Bluetooth Implementation within Corporations

Introduction

When a company is thinking about investing in a new technology, there are many options that must be considered, and Bluetooth is no exception. One of the most important questions that a company must ask is, “Do we need this new technology and is it technically possible to implement at this time?” It is also important to know if the company has the monetary funds, the time, and the know-how to be able to implement a new technology.

It is essential that the technology follows the company's objective. Along with the cost, the solution that a company decides on must be technically feasible. A company should not adopt a new technology that has not proven its usefulness, because support for that technology will not be around very long if it fails. If the technology is available, the company must make sure it is legal and operationally sound for their company. The technology must also be able to be implemented in a reasonable amount of time, allowing demanding tasks to be completed on time. Therefore, the analysis framework of investing Bluetooth is shown in Fig. 1.

Technical feasibility

Bluetooth is a relatively new technology, but is gaining more and more support in the consumer market. One of the first devices used with Bluetooth is a simple headset that allows people to talk on their Bluetooth phones hands-free. Now Bluetooth has broadened its accessibility to be used with PDAs, laptops, cameras, GPS receivers, watches, printers, keyboards, mice, and access servers, to just name a few. The technology is already available and continuing to develop based on the needs of the businesses.

Fig. 1. Analysis framework of Bluetooth.

What makes Bluetooth such an important standard is that it is supported world-wide. No matter where you go, if you have a Bluetooth device, it can interact with other Bluetooth devices. This is especially important in today's companies that are continually globalizing.

Bluetooth has been incorporated into many new devices. One concern that may arise is what to do with all the old computers and equipment that do not support Bluetooth; should it all be scrapped? The answer is no. Bluetooth is by no means a cure-all solution, but it can do many useful things. If companies want to start integrating Bluetooth into their current systems, there are ways to upgrade computers and devices into Bluetooth-enabled devices by adding PC cards or USB adaptors. Some phone companies even make Bluetooth adaptors for phones. Another concern is the interference with other wireless devices that work on the same 2.4-GHz band. Although there are collisions that happen from time to time, because of Bluetooth's frequency hopping, interference does not pose a big threat. More collisions occur between Bluetooth and the 802.11 standards than any other devices that work in the 2.4-GHz frequency range. Using a separate antenna for each standard will help reduce the collisions and make operations safe from three or more ft apart.

Bluetooth is also not meant for high-speed access. As of now, it can only transfer at ...