Verizon's Mobility-as-a-Service Creates Opportunities in the Channel

As Verizon broadens its presence in the mobile device management (MDM) space with a host of new security capabilities, security firms and industry peers will probably come under fire in the attempt to make gains in the competitive MDM space.

In particular, Verizon's cloud-based Enterprise Mobility-as-a-Service offering has been expanded and is aimed to govern and control the growth of bring-your-own-device (BYOD) to work smartphones and tablets, in addition to the great number of applications and access options.

Medium and global enterprise businesses are targeted by the service, which will be launched this month.

Most notably, Verizon's new Mobility-as-a-Service offer allows complex and high-margin channel opportunities. A secure workplace is one of the biggest additions, and is managed by IT administrators or partners, enabling them to protect sensitive data on both corporate-issued and employee-owned devices.

The new service will also demonstrate advanced MDM capabilities which have been extended to smartphones and tablets, offering partners the ability to lock devices, control them remotely, and wipe them of sensitive corporate data.

Additionally, Verizon's Mobility-as-a-Service, licensing on a per-user (rather than per-device basis), will include advanced Wi-Fi offload access so customers will be able to connect to more than 500,000 wireless hotspots around the world, provide corporate Wi-Fi directories across devices and use network data remotely.

The MDM market is currently filled with competitors and the fight to noticeably mark the space is fierce. Verizon hopes to make itself noticed by providing a leg-up for solution providers who are offered unending MDM solutions, through offering a one-stop shop for mobile-related services.

The director of mobility solutions for Verizon Enterprise Solutions, Bill Versen, says, “ Until now, companies have had to cobble together the essential requirements to employ effective enterprise mobility policies and programs... With Enterprise Mobility-as-a-Service, Verizon has created one of the most comprehensive and capable solutions to put enterprise mobility to work on a global basis. Now, companies can leverage a single user-based management platform to outfit a global workforce to successfully navigate the changing business landscape for greater productivity.”

The inherent access to infrastructure is a clear plus for telecoms. In particular, the cloud-based platform offered by Verizon allows partners to push software updates, govern IT policies and deploy patches across their customers' networks. A vast number of detailed reports are also available from hardware to software on the whole network infrastructure to mobile platforms, which is attractive when relating to compliance concerns.

Verizon's imminent service shows that its peers will also most likely follow suit, additionally breaking down into MDM through occupying large areas of space. Telecoms will be able to implement brand and trust when attempting to manage the devices and infrastructure they provide.

Enabling partners to deliver and manage is certainly an attractive offer and provides a strengthened base for a variety of unique services. This bodes well for partners seeking to raise their own professional services, yet Verizon will display fierce competition for Symantec Corp., Trend Micro Inc. and others competing for attention in the MDM space. (CY) Link