The principal benefits for users of Ericsson's Mobile Device Management tool are simple but vital: control and security. By allowing mobile operators and enterprises to fully administer handset settings over the air, the tool adds mobility to the conventional fixed-device administration scenario.

Ericsson's Mobile Device Management tool works with most Symbian smart phones and Personal Digital Assistants. It includes components for upgrades, security, push-based policy enforcement, patch management, software distribution, trouble-shooting, disaster recovery and inventory control.

For both enterprises and operators alike, the ability to wipe out data on lost phones is very important. Mobile Device Management from Ericsson enhances this service by also offering users the option of regularly backing up their handset data and storing it on a central server. Users can therefore easily reinstall their data on a replacement device.

The tool also permits over-the-air monitoring of battery or memory capacity. Operators in particular stand to gain from checking the memory on their subscribers' phones. This allows them to, for example, offer promotions on new memory cards when detecting that existing ones have almost reached capacity.

Ekberg says another way in which operators can use the tool is to manage trial services for new subscribers. "When a handset is shipped, certain advanced services, such as mobile email, may be enabled for a limited period. This gives subscribers a taste of the service and encourages them to sign up for it," he explains. "But if they choose not to sign up, Ericsson's device management tool allows operators to simply shut down the service at no extra cost."

Since its launch at the 3GSM Congress in Cannes last February, Ericsson's Mobile Device Management tool has been attracting a lot of interest. Ekberg says that Ericsson is now about to begin trials with various operators. "It takes time for operators to try this out on the market," Ekberg says. "So we are working very closely with them in order to be able to integrate it into their business models and take it to different markets in the best possible way."

Ericsson also has other offerings within the device management area, one of which is a solution called Automatic Device Configuration (ADC). This allows operators to establish handsets’ connectivity parameters and activate services over the air. ADC works with all handset types, not only smart phones and PDAs.