BYOD vs COPE – the enterprise device debate

With the technology space changing at such a rapid pace it’s quite easy to feel a little confused. Especially when someone mentions a fancy new acronym for something you’ve never heard of. Well, if you don’t know your BYOD from your HIJKLMNOP, we’re here to help.

What is BYOD and why does it make sense?

By now, you’ve probably heard of BYOD, but just in case, it stands for bring your own device and it’s a policy put in place by businesses allowing staff to bring their private devices into the workplace. BYOD goes by a few other names, including bring your own technology (BYOT), bring your own phone (BYOP) or bring your own Personal Computer (BYOPC).

It’s a particularly attractive approach for businesses that require a more remote workforce or that would like their staff to be more mobile. By allowing employees to work from anywhere using technology of their choice, people are generally more productive. But as is the case with any innovation, BYOD is not without it’s risks. With all of this personal technology in the office, accessing corporate networks, there are various legal implications that company’s need consider, as well as greater security risks.

So, what exactly is COPE and why does it make sense?

COPE stands for Corporate owned, personally enabled (COPE). This approach sees a company supplying employees with devices that they are able to use for business, and some predetermined personal, activities.

While the IT department is in charge of managing and controlling these devices, employees have the freedom to install apps for their personal use. COPE gives organisations greater control; enabling them to react if a device is stolen or a data breach occurs. Similarly, if staff members are only carrying around a single device, they’re less likely to lose or misplace something. COPE is often described as being more manageable than BYOD and as an alternative that mitigates many of the complexities associated with BYOD policies. Either way, choosing the right policy for your business depends on your unique telecoms needs and the mobile policies you have in place.

We’ve created a handy infographic detailing the pros and cons of each approach, which you can check out below.

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