The increased demands of a personal life and owning a small business mirrors the concurrent growth in small business owners' reliance on wireless technology. Of the 41 percent of respondents who said they were very likely to conduct business while away from the office, more than half (53 percent) said the success of their business depends on wireless technologies, such as mobile phones, PDAs and PC data cards. Additionally, half (49 percent) said they are optimistic about wireless technology giving their business a competitive advantage while only 16 percent of those polled disagreed with that statement.
"Small businesses are more nimble and flexible than ever before, and they need telecommunications solutions built for them by people who understand their needs," said John Regan, vice president of Small Business, AT&T. "Today's small business owners have more choices than ever for wireless handsets, Wi-Fi access points, smartphones and other technologies that help keep them connected even when they're away from the office - whether that's traveling to meet with customers or staying connected with their business while away from the office."
Not surprisingly, different regions vary on the importance and use of wireless technology. Based on responses to three components -- perceived importance of wireless, use of wireless technology and attitude on the impact of wireless technology - a Wireless Quotient, or "WiQ," was calculated for each of the 10 participating markets.
Each component was weighted in the rankings. For example, use of wireless technology was viewed as more important than the perceived importance of that technology. The rankings for the 10 market areas are:
1. Atlanta
2. San Diego
3. Dallas
4. Charlotte
5. Detroit
6. Bay Area
7. Chicago
8. Connecticut
9. Oklahoma
10. Milwaukee
"The concept of WiQ is very relevant today and has bottom-line impact for businesses," said Jeff Kagan, wireless and telecom industry analyst. "Business owners who understand the value of wireless are more likely to translate technology into applications that create competitive advantage for them in the marketplace.
"This study confirms that wireless technologies are increasingly important to small businesses, which are using those technologies more now than they did two years ago, and that increased use will continue in the coming years," said Regan. "This tells us we're doing the right thing with our fully owned wireless brand to offer small businesses a variety of communications bundles and new technologies built for mobility."
