Achieving broad mobile coverage could soon become less cumbersome, however, as LAN-speed Wi-Fi networks and cellular networks take their first early steps toward convergence.

Managing cellular wireless alone is a challenge that typically involves purchasing, provisioning, managing and securing a variety of wireless cards, devices and network service suppliers.

"When managing multiple vendor relationships and configurations, the cost rises exponentially and eats up time," says Tony Fuller, CIO at Rent-A-Center Inc., a North American retailer based in Plano, Texas. "And users adjusting to use different networks spend time concentrating on the device, not on the work at hand."

The convergence of Wi-Fi and cellular devices and networks -- which will eventually hand off signals to each other so users won't have to reauthenticate when crossing network boundaries-could help address these problems. Nascent industry endeavors to bridge these environments promise to extend the reach of wireless networks, reduce the number of client devices per user and streamline the lives of both IT and the mobile worker.

The IT community likes the sound of wireless convergence -- at least on paper. "We use both wireless [LAN] and cellular. Obviously, we'd love to have the two converge into a single wireless source," says Vern Butler, chief technology officer at CWCapital LLC, a commercial loan company based in Needham, Mass. "Handoffs between mobile networks would allow our lenders to continue conducting business independent of the network available and maximize the use of their time."