Defining MDM, EMM, MMS and other Terms Related to WEM

Wireless Expense Management or WEM seeks to proactively reduce expenses, establish new operational efficiencies, increase visibility and provide better control for mobile voice and data services. WEM has been eclipsed and replaced by new offerings that address additional needs for organizations. This post will define Mobile Device Management or MDM; Managed Mobility Services or MMS; Enterprise Mobility Management or EMM; and other terms related to WEM including Bring Your Own Device (BYOD); Choose Your Own Device or CYOD; Corporate Liable Employee Owned or CLEO; Corporate Owned Personally Enabled or COPE; and Mobile Application Management or MAM.

  • With Corporate Liable devices the employer is responsible, or liable, for the bills.
  • Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) is any employee-owned device (smartphone, cell phone, tablet, notebook or PC) or application (mobile or cloud-based) that accesses corporate networks through the use of telecommunications services. The corporate network includes wireless services purchased by the employer, corporate internets, corporate intranets and local networks, guest networks or core networks with SIP or VoIP ISDN or next generation MPLS services that are controlled by enterprise.
  • Choose Your Own Device or CYOD is similar to BYOD, but employees can only use devices and applications from their employer’s approved list.
  • With Corporate Liable Employee Owned or CLEO, employees own the devices, but the employer is responsible, or liable, to pay for monthly service costs.
  • For Corporate Owned Personally Enabled or COPE enterprises establish financial thresholds that the corporation will pay based on the employee’s role or department. The remaining balance or excess is paid for by the employee. COPE promotes employees to carry a single device while leveraging the buying power of the entire company as opposed to a family plans.

Demand for special services to manage mobile devices and support employees led to new services and software to help enterprises deal with new challenges. These new areas include Mobile Device Management (MDM), Managed Mobility Services (MMS), Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) and Mobile Application Management (MAM).

What Is MDM?


MDM software secures monitors, manages and supports mobile devices deployed across mobile operators, service providers and enterprises. MDM functionality typically includes over-the-air distribution of applications, data and configuration settings for all types of mobile devices, including mobile phones, smartphones, tablets, mobile computers, mobile POS devices, etc. MDM software seeks to optimize functionality and security of a mobile communications network, but it needs to be managed by people.

What Is MMS and EMM?


MMS, a term that Gartner created, or EMM encompasses the IT and process management services to acquire, provision and support mobile devices with integrated cellular and/or wireless connectivity. Many MMS and EMM programs offer kitting where a supplier takes bulk orders and creates a custom kit of peripheral items (chargers, a headset and instructions) that are assembled, tested and shipped in one package to each employee. Although the current market for such services focuses primarily on corporate liable devices, MMS engagements also provide a level of control to organizations that have employees who seek to access corporate resources and information on individual liable, or bring your own devices.

What is MAM?


MAM focuses on Mobile Application Management. It is similar to MMS and EMM, but it provides a lower degree of control over the device, but a higher level of control and fous on applications. Mobile application management differs from mobile device management (MDM).

Increasingly, WEM software and services are being integrated with MDM software. This expansion has lead to the evolution of WEM into MMS and EMM services.

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