Mobility services provider iPass has released its quarterly Mobile Workforce Report, examining the impact of ‘Mobile Darwinism’ – as the evolution of data consumption overtakes businesses infrastructure – in the workplace.

According to the report, the average number of devices carried for work has grown to 3.5 devices – at least one laptop, smartphone and Tablet – from 2011s average of 2.7. Tablet adoption has grown particularly quickly – from 41 per cent in Q2, 2011, to 64 per cent – but if pushed to choose only one device, 46 per cent of mobile workers said theyd keep their smartphone.

Business users spend 61 per cent of their day within range of a wi-fi network, according to the report. 58 per cent of respondents spend more two hours a day actively using wi-fi on their smartphone – on Tablets, that figure rises to 73 per cent.

As usage shoots up, satisfaction with mobile networks has declined – from 46 per cent in 2011 to 34 per cent – along with data coverage (down from 57 per cent to 50 per cent), voice quality (from 77 per cent to 63 per cent) and voice coverage (from 73 per cent to 66 per cent).

“Mobile employees are seeing a significant reduction in service levels due to the rapid rise of data consumption,” says iPass CTO Barbara Nelson. “An enterprise’s adaptation strategy should include investing in better management tools to monitor usage, upgrading infrastructure to address the new capacity requirements, licensing outside network services, and requiring employees to use inexpensive and secure wi-fi connections when possible.”