Enterprise Telecom Spend Now $1500 to $2000 Per Employee, Says Gartner

North American enterprises spent between $1,500 and $2,000 per employee on telecoms services in 2008, say analysts at Gartner. Total telecom spending represents about 20 percent of IT budgets. Wireless spending represents about 15 percent to 30 percent of total telecom spending but remains both the strongest growth category.

Fixed services continue dominate spending primarily due to enterprise spending on data networks.

But enterprises are shifting the way they buy services. Wireline services generally are sourced from multiple providers, as you might expect, given the regional nature of fixed access networks.

Wireless services ncreasingly are sourced on a national basis, when possible. That also makes sense since the tier one mobile providers offer nationwide service.

Contracts that combine buying of fixed and wireless service are more popular when possible, as they generally lead to volume discounts.

MPLS rates fell by double digits in 2008 as enterprises squeeze their VPN transport accounts, Gartner says.

The average North American fixed services contract is a three-year deal with an incumbent provider, although cost concerns have proven a boon for alternative providers and technologies such as audioconferencing.

Enterprises increasingly are bundling wireless with wired services to gain volume discounts, Gartner says. As a result, enterprises have reduced total communicatons spending.