_blank" href="https://zimperium.com/resources/surge-in-mobile-phishing-attacks-key-trends-and-threats-uncovered" rel="noopener">2024 report</a> from mobile security vendor Zimperium found that more than four out of five phishing sites -- roughly 82% -- are now designed to target mobile users, reflecting how frequently attackers exploit mobile apps and browsers for credential theft. Other industry studies have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.lookout.com/threat-intelligence/report/2024-annual-mobile-threat-report" rel="noopener">identified</a> hundreds of thousands of malicious applications and more than a million vulnerable app instances on enterprise devices in a single year, while global security telemetry continues to record millions of attempted mobile malware and adware attacks each month. Together, these findings highlight how mobile apps have become a consistent entry point for broader enterprise attacks rather than an edge-case risk.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mobile_computing-mobile_security-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mobile_computing-mobile_security-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mobile_computing-mobile_security-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/mobile_computing-mobile_security-f.png 1280w" alt="Top mobile security threats graphic." data-credit="Informa TechTarget" height="220" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Key mobile security threat vectors that enterprises must account for as mobile devices and apps become primary access points to corporate systems. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <p>Additionally, with each new application a user installs on a mobile device, the attack surface grows. Threats to applications, such as exposed APIs and misconfigured code, leave customer data open to attack. Outdated mobile apps only add to these security vulnerabilities. Organizations can look to enterprise mobility management (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/definition/enterprise-mobility-management-EMM">EMM</a>) and other endpoint management tools for better control over applications. These tools enable IT to create and manage policies, such as automating mobile OS and app updates, for better mobile security.</p> <p>Attackers might also target mobile devices for reconnaissance. Bad actors can <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/tip/How-to-prevent-and-remove-mobile-spyware">use a mobile device's microphone and camera to spy</a> on organizations and learn corporate secrets, such as research and development plans and financials. Compromised mobile devices can eavesdrop on sales calls or meetings about an organization's next big product.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Mobile device threat vectors that IT should know about"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Mobile device threat vectors that IT should know about</h2> <p>There are many ways that hackers can compromise mobile devices through mobile apps. Prevent and mitigate the damaging consequences of attacks on mobile applications by keeping the following threat vectors in mind.</p> <h3>Mobile malware</h3> <p>Malware is malicious software that can steal login credentials while bypassing two-factor authentication. Viruses, worms and spyware are examples of malware targeting mobile devices.</p> <p>The fight against mobile malware starts with mobile antivirus software. IT must tightly control remote access to the enterprise network through mobile devices.</p> <p>Malware attacks evolve with the support of state-sponsored and criminal hacking organizations. Some of these hacking groups have the technology and staff resources of a large software development shop. For example, a new and alarming trend in malware attacks against mobile banking apps is the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/dropper">dropper</a> apps, which cybercriminals added to legitimate apps in the Google Play store. As hybrid work and BYOD policies blur the lines between personal and corporate devices, this is a significant threat to many organizations.</p> <p>As DevOps and DevSecOps practices gain popularity, mobile app developers will increasingly have to move to mobile DevSecOps to build secure mobile apps. Many defense techniques will only grow in importance, such as code <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/obfuscation">obfuscation</a> to render app code or logic hard to understand and application shielding to guard against dynamic attacks, malicious debugging and tampering.</p> <h3>Mobile ransomware</h3> <p>While IT teams can use obfuscation to protect data, hackers can also use this tactic to carry out ransomware attacks. A ransomware attack encrypts a compromised mobile device, locking the device user out. Ransomware attackers usually follow the same playbook with mobile devices as they do with PCs: Pay up if you want to regain access to your device and its data.</p> <p>Ransomware was a part of 44% of all data breaches in 2025 -- a 37% increase from the previous year -- according to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.verizon.com/business/resources/reports/2025-dbir-executive-summary.pdf" rel="noopener">findings</a> from Verizon's "2025 Data Breach Investigations Report," and mobile devices are far from immune to such attacks.</p> <p>Preventing ransomware starts with blocking corporate devices from downloading apps from any source other than their enterprise app store, the Apple App Store or Google Play. Some other critical steps to prevent mobile ransomware include the following:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li>Create and enforce a BYOD policy with an accompanying training program that governs the security of devices enrolled in the corporate BYOD program.</li> <li>Create policies in the organization's EMM platform that prompt any enrolled BYOD and corporate devices to download security patches and updates automatically.</li> <li>Make mobile ransomware prevention part of <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tip/Building-a-cybersecurity-awareness-training-program">corporate cybersecurity training</a>.</li> </ul> <h3>Flawed code and leaky mobile apps</h3> <p>Leaky mobile apps set the stage for a mobile device breach. As the name suggests, a leaky app is an application that corporate data seeps out of, like water leaking out of a cracked pipe. Poor programming practices create flawed code, which can enable the public and attackers to see application data such as corporate information and passwords.</p> <p>To protect against flawed code and leaky mobile apps, organizations must train their mobile developers in secure coding practices and implement mobile application security testing as part of a DevOps methodology.</p> <h3>Software supply chain breaches</h3> <p>A software supply chain works similarly to an assembly line in a factory. It's a production cycle that pulls together partners, contractors and third-party vendors to produce software. Open source software components also travel the same supply chain.</p> <p>Through the software supply chain, however, a cybersecurity vulnerability in one organization can lead to further damage for various other organizations. The <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/feature/SolarWinds-hack-explained-Everything-you-need-to-know">SolarWinds software supply chain breach</a> infamously showed this danger, with hackers gaining access to the networks, systems and data of thousands of the company's government and enterprise customers.</p> <p>An attacker who compromises the software supply chain of a mobile app vendor can insert code in the app, which prompts an end user to download an update from a malicious site. A software supply chain compromise happens before an app hits a public or corporate app store.</p> <p>Business application and service providers will no doubt ramp up their supply chain security to prevent these attacks.</p> <h3>Jailbreaking and rooting of mobile devices</h3> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/answer/Whats-the-difference-between-jailbreaking-and-rooting">Jailbroken iOS devices and rooted Android devices</a> compromise the security posture of the entire device because they enable hackers to carry out privilege escalation attacks. When attackers gain access to a mobile OS, they can attack mobile applications indiscriminately.</p> <p>EMM tools such as Jamf Private Access enable IT to set security policies that prevent jailbroken or rooted mobile devices from accessing enterprise resources.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VJ61t5ZL35M?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> <h3>Man-in-the-middle attacks</h3> <p>As corporate applications migrate to the cloud, the prospect of man-in-the-middle (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/iotagenda/definition/man-in-the-middle-attack-MitM">MitM</a>) attacks -- where an attacker can intercept, delete or alter data sent between two devices -- becomes a reality. While there are other causes of MitM attacks, mobile applications using unencrypted HTTP can traffic sensitive information, which attackers can use for their nefarious purposes.</p> <p>To prevent MitM attacks, organizations should start by training their development teams in secure coding standards and architecture. The same standards must also apply to vendors in their software supply chain.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="How to protect mobile apps from security threats"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>How to protect mobile apps from security threats</h2> <p>To ensure the safety of mobile users and sensitive corporate resources, IT must know how attacks on mobile applications can take place and proactively defend against them. As an organization's use of BYOD and corporate devices evolves, so must its mobile security strategies. The key to creating such effective security policies is making the most of working relationships to share best practices among desktop and mobile teams, as well as the end users the organization supports.</p> <p><em><b>Editor's note:</b></em><em><b> </b></em><em>This article was originally written by Will Kelly in August 2022. It was updated in January 2026 to reflect changes in the mobile threat landscape and to improve the reader experience.</em></p> <p><em>Will Kelly is a freelance writer and content strategist who has written about cloud, DevOps, AI and enterprise mobility.</em></p> </section> As mobile devices gain popularity as enterprise devices, mobile apps become a greater target for hackers. Understand the risks that come with mobile apps and how to mitigate them. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/mobile_g1133598835.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/tip/Preventing-attacks-on-mobile-applications-in-the-enterprise Wed, 07 Jan 2026 14:20:00 GMT <p>Fixed wireless access, or FWA, is still relatively new and in the early stages of its growth. However, as growth opportunities in more traditional wireless technologies slow down due to the ubiquity of mobile devices, service providers are turning to new areas, such as FWA, that still have significant upside.</p> <p>Essentially, FWA is the technology that enables wireless carriers to enter into the broadband business and compete with wireline broadband from cable television and telephone companies.</p> <p>"FWA is expanding the competitive playing field for home and business users. This threatens longstanding and traditional wireline services [but] also potentially expands the entire sector," said Jeff Kagan, an Atlanta-based wireless analyst.</p> <p>In general terms, 5G FWA is a wireless network infrastructure that is based on the latest cellular technology, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/5G">5G</a>, and installed in a fixed location, such as a business or home. The idea is that the FWA device stays in the same location and connects to the same set of towers or antennas during its entire lifecycle. This is in contrast to roaming, where the device moves around, according to Beth Cohen, an advanced networking and security product strategist at Verizon.</p> <p>Cohen said 5G FWA offers several benefits, including the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Simplified installation</b><b>.</b> "Far and away the most attractive feature for temporary use cases," she said. "Stand it up and tear the service down in minutes."</li> <li><b>Addresses the last-mile problem</b><b>.</b> "This one is for the telecoms. Last-mile fiber and fiber in sparsely populated areas have always been expensive and difficult to deploy," Cohen said. "The fewer locations that can buy the services, the less profitable it is to install." FWA offers a lower-cost alternative by providing a centralized architecture for bringing fiber to the towers and FWA from the towers to users.</li> <li><b>Satellite a</b><b>lternative</b><b>.</b> In rural areas, when FWA is available, it is cheaper, more reliable and has far more capacity. It represents a win-win all around, Cohen said.</li> <li><b>Wireless b</b><b>ackup</b><b>.</b> 5G FWA provides low-cost failover service for commercial locations.</li> </ul> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="U.S. FWA market growth and trends"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>U.S. FWA market growth and trends</h2> <p>The growth potential in the 5G FWA market is impressive, especially as the technology continues to improve. Potential improvements include the ability to harness higher radio frequencies, deploy radio repeaters and develop new technologies, said Peter Rysavy, president of Rysavy Research.</p> <p>The success of FWA could boil down to the quality, connectivity, reliability, speed and latency of FWA services.</p> <p>The initial rollout a couple of years ago went well, with many signups on the consumer and commercial sides, according to Cohen. However, service uptake has slowed down a bit since then, and the loss of federal funding for rural buildouts will slow it further.</p> <p>"The bait-and-switch of providing LTE instead of 5G in some areas, and difficulties related to signal strength and antenna locations -- all issues that can be overcome in time -- set back the more rapid and widespread deployments," Cohen said.</p> <p>An October report from Omdia, an Informa TechTarget company, predicted that global FWA subscriptions will more than double by 2030. The report highlighted strong momentum across markets led by India and the U.S. and identified FWA as the fastest-growing broadband access technology.</p> <p>Telecom provider Ericsson estimated FWA lines will grow from 160 million at the end of 2024 to 350 million by 2030, with 80% of this growth attributed to 5G, said Roy Chua, founder and principal at AvidThink, a research and advisory firm. He said most operators in four of six regions now offer FWA, and there is a growing shift toward speed-tiered pricing.</p> <p>Chua added that the financial disclosures of telecom operators in the U.S. still show strong FWA momentum. T-Mobile maintained its position as the leader in the FWA market with over 7.3 million customers. In Q2 2025 alone, the carrier added 454,000 FWA lines.</p> <p>"Within the U.S. market, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless have been the most aggressive from the mobile operator side, while AT&amp;T is focused on fiber first and then FWA," said Earl Lum, president of EJL Wireless Research. "I think things are slowing down now as capacity for FWA is dwindling for T-Mobile, since they are using C-Band [midband] spectrum and not <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/millimeter-wave-MM-wave">mmWave</a> like Verizon Wireless," Lum said.</p> <p>Meanwhile, Verizon reached 5.1 million FWA subscribers in Q2 2025 by adding 275,000 new lines. AT&amp;T surpassed 1 million subscribers in Q2 2025, with 203,000 net additions in the quarter.</p> <p>Every mobile network operator has a different approach to 5G FWA, Rysavy said. For example, T-Mobile has focused on midband spectrum, while Verizon works on mmWave. Over time, each method of providing FWA will garner millions of users, he said.</p> <p>Enterprises and consumers can both benefit from FWA; however, currently, most interest in FWA deployment focuses on how it can provide connectivity to individual users. A strong FWA connection can enable individuals to connect to enterprise networks, especially in remote areas with limited connectivity options.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="FWA enterprise use cases"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>FWA enterprise use cases</h2> <p>Cohen said one of the best use cases is FWA installations that serve as low-cost and effective backups to wireline connections for retail and other companies with large numbers of small locations spread over long distances. "It is a very attractive option for construction sites," she said.</p> <p>Other significant use cases include the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Retail sites</b><b>.</b> Stores and restaurants can deploy FWA to provide reliable, hassle-free wireless internet, ensuring secure failover to prevent business operations from being interrupted by outages, Chua explained. Businesses with multiple branch offices, including food chains, banks and retail stores that require connectivity for point-of-sale machines and Wi-Fi can have a single mobile provider across all locations, assuming FWA is available in those locations -- or even dual FWA providers if more reliability is needed.</li> </ul> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Logistics hubs</b><b>.</b> <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/feature/5G-driving-IoT-innovation-Key-use-cases-and-applications">Businesses with IoT-enabled machines</a> monitoring operations in remote locations where wired networks aren't feasible can use fixed wireless access points to maintain uninterrupted, secure connectivity, Chua said.</li> </ul> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Temporary sites</b><b>.</b> FWA can be deployed quickly by people without specialized skills, providing fast and reliable internet for short-duration events such as movie premieres and pop-up stores. FWA might also be a suitable option for companies that frequently relocate their offices or use temporary setups, he said.</li> </ul> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Disaster recovery</b><b>.</b> Enterprises with critical connectivity needs, such as financial institutions and healthcare facilities, can <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/tip/5G-and-SD-WAN-pair-is-a-game-changer-for-branch-connectivity">use FWA as a WAN failover option</a>. The router automatically switches the entire location's traffic to the mobile network when primary wired connections fail, Chua explained.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Fiber vs. FWA: Trade-offs for businesses"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Fiber vs. FWA: Trade-offs for businesses</h2> <p>To decide whether to go the 5G FWA route, organizations should consider it from several perspectives, Cohen said.</p> <p>"For businesses, it really is apples and oranges. If the business has access to fiber, while it might be more expensive -- although they are usually comparable -- fiber is the better technology in terms of throughput and reliability until we have a good solution for network slicing to better control capacity," she said.</p> <p>Deployment time might be a concern to a business in the short term, but generally once fiber is in, it just works, she said.</p> <p>"Wireless is a bit fussier to deploy because you need to find the location on the site with optimal signal strength to figure out the best location for the connectivity equipment," Cohen said. "For kiosks, construction sites, pop-ups and other temporary installations, FWA is perfect."</p> <p>From the telecom provider perspective, FWA infrastructure is still cheaper to install than fiber, particularly in less densely populated areas, she said. Telecoms must also ensure there is sufficient capacity to support the number of subscribers. That has been a problem for carriers with less disciplined practices around how to best share the network between mobile and FWA traffic.</p> <p>Chua explained the pros and cons of each option in a head-to-head comparison:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Cost</b><b>.</b> "FWA often wins on upfront and near-term capex by avoiding make-ready and pole and permit work. Fiber capex is higher but can be amortized over its long life," he said.</li> </ul> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Performance</b><b>.</b> Chua called fiber the "reference" for low latency and high reliability. It has the lowest latency among fixed access types, while FWA latency varies by RF conditions and network loads.</li> </ul> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Throughput</b><b>.</b> "Modern 5G FWA commonly delivers 100-300-plus Mbps with continued gains from midband carrier aggregation or <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/What-is-5G-Advanced-5GA-or-55G">5G-Advanced</a>. However, fiber can scale to multi-Gbps symmetrically," he said.</li> </ul> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Time</b><b> </b><b>to</b><b> </b><b>service</b><b>.</b> FWA typically deploys in days, while fiber can take weeks or even months due to right-of-way issues and make-ready work, Chua said.</li> </ul> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Where each one fits</b><b>.</b> "Choose FWA for speed to open, temporary sites, hard-to-serve or rural areas or as a diverse failover. Choose fiber for long-term, high-density campuses, latency-sensitive workloads, or guaranteed service level agreements requiring deterministic performance," he said.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Benefits and challenges of FWA strategies"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Benefits and challenges of FWA strategies</h2> <p>Despite its growing popularity, 5G FWA brings challenges, such as fundamental design and coverage constraints.</p> <p>"I think the most significant challenge is that the wireless networks were designed for fixed locations and relatively steady traffic volumes using a hub and spoke model for service delivery," Cohen explained. "Mobile networks are designed for far more devices, but those devices move around and are far more spread out, and each device creates less traffic."</p> <p>For now, coverage typically follows the same locations as mobile coverage maps and uses the same towers. Telecom providers might need to rethink that approach if they're serious about expanding their FWA footprints. They need to treat it almost as a separate and distinct use case with its own traffic patterns, she said.</p> <p>Spectrum limitations, particularly for midband spectrum, are the greatest constraints for FWA, which limits the number of customers an operator can support, Rysavy said. Operators can densify their networks with more cell sites and small cells, but doing so is expensive, and the permitting process can be time-consuming.</p> <p>Ultimately, while FWA offers benefits in cost and flexibility, it is still a young technology, and some users will have a better experience than others, according to Kagan, but everything will improve going forward.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Future outlook of FWA"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Future outlook of FWA</h2> <p>Cohen said she expects FWA to grow in the next two to five years, as consumers and businesses recognize its value. This is especially the case as providers expand services to rural areas that are ill-served by pretty much anything else, and enterprise customers see the value in the flexibility FWA delivers.</p> <p>"While it needs some more infrastructure on the ground as compared to satellite communications, it has the potential for far more bandwidth capacity and far less cost for those hard to get to areas in the world," Cohen said.</p> <p>FWA technology and performance will also continue to improve as operators gain access to more spectrum, smart antennas become more sophisticated, and AI dynamically manages radio resources for optimum efficiency, Rysavy explained. Operators will be able to offer more customers ever greater performance.</p> <p>At this stage, 5G FWA and private wireless appear to have a strong growth window ahead, but things can change in wireless, and they always do, Kagan said.</p> <p>"It looks like, at least for the next several years, these sectors will remain on the growth track," he said. "That does not mean growth will be smooth and flawless."</p> <p><i>David Weldon is a business and technology writer in the Boston area who covers topics related to data management, information security, healthcare technology, educational technology and workforce management.</i></p> </section> FWA continues to grow globally, especially in the U.S. and India, as more companies learn its advantages for extending broadband to rural areas. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/map_globe_g1310544349.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/answer/5G-fixed-wireless-access-market-grows-in-the-US Wed, 07 Jan 2026 10:45:00 GMT <p>5G has become the default technology for cellular wireless networks. Thanks to its ability to offer WAN-like speeds, 5G can support the bandwidth needs of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/virtual-reality">VR</a>), serving as the basis of new applications that provide immersive experiences for businesses and their customers.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="The impact of 5G-enabled AR/VR"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>The impact of 5G-enabled AR/VR</h2> <p>5G also provides high bandwidth and low latency to mobile devices, enabling them to run AR and VR applications that deliver demonstrable business value. 5G's theoretical ability to support up to 10 Gbps data rates opens the doors to AR and VR applications that are simply not feasible on 4G and older technologies. However, device and coverage constraints can still limit usability in some situations.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="5 industry use cases for 5G augmented and virtual reality"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>5 industry use cases for 5G augmented and virtual reality</h2> <p>5G use cases for AR and VR are numerous and often industry-specific. They include scenarios for customer service and support, employee engagement, customer engagement and others. Let's explore five common ways AR and VR can take advantage of 5G.</p> <h3>1. Customer service and support</h3> <p>Today, most customer engagement consists of emails, phone calls or text messages with contact center agents. By taking advantage of 5G's speed, along with AR and VR applications on mobile devices, companies can provide customers with real-time guidance and demonstrations.</p> <p>For example, a customer trying to assemble a complex piece of equipment can get help from AR that overlays instructions on top of the live image of the equipment captured by the camera on a mobile or wearable device. A product expert can then guide the customer toward completing the necessary steps.</p> <p>Another opportunity is using AR for product demonstrations. For example, customers can use AR apps to overlay images of clothes onto images of themselves to see how they look. Or they can see how a paint color looks before applying it. Anyone looking to remodel a kitchen can view an overlay of the final design on top of their current kitchen. AR can even take measurements to ensure proper fit.</p> <p>Additionally, salespeople can use the technology to walk customers through various aspects of a product before purchase. Imagine using VR goggles to take a guided tour of a new vehicle without having to visit a showroom.</p> <p>In each case, combining the right hardware with 5G technologies opens possibilities for improving the customer experience and increasing sales.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/esUhTF9fk-w?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> <h3>2. Healthcare</h3> <p>The healthcare opportunities are numerous. Instructors can use VR to demonstrate new procedures or techniques to medical students, doctors and nurses remotely, wherever they are, thus saving on travel costs. Instructors can also use AR on top of live procedures to point out steps and points of interest. Or they can use VR to bring remote participants into an operating or examination room, enabling them to observe and ask questions.</p> <p>For patient care, AR and VR over 5G offer opportunities to enhance telemedicine, providing healthcare professionals with the ability to conduct remote examinations, highlight areas of concern to patients and even walk patients through procedures before their appointments.</p> <p>5G-enabled AR and VR devices, such as wearable glasses, enable medical care professionals to include remote experts directly in the examination room, potentially saving time, money and, ultimately, lives. Consider, for example, surgeons who run into a problem during a procedure. Using a 5G-enabled wearable device, they can easily show a remote specialist what they are seeing. The specialist can then use AR to guide the surgeon during the procedure.</p> <h3>3. Meetings and employee engagement</h3> <p>AR and VR meeting applications already exist, such as Cisco Webex integrated with the Apple Vision Pro mixed-reality headset, enabling users to join immersive, virtual reality meetings while wearing the headset. 5G expands the options for immersive meetings so that participants can join from virtually anywhere.</p> <p>Employees might also use VR for virtual engagement outside of meetings, such as for social and team-building scenarios. One example is Accenture's Nth Floor project that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights/technology/going-beyond-extended-reality" rel="noopener">provides a metaverse</a> for employees to engage with one another, regardless of location.</p> <h3>4. Training and education</h3> <p>AR and VR over 5G offer the potential to deliver <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchunifiedcommunications/feature/Training-with-VR-could-lead-to-broader-enterprise-adoption">high-quality immersive education and training</a> to remote participants anywhere in the world. Teaching scenarios that require in-person instruction today, such as lab experiments, can be done using VR and AR, making education more accessible and less costly.</p> <p>The cost of training field personnel on new products and techniques can be reduced by eliminating the need to bring field workers to in-person training classes or dispatch trainers to conduct in-person training in the field. The use of AR and VR over 5G for training is especially attractive to industries operating in remote locations, such as mines, drilling sites and other areas that lack access to high-speed wired networks.</p> <h3>5. Next-generation wearable devices</h3> <p>Today, most wearable devices are expensive and bulky or require tethering to a mobile phone for data access and local processing. With its high data-transfer rates, 5G enables devices to take advantage of cloud-based processing and offloading of graphical tasks, potentially reducing the cost and complexity of wearables while increasing flexibility and battery life.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="5G AR and VR limitations"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>5G AR and VR limitations</h2> <p>Despite the many potential benefits of using AR and VR over 5G, limitations do exist. The biggest limitation is the availability of 5G, especially in remote areas.</p> <p>The FCC currently estimates that about 96% of homes and small businesses now <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fcc.gov/news-events/blog/2025/05/20/broadband-data-collection-shows-access-high-speed-internet-services" rel="noopener">have access</a> to 5G, with most having access to at least 35 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload speeds. However, dead spots are possible, and true universal coverage might require <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/feature/A-deep-dive-into-the-differences-between-5G-and-Wi-Fi-6">supplementing 5G with Wi-Fi</a>.</p> <p>5G availability can even be limited in urban areas, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/tip/Indoor-5G-gets-a-boost-as-small-cells-come-to-the-rescue">especially within buildings</a>. And available bandwidth is likely to be limited by the number of 5G users who are all contending for network resources at any given time. 5G AR and VR applications are also likely to be constrained by the processing power and battery life of mobile devices.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="The future of 5G and AR/VR"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>The future of 5G and AR/VR</h2> <p>5G will continue to enable growth in AR and VR use cases in the next few years. The forthcoming rollout of <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/What-is-5G-Advanced-5GA-or-55G">5G-Advanced</a> and the expected arrival of <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/6G">6G</a> in the 2030s will continue to make 5G a viable <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/WAN-wide-area-network">WAN</a> alternative, as well as increase the bandwidth and performance available to AR and VR-capable mobile devices.</p> <p>Running AR and VR over 5G offers significant potential to deliver new and innovative capabilities to customers and employees, in addition to reducing the costs of training and customer service. Organizations should take a proactive approach to identify applicable use cases while recognizing potential constraints on the applications they envision.</p> <p><i>Irwin Lazar is president and principal analyst at Metrigy, where he leads coverage on the digital workplace. His research focus includes unified communications, VoIP, video conferencing and team collaboration.</i></p> </section> Many industries will reap major benefits from integrating augmented and virtual reality technology with 5G. But beware of limitations in 5G coverage and mobile device capabilities. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/arvr_a230499787.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/tip/Top-use-cases-for-5G-augmented-and-virtual-reality Mon, 05 Jan 2026 12:50:00 GMT <p>Telecom operators touted fifth-generation cellular technology, or <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/5G">5G</a>, as the wave of the future for both consumers and businesses. The hype about 5G's promise of high-speed, high-capacity wireless networks that enabled leading-edge, latency-sensitive applications made headlines. But stumbling blocks in the 5G rollout and performance issues left corporations and consumers alike less than impressed.</p> <p>Over time, telecom providers worked out the kinks. Disruptions abated and performance revved up, laying the groundwork for 5G to provide the communication capabilities needed for advanced applications at the edge, including AI-driven ones.</p> <p>Enterprise clients saw the light and have been replacing point-to-point broadband with the more cost-effective and accessible <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/answer/5G-fixed-wireless-access-market-grows-in-the-US">fixed wireless access 5G</a>. Corporate network owners are also adding mobile 5G connections to tap into faster speeds and more bandwidth.</p> <p>Their interest is understandable, given 5G's numerous features and benefits. Here are seven of the most important ones.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="1. Speed and bandwidth"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>1. Speed and bandwidth</h2> <p>What first comes to mind when 5G is introduced into the technology conversation is lightning-fast transmission speeds and expansive bandwidth. With speeds as high as 20 Gbps, the cellular technology promises to be <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/feature/A-deep-dive-into-the-differences-between-4G-and-5G-networks">three to six times faster</a> in production networks than its predecessor, 4G. 5G has made cellular a practical networking option for advanced applications, such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), ultra HD video streaming and telemedicine, because it <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/tip/5G-and-SD-WAN-pair-is-a-game-changer-for-branch-connectivity">gives WAN connections sufficient speed</a> and bandwidth to support those applications.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="2. Low latency"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>2. Low latency</h2> <p>5G's low latency, which in production networks ranges between 1 and 10 milliseconds (ms), delivers numbers far superior to 4G's 50-100 ms. At that level, 5G can deliver the nearly instant transmission speeds required for applications like gaming and autonomous vehicles. 5G's low latency also brings flexibility that makes it possible for enterprises to jettison some of their branch-office infrastructure that is based on the WAN switching mechanism, MPLS, in favor of less expensive and more flexible 5G connections. This is especially true in retail, shared infrastructure and remote environments.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="3. Capacity"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>3. Capacity</h2> <p>5G has the capacity to support up to 100 times more connected devices in the same physical space than 4G LTE can. It can connect up to 1 million devices in a square kilometer while maintaining 99.999% availability. This density creates business advantages for mobile workforces and connected IoT devices in industries like manufacturing and healthcare, as well as in smart cities. For example, 5G's capacity for real-time transmissions from a massive number of devices supports healthcare applications like remote patient tracking through wearables and other devices.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/networking-5G_features_and_benefits.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/networking-5G_features_and_benefits_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/networking-5G_features_and_benefits_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/networking-5G_features_and_benefits.png 1280w" alt="benefits of 5G for businesses" height="322" width="560"> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="4. Security"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>4. Security</h2> <p>Security is a high priority in every aspect of the typical network, but particularly when mobile and IoT devices are involved. They make attractive targets because they are more vulnerable than systems that are locked down behind firewalls. While 5G security is constructed on the same principles as 4G, 5G has important security <a target="_blank" href="https://www.3gpp.org/technologies/akma" rel="noopener">enhancements</a> that deliver stronger encryption. 5G also provides a shield to guard user identities by obscuring subscriber IDs. It also delivers advanced authentication, including non-SIM-based authentication, which provides more options in IoT devices that are too small to fit a SIM card. 5G technology also provides more granular traffic isolation through <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/network-slicing">network slicing</a>.</p> <p>However, the massive volume of traffic carried over 5G networks also introduces new security challenges. Tracking that much data can overwhelm network management systems and security, and end users must stay on top of security updates or risk exposing their devices to threats.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="5. Coverage"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>5. Coverage</h2> <p>5G improves coverage by using multiple frequency bands, employing intelligent <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/beamforming">beamforming</a> to direct signals precisely, deploying smaller transmitters and cells and optimizing signal penetration with low-band frequencies. While high-band <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/millimeter-wave-MM-wave">millimeter wave</a> 5G offers higher speeds over shorter distances and doesn't penetrate obstacles well, low-band and midband 5G provide wider coverage and better building penetration to extend overall network reach.</p> <p>Midband spectrum balances coverage and bandwidth, delivers improved services and offers a better cost model for higher data use. Network densification is driven by the lower propagation qualities of the high-frequency spectrum that 5G uses, which require more cells in a particular space. Making the network denser requires more base stations as well as <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/feature/Macrocell-vs-small-cell-vs-femtocell-A-5G-introduction">small cell and macrocell base stations</a>.</p> <p>Massive <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/definition/MIMO">multiple input, multiple output</a> antenna technology extends coverage and network capacity in 5G networks. The technology facilitates the deployment of a large number of antennas at each base station to send and receive signals, improving both capacity and coverage.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="6. Network slicing"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>6. Network slicing</h2> <p>Network slicing applies software-defined networking and virtualization to split the network into virtual slices. While network slicing is still not widely deployed, it is expected to become a popular way to monetize the technology and bring specialized services to customers.</p> <p>Each network slice can adjust to meet the specific requirements of applications or user groups to best support their network, security and performance needs. Telecom operators can use network slicing to deploy services and new functions quickly to adapt to shifting market dynamics.</p> <p>Network slicing introduces new revenue opportunities by delivering higher-value, customized services. These can include services for industries such as manufacturing, healthcare and finance. Network slicing can also be used for horizontal applications, including AR and VR.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FtCKGmalxXA?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="7. Future technology adoption"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>7. Future technology adoption</h2> <p>To go back to the beginning, one of the most compelling promises of 5G is its potential to support innovative new technology and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/tip/Top-5G-use-cases-for-business-include-fixed-wireless-healthcare">business uses</a>. 5G is already providing high-speed internet services to businesses and consumers via fixed wireless access. Enterprises see it as a mechanism to support billions of connected devices as well as immersive entertainment applications and industrial automation.</p> <p>In its 2025 "State of Enterprise Connectivity Report," the mobile networking vendor Ericsson found that 88% of those surveyed see <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/feature/How-5G-and-artificial-intelligence-may-influence-each-other">5G as critical to optimizing AI</a> in the workplace. The study uncovered a symbiotic relationship between the two technologies, with 90% noting that AI elevates IT security by automating threat detection.</p> <p>The healthcare industry is beginning to use 5G in conjunction with <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/edge-computing">edge computing</a> for a host of different applications, including remote patient monitoring, remote surgery, telemedicine and IoT medical devices.</p> <p>Several industries, including oil and gas, manufacturing, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/feature/Private-5G-for-utilities-Benefits-use-cases-and-deployment">utilities</a> and construction, are using 5G for industrial automation applications. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/feature/5G-in-edge-computing-Benefits-applications-and-challenges">5G-enabled edge computing</a> can improve industrial automation by powering communications with robotics, drones and IoT sensors. Automotive and logistics companies are using the two technologies to build new autonomous vehicle applications.</p> <p>While 5G is widely deployed in the U.S. today, applications are still being developed, including <a target="_blank" href="https://cradlepoint.com/resources/blog/empowering-netcloud-administrator-productivity-and-simplify-operations-through-new-ai-innovations/" rel="noopener">AI-powered software</a>, to take full advantage of 5G's many attributes. 5G technology has become the network cornerstone that enterprises need to move forward from the bleeding edge to the future.</p> <p><i>Amy Larsen DeCarlo has covered the IT industry for more than 30 years, as a journalist, editor and analyst. As principal analyst at GlobalData, she covers managed security and cloud services.</i></p> </section> Increased cellular speed, bandwidth and capacity at lower latencies have made wireless VR and AR practical for business use, enabling vertical industry apps and boosting IoT. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/Hero%20Images/5G-fotolia.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/tip/What-are-the-features-and-benefits-of-5G-technology-for-businesses Mon, 22 Dec 2025 09:00:00 GMT <p>Cellular and wireless technologies evolve constantly. Every new version offers improved features and new use cases. Wi-Fi 6 and 5G, the most recent generations of their respective standards, are no different.</p> <p>In addition to a new name, the wireless specification Wi-Fi 6 introduces several enhancements, including higher speeds, greater capabilities, IoT features and multi-user support.&nbsp;5G cellular offers a long list of improvements as well, among them much lower latency and network speeds and data rates that greatly exceed the previous standard, 4G.</p> <p>Wi-Fi 6 and 5G are distinct technologies, but <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/feature/Its-not-Wi-Fi-6-vs-5G-its-Wi-Fi-6-and-5G">they complement each other</a> in many ways.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What is Wi-Fi 6?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What is Wi-Fi 6?</h2> <p>Among other capabilities, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/Wi-Fi6">Wi-Fi 6</a>, also known as 802.11ax, offers significantly improved performance and more efficient coverage compared to previous standards. It supports features such as orthogonal frequency-division multiple access and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/multi-user-MIMO">multi-user multiple input, multiple output</a>. These enhancements enable Wi-Fi 6 to support a significantly larger number of users than previous generations, while also improving capacity and reliability.</p> <p>Wi-Fi 6 is also the first generation to be identified by a numerical sequence rather than the formal 802.11x designation the IEEE previously used to define wireless standards. To that end, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/tip/Whats-the-difference-between-80211ax-vs-80211ac/">previous standards</a> -- 802.11n and 802.11ac -- are now known as Wi-Fi 4 and Wi-Fi 5, respectively.</p> <p>The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wi-fi.org/" rel="noopener">Wi-Fi Alliance</a> introduced the new naming system in 2018.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What is 5G?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What is 5G?</h2> <p>Fifth-generation cellular is <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/5G">the newest generation</a> of cellular technology. It eclipses 4G LTE by offering increased network speeds and reliability. 5G uses higher frequencies than 4G LTE to transmit its signals, which means it can transfer data at faster rates and better support real-time communication.</p> <p>5G and Wi-Fi 6 both offer increased bandwidth, higher speeds and lower latency. Both were engineered with features and capabilities -- among them enhanced UX -- that greatly surpass previous standards. Organizations can use both standards to connect users to services and resources, but it's important to recognize the differences between them.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/networking-5g_vs_wifi6-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/networking-5g_vs_wifi6-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/networking-5g_vs_wifi6-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/networking-5g_vs_wifi6-f.png 1280w" alt="An image showing the differences between Wi-Fi 6 and 5G. " height="366" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Although Wi-Fi 6 and 5G complement each other, they have distinct differences as well. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Differences between Wi-Fi 6 and 5G"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Differences between Wi-Fi 6 and 5G</h2> <p>The key differences between Wi-Fi 6 and 5G include the following:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li>Technology type.</li> <li>Licensing.</li> <li>Frequency.</li> <li>Authentication.</li> <li>Network security.</li> <li>Cost.</li> <li>Use cases.</li> </ul> <h3>Technology type</h3> <p>Wi-Fi is a wireless LAN technology that uses routers, access points and radio signals to connect devices within a limited range.</p> <p>5G is a cellular technology that uses base stations, small cells and radio signals to transfer data and provide connectivity to end-user devices. 5G signals can travel for miles and typically cover a large geographic area.&nbsp;</p> <h3>Licensing</h3> <p>4G LTE and previous cellular standards dictated that carriers transmit signals using licensed spectrum bands, designed to prevent interference between connected devices. In contrast, Wi-Fi operates in unlicensed bands that don't require permission to use.</p> <p>5G, however, operates in both <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/answer/Whats-the-difference-between-licensed-and-unlicensed-wireless">licensed and unlicensed bands</a>. This could create co-channel interference in areas where 5G and Wi-Fi 6 signals overlap. Each standard has built-in safeguards to prevent interference, but organizations must still plan their wireless deployments carefully.</p> <h3>Frequency</h3> <p>Wi-Fi 6 operates in the unlicensed 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands. Wi-Fi 6E, an extension of Wi-Fi 6, operates at 6 GHz.</p> <p>5G operators use different frequency bands for their mobile networks, including 600 MHz, 800 MHz and millimeter wave, which operates between 30 GHz and 300 GHz.</p> <h3>Authentication</h3> <p>While Wi-Fi technology's unlicensed bands don't require permission to use, access to the Wi-Fi network itself does. To access a Wi-Fi network, users typically require a service set identifier -- or network name -- and password. In addition, Wi-Fi 6 introduces a new authentication type called <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/WPA3">Simultaneous Authentication of Equals</a> for added protection against bad actors.</p> <p>Cellular networks don't have the same authentication requirements as Wi-Fi networks, so it's easy for connected devices to gain access. However, 5G also <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tip/Use-these-6-user-authentication-types-to-secure-networks">uses several authentication types</a>, including 5G Authentication and Key Agreement, Extensible Authentication Protocol-AKA and EAP-Transport Layer Security to bolster 5G network security.</p> <h3>Network security</h3> <p>Wi-Fi network device security is historically easier to guarantee than cellular networks, but Wi-Fi 6 offers new protections, such as Wi-Fi Protected Access 3. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/feature/Wireless-encryption-basics-Understanding-WEP-WPA-and-WPA2">WPA3 bolsters authentication security and encryption</a> and eliminates shortcomings of WPA2.</p> <p>5G offers a more comprehensive suite of security capabilities than previous standards, but organizations still must guard against threats. New features encompass several concepts, among them security anchor functions, subscription permanent identifiers and subscription concealed identifiers. These enable seamless and secure device reauthentication as a connected device travels between networks, which former cellular generations couldn't guarantee.</p> <h3>Cost</h3> <p>Wi-Fi is typically cheaper to build and use. Unlicensed spectrum doesn't require fees to use, and Wi-Fi devices are typically more affordable than other networking equipment. 5G offers high-speed connectivity but at a higher cost. Most operators had to build their 5G infrastructure from scratch, which requires large investments in equipment and components. They must also purchase the spectrum to use in their mobile networks.</p> <h3>Use cases</h3> <p>The deployment of cellular and Wi-Fi technology, as well as the differences in how organizations use them, are key distinctions between Wi-Fi 6 and 5G. Traditionally, Wi-Fi is better suited for indoor wireless coverage. However, its scope has evolved as the standard has changed. Today, the technology is also used to provide high-density wireless connectivity in locations such as stadiums and sports venues; however, its main focus remains inside office buildings and dwellings.</p> <p>5G is tailored to outdoor use, such as autonomous vehicle support. It's also engineered for use in mobile backhaul, fixed wireless access, satellite pairing, and edge computing. Organizations that use 4G LTE for backhaul can transition to 5G to enhance connectivity, as well as integrate cellular technology into the fixed wireless space.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Wi-Fi 6, 5G as complements rather than competitors"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Wi-Fi 6, 5G as complements rather than competitors</h2> <p>Despite the differences between Wi-Fi 6 and 5G, the two technologies complement each other well. Rather than ponder which one is better, businesses can use both standards together. More importantly, users are likely to care less about the technology they use if their connection is reliable.</p> <p>Interoperability between Wi-Fi 6 and 5G networks enables seamless connectivity for users as they transition between networks, thanks in part to the increasing number of devices that support both technologies.</p> <p>Together, Wi-Fi 6 and 5G underpin innovations in IoT, edge computing and other key enterprise operations. Combined, they offer workforces -- both remote and in the office -- higher speeds, better reliability and the flexibility needed to do their jobs effectively.</p> <p><b>Editor's note: </b><i>This article was updated by editors to reflect industry changes and improve the reader experience.</i></p> </section> Wi-Fi 6 and 5G both boost speed and performance, but differ in cost, coverage and use cases. Together, they provide flexible connectivity for modern enterprises. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/German/article/wifi-travel-mobile-adobe.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/feature/A-deep-dive-into-the-differences-between-5G-and-Wi-Fi-6 Fri, 19 Dec 2025 11:45:00 GMT <p>Mobile telecom carriers are far enough along in migrating to 5G that the technology can be considered almost ubiquitous compared with the 4G landscape of just a few years ago. This evolution provides opportunities and benefits to businesses as they plan their future network strategies.</p> <p>But real-world constraints mean 5G still isn't a slam dunk that always lives up to the hype. In theory, 5G technology should reliably deliver lower latency and higher speed and bandwidth than 4G. 5G proponents frequently tout its support for real-time applications and data-rich mobile apps, but getting those benefits depends on factors like location and local spectrum availability.</p> <p>Despite 5G being widespread enough to qualify as the mobile data option of choice and a viable option for business use, enterprises should be aware of the caveats. Here are some of the more prevalent 5G limitations enterprise network teams might encounter.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="1. Distance from towers generally dictates performance"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>1. Distance from towers generally dictates performance</h2> <p>Cellular carriers are busy reworking the mobile network landscape with upgrades and additional sites to support 5G. As with almost any wireless technology, the closer the client device is to the network node, the better the connection and performance will be, thanks to signal strength and quality -- barring <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10144169/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">external factors like interference</a>.</p> <p>5G also has a fundamental, physics-level characteristic to overcome. At its best, 5G uses millimeter wavelengths, which don't travel as far with the same power levels as the longer wavelengths of earlier 3G and 4G technologies.</p> <p>5G cellular coverage is typically smaller in area, but as a network protocol, 5G can carry more data. To combat the cell footprint limitation, carriers are deploying more and larger antenna arrays where needed to optimize coverage. Signal enhancers, such as <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/beamforming">beamforming</a>, also help the 5G system overcome obstacles by enabling data packets to traverse multiple paths so they can reach individual client devices as they move around the coverage area.</p> <p>All this said, users who are close to a major 5G network might still be disappointed with performance if the network uses lower-performing spectrum or legacy hardware upstream from the antennas.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="2. Spectrum and bandwidth limitations"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>2. Spectrum and bandwidth limitations</h2> <p>5G's spectrum picture can be hard to understand since there's no clear definition of where frequencies start and end. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/feature/The-3-different-types-of-5G-technology-for-enterprises">Three bands are in play</a>, each with its own characteristics. At any given time, one or all of the bands could be in use in a cell, and performance can range from impressively fast to as slow as 3G.</p> <p>Service providers that want to deliver the best 5G experiences share more of their allotted radio frequencies between 4G and 5G and prioritize the latter. And the previously mentioned <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/millimeter-wave-MM-wave">millimeter wave</a> deployments, while far more range-limited, offer the highest available speeds and lowest latencies for wireless clients that are capable of taking advantage of them.</p> <p>Spectrum is a key consideration in choosing carriers and client devices when shopping for 5G services. Much 5G deployment is still done on legacy 3G and 4G spectrum, which enables backward compatibility with older devices, but performance might suffer until components in the path get modernized. It can be frustratingly difficult to get a clear read on the spectrum each carrier's version of 5G can deliver in specific locations.</p> <p>One way 5G overcomes bandwidth limitations is through <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/network-slicing">network slicing</a>, which takes a page from the virtualization trend that has enabled greater density, capacity and capability in data centers by dividing up resources to share more idle resources and increase overall usage. With network slicing, 5G carriers achieve more efficient use of their networks, thereby handling higher user counts and transferring more data simultaneously.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Boa8srjKzCI?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="3. Rural and remote locations might lack 5G coverage"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>3. Rural and remote locations might lack 5G coverage</h2> <p>There is a simple reason 5G coverage maps look fragmented: Rural areas with low populations aren't as profitable for any technology industry. Rural and remote locations have not been the highest priorities as 5G rollouts have progressed, with carriers primarily focused on revenue-generating urban areas. Thankfully, penetration into rural markets is slowly happening, and 5G has a growing presence on carriers' coverage maps. Nevertheless, for the foreseeable future, 5G distribution will be hit or miss.</p> <p>While mobile applications abound in rural-centric industries like agriculture and mining, carriers still might not find it cost effective to deploy 5G in some remote locations. Do applications in those areas even need 5G? That depends on the situation. Remote rollouts can happen if large customers are willing to help cover the costs or if cabled backhaul already exists. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/private-5G">Private 5G</a> might be an option in some cases.</p> <p>Another factor in the rural 5G equation is the lifecycle issues of older 3G and 4G systems, which can be hard to support as they age. Economically, the 5G sweet spot for carriers is when they can take 3G and 4G systems offline once 5G is deployed. However, 5G isn't a one-for-one swap with older cell sites because it tends to have a smaller per-site footprint.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="4. Security issues"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>4. Security issues</h2> <p>Security is a ubiquitous concern these days, whether you're a network provider or consumer. 5G uses a different security model than 3G and 4G because it has new security capabilities, but it is safe to assume that <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/tip/5G-security-Everything-you-should-know-for-a-secure-network">5G largely delivers better security</a> than its predecessors. The good news for businesses is that carriers handle most of the work of implementing security.</p> <p>When it lives up to its promise, 5G can serve as both an access option and a backhaul option. Organizations that build network services on top of 5G networks must understand the 5G security model to ensure the services work as intended, with the right level of security for each level of the 5G architecture.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="5. Energy consumption"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>5. Energy consumption</h2> <p>There is no free lunch when it comes to better cellular technology. Radio components, network equipment and power supplies all need reliable electricity to function. They also need cooling, which also requires energy. Combine these realities with the fact that 5G needs more cells to cover the same area as 3G and 4G, and it becomes obvious that the power requirements of carriers offering 5G increase significantly as new towers and associated facilities are added to the cellular landscape. Network designers aren't just looking for high ground from which to project good cell coverage. They must also factor in how to get power to sites or generate their own.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="6. 5G cost and ROI"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>6. 5G cost and ROI</h2> <p>Whether 5G is part of a lifecycle refresh of client devices or a new network option, it comes with a price tag. In some cases, organizations might just replace phones or cellular routers when older ones reach end of life. In other situations, businesses might consider new subscriptions, and possibly private 5G, if the need is justified. 5G can add line items and subscription-related changes to the budget. If businesses aren't financially prepared, they might have to delay migrating to 5G.</p> <p>5G ROI varies considerably across different scenarios. For example, if using 5G lets an organization eliminate other network costs, positive ROI comes quicker. As 5G becomes more ubiquitous, it could enable organizations to eliminate everything from VoIP headsets to leased "dark fiber" circuits. In comparison, the ROI picture is uncertain for adding 5G and waiting for some hard-to-define point when it might pay for itself.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="How can businesses address 5G challenges?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>How can businesses address 5G challenges?</h2> <p>Marketing departments would have us believe 5G is a must-have for both consumer and business applications. But what 5G is and isn't varies so much right now that it's important to approach the topic with eyes wide open.</p> <p>When addressing the challenges of 5G, businesses should consider doing the following:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li>Define your requirements before spending any money. What can 5G deliver specifically in the places you hope to use it? Are you looking for faster access, a backhaul solution or some <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/feature/5G-driving-IoT-innovation-Key-use-cases-and-applications">5G-connected IoT application</a>? If you can't quantify why 5G is of interest, the salespeople will run right over you.</li> <li>Knowing that <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/feature/Cut-through-5G-hype-with-the-latest-insights">5G hype often outweighs reality</a>, make the provider's account executives prove their performance claims in the scenarios where you intend to use the service before you write the check. If multiple sites are involved, verify the expected 5G coverage and performance at each site. But remember that 5G is an evolving technology and the performance picture could change.</li> <li>Clearly understand how 5G might affect your IT spend both upfront and in the future. Look for ways to use 5G to eliminate other costs.</li> <li>If you're considering private 5G, do a legitimate proof of concept with clear objectives before committing to it.</li> </ul> <p>As with many wireless technologies, 5G's true performance capabilities vary wildly and can be hard to define beyond that they're better than what came before.</p> <p>Nevertheless, 5G really will be better than 4G, and the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/tip/What-are-the-features-and-benefits-of-5G-technology-for-businesses">long-term advantages of 5G</a> should begin to outweigh the current disadvantages as the technology matures and becomes commonplace. For users, 5G should enable better client access in a growing number of locations while introducing new opportunities for businesses to become more agile with innovative networking options.</p> <p><i>Lee Badman is a network architect specializing in wireless and cloud technologies for a large private university. He's also an author and frequent presenter at industry events.</i></p> </section> 5G continues to expand to more areas, but reliance on older infrastructure, a new security model and variations in cost and performance mean businesses should choose carefully. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/mobile_g871133984.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/tip/Top-5G-limitations-for-businesses-include-lack-of-range-devices Thu, 18 Dec 2025 09:00:00 GMT <p>The fifth generation of cellular technology, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/5G">5G</a>, isn't a single flavor. In fact, each type of 5G incorporates new, advanced capabilities that can be added to each version.</p> <p>The different types of 5G comprise the various frequencies on which 5G operates, dubbed low-band, mid-band and high-band 5G. The distinctions among these flavors relate to the different characteristics of each spectrum.</p> <p>Each 5G type <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/quiz/What-do-you-know-about-the-history-of-mobile-networks">builds on the capabilities of past generations</a> and aims to fix problems those generations created. However, 5G is notable because it enables advanced applications and techniques that make it unique for enterprise networks.</p> <p>5G is like Neapolitan ice cream, a type of ice cream with three separate flavors in one container. Low-band, mid-band and high-band 5G are like vanilla, chocolate and strawberry, respectively. Three major U.S. carriers -- AT&amp;T, T-Mobile and Verizon -- use all three frequency bands.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Low-band 5G"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Low-band 5G</h2> <p>Low-band is the closest 5G spectrum to 4G and 4G LTE. It operates on the closest frequencies to TV and radio stations. Advantages of low-band 5G include the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Commonly used. </b>Most network professionals are familiar with low-band 5G, and it's fairly basic in terms of advanced frequencies.</li> <li><b>Penetration.</b> Low-band 5G offers significantly better building penetration than other 5G types.</li> <li><b>Far-reaching. </b>Low-band 5G can travel long distances. Some TV stations still use similar frequency bands because they can cover large areas.</li> <li><b>Frequency ranges. </b>Low-band 5G ranges from 600 MHz to 900 MHz, according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fcc.gov/5G" rel="noopener">Federal Communications Commission</a> (FCC).</li> </ul> <p>However, low-band 5G isn't without its challenges. The disadvantages of low-band 5G include the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Slower than other 5G types.</b> Low-band 5G isn't as fast as the other flavors, which is why it can travel further. It has a lower capacity to carry data than higher frequencies.</li> <li><b>Low bandwidth. </b>Low-band 5G has low bandwidth.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Mid-band 5G"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Mid-band 5G</h2> <p>Mid-band is a bit more advanced than low-band, but it isn't the most hyped type of 5G. Its benefits include the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Synonymous with the sub-6 GHz spectrum.</b> Mid-band 5G ranges from 2.5 GHz, 3.5 GHz and 3.7 GHz to 4.2 GHz bands.</li> <li><b>Wider than low-band.</b> The mid-band 5G spectrum is five times as wide as the low-band spectrum.</li> <li><b>Higher data capacity. </b>Because mid-band 5G is wider than low-band 5G, it has more capacity to transport larger amounts of data.</li> </ul> <p>Cons to mid-band 5G include the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Obstacle interference. </b>Buildings and other solid objects can affect higher ranges of mid-band 5G. However, permeation issues are more prevalent with high-band 5G.</li> <li><b>High deployment costs. </b>Clearing and deploying spectrum and building more towers is costly for carriers.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="High-band 5G and millimeter wave"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>High-band 5G and millimeter wave</h2> <p>High-band 5G is effectively the opposite of low-band 5G: It can't travel far, but it has superfast speeds that result from <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/tip/What-are-the-features-and-benefits-of-5G-technology-for-businesses">5G's most touted benefits</a>. The FCC states that high-band 5G encompasses the 24 GHz, 28 GHz, 37 GHz, 39 GHz and 47 GHz bands. Benefits include the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Uses millimeter wave.</b> High-band 5G uses <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/millimeter-wave-MM-wave">mmWave</a>, the spectrum between 30 GHz and 300 GHz, which provides high-speed connectivity and faster download speeds.</li> <li><b>Increased interest.</b> High-band 5G's advanced capabilities -- and mmWave's high bandwidth and ability to carry more data between destinations -- have increased global interest in 5G.</li> <li><b>Advanced use cases. </b>MmWave makes high-band 5G the only type of 5G with potentially distinct use cases compared to the other types. MmWave can support the level of performance and speed that data centers require, more than low-band or mid-band 5G.</li> </ul> <p>Cons to high-band 5G include the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Poor line-of-sight travel. </b>MmWave can't penetrate obstacles, which limits the frequency's range.</li> <li><b>Obstacle interference.</b> Weather situations such as heavy rainfall, for example, could impede mmWave.</li> <li><b>Installation costs. </b>High-band 5G <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/tip/Indoor-5G-gets-a-boost-as-small-cells-come-to-the-rescue">requires dense networks of small cells</a> and proper installation for an organization's successful 5G deployment.</li> </ul> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QZCmsHdMwdg?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Network deployment types"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Network deployment types</h2> <p>5G has two deployment options: non-standalone (NSA) and standalone (SA) 5G. Both deployment modes are available across all frequency bands.</p> <h3>NSA 5G</h3> <p>NSA 5G builds upon the existing 4G infrastructure. Rather than operating with a 5G core, NSA 5G combines the 4G LTE core with a 5G radio access network. The 5G radio access network (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/radio-access-network-RAN">RAN</a>) enables NSA 5G networks to operate at higher speeds than previous mobile-based networks. It's also faster to deploy NSA 5G because it improves upon existing 4G networks.</p> <p>However, NSA 5G is still limited by its dependence on 4G. NSA 5G is vulnerable to the same security risks that plague 4G infrastructure. Additionally, although NSA 5G has a simpler deployment path, the combination of 4G LTE with 5G RAN consumes more energy, resulting in complexity in managing the infrastructure. Upfront costs might be lower, but the higher power consumption and limited upgrade path to SA 5G make NSA the more costly option in the long term.</p> <h3>Standalone 5G</h3> <p>Unlike NSA 5G, SA 5G uses a 5G-native core, which means it doesn't rely on 4G LTE infrastructure to operate. This leads to improved performance, stronger security and more flexibility. SA 5G also enables new applications that NSA 5G can't support due to its older architecture. Use cases that SA 5G can enable include IoT, smart cities, autonomous vehicles and more.</p> <p>However, because SA 5G is a new architecture, it requires new hardware and equipment to build the network from scratch. SA 5G is still evolving, which can make deployment more challenging. Network operators might not be as familiar with the hardware, protocols and standards as they are with 4G infrastructure, and this inexperience can make deployment more challenging. Complex deployment can create issues with the infrastructure, and the lack of mature SA 5G protocols could make the network more susceptible to security risks.</p> <p>Although SA 5G initially costs more to deploy than NSA 5G, its new infrastructure means it doesn't need to be upgraded in the future. This makes SA 5G the less expensive option between the two 5G deployment options in the long run.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/networking-3_flavors_5g-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/networking-3_flavors_5g-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/networking-3_flavors_5g-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/networking-3_flavors_5g-f.png 1280w" alt="An ice cream sundae showing three types of ice cream that represent low-band, mid-band and high-band 5G. " height="363" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>One way to understand the different types of 5G is to imagine the spectrums as Neapolitan ice cream flavors, with various new capabilities as different ice cream toppings. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Other assorted 5G capabilities"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Other assorted 5G capabilities</h2> <p>Dynamic spectrum sharing is one capability all types of 5G can use. Other capabilities include ultra-reliable low-latency, IoT capabilities and enhanced mobile broadband.</p> <h3>Dynamic spectrum sharing</h3> <p>Dynamic spectrum sharing permits different 5G frequencies to exist on the same spectrum as 4G. This sharing has become more prevalent as carriers shut down spectrums they allocated to 2G or 3G technologies and invest in spectrums that 4G and 5G could operate on together.</p> <p>Dynamic spectrum sharing can benefit organizations that already employ 4G technology and are unsure whether a 5G investment would be worthwhile. 4G can still serve many use cases. Organizations that want to add 4G to their 5G connectivity can use dynamic spectrum sharing to enable that combination.</p> <h3>Ultra-reliable low-latency</h3> <p>5G is built to support ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC), enabling quick responses to requests and benefiting areas such as automation and video conferencing.</p> <p>Further, URLLC can save organizations money, as it <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchunifiedcommunications/tip/5G-UC-evens-the-mobile-communications-playing-field">enables remote communication</a>. Communication could be instantaneous with 5G, even without a person's physical presence. This connectivity can also enhance facial recognition and video surveillance capabilities.</p> <h3>IoT capabilities</h3> <p>The three types of 5G can enable massive machine-type communication, which is the ability for machines to communicate with one another without human intervention, like IoT. In particular, 5G enables <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/narrowband-IoT-NB-IoT">narrowband IoT</a>, a low-power IoT technology that can benefit and support a large number of IoT devices.</p> <p>Narrowband IoT also enhances mobile device battery life, so an IoT sensor battery could last up to 10 years. Additionally, if an organization has disparate systems for all its connected devices, 5G could consolidate them into a single network. Each type of 5G aims to quickly and reliably support all connected devices on a single 5G network with these new capabilities.</p> <h3>Enhanced mobile broadband</h3> <p>Enhanced mobile broadband capability improves standard mobile broadband operations. It can also cut an organization's costs on wired connectivity.</p> <p>This enhanced broadband is the reason experts have questioned whether 5G will replace Wi-Fi, as it offers faster, more flexible and more reliable connectivity than traditional cellular technology and Wi-Fi.</p> <p><b>Editor's note: </b><i>This article was updated to reflect changes in the carriers' use of 5G bands.</i></p> </section> 5G spans low-, mid- and high-band spectrum plus NSA and SA deployments, each balancing speed, coverage, cost and complexity as enterprises evaluate use cases from IoT to low-latency networks. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/iot_g1226985345.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/feature/The-3-different-types-of-5G-technology-for-enterprises Tue, 16 Dec 2025 14:45:00 GMT 60 webmaster@techtarget.com