In another sign that tablets are replacing notebooks in the workplace, more than two-thirds of small businesses surveyed by AT&T said their employees are using tablets on the job. Checking e-mail and surfing the Web were by far the most popular uses for tablets, with social media, online banking and general business management ranking much lower. In perhaps a more awkward revelation, 18% of the businesses surveyed said employees use tablets as mobile phones.
AT&T surveyed 2,513 small businesses nationwide and found that 96% use wireless technology, while 63% said it would be a major challenge to try to survive without it. Half the companies surveyed said that by the end of this year they expect to have all their employees equipped to work from outside the office using wireless technology.
Roughly half the companies surveyed were clustered in key metropolitan areas, and their responses highlight some regional differences in business use of wireless. Dallas, AT&T’s hometown, was conveniently ranked as the city with the largest percentage of businesses (100%) with employees equipped to work remotely using wireless. Dallas companies also had the highest rate of mobile app usage in the nation. Washington, D.C.,-based companies were the biggest users of BlackBerries and of 4G smartphones. Atlanta businesses were the most likely to have Facebook pages and to promote themselves on company websites. Cleveland-based companies were the most likely to use print and radio advertising, and the least likely to use social media marketing.
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