For over a decade, bring-your-own-device (BYOD) has been hailed as a cost-effective, employee-friendly solution, and it’s gained popularity since the Pandemic. Let workers use their own devices, cut hardware costs, and boost flexibility – it sounds great in theory. But as many mobility managers have learned, BYOD isn’t a silver bullet. While it works well for some organizations, others find it more complex than expected.
Overall, 62% of companies are either rethinking their BYOD policies or moving away from them altogether, and that rings true with what we see among our clients here at Tangoe. That doesn’t mean BYOD can’t be successful – it still delivers value for nearly 40% of businesses – but managing it effectively requires a pointed and strategic approach. From keeping an accurate inventory and ensuring endpoint security to handling stipends, technical support across a wider range of devices, and cost visibility, the challenges add up fast.
With over 14M devices under management and 60 mobility consultants, Tangoe’s experts have seen every challenge and every success story. Whether you’re exploring a shift back to corporate-owned devices, assessing which ownership model fits your organization best, or refining your current BYOD policy, this guide will help you navigate the complexities. Keep reading for the insights and tools you need to manage your mobile ecosystem with confidence, no matter which model you choose.
Why Companies Revert Back to Corporate-Owned Devices
Employees can work from anywhere on their personal devices, but they can do the same with corporate-owned devices – only with simplified security and data protection.
Every personal device that connects to a corporate network is a potential security risk, especially if it’s operating under the radar. You could have the most up-to-date mobile inventory, but if it’s not tracking every device – corporate-owned and personally owned – you’re taking a gamble. This is just one reason why BYOD is tricky: you can’t manage what you don’t know exists.
Whether personal devices are officially registered or not, 71% of employees store sensitive work information on their personal phones – and cybercriminals know it. Phishing attacks are one of the easiest ways for hackers to steal credentials or install malware, turning personal devices into corporate entry points. These attacks are the second most expensive, costing an average of $4.6 million per incident.
Security policies and device management protections are far easier when the fleet has boundaries with procurement limited to a defined, pre-approved list of device types, operating systems, and applications.
Companies think they’re saving money by skipping corporate device purchases, but are they really?
The toll of handling stipends, troubleshooting every type of device, and overseeing security and compliance in a diverse fleet can quickly erode cost advantages. One study found that for an organization with 10,000 employees, BYOD only saves 7% compared to a corporate-liable model. That’s barely breaking even. A report from Aberdeen claims BYOD leads to financial loss – as much as $170,000 a year for a company with 1,000 personally owned devices.
There are also the hidden costs of unmanaged personal devices:
- Employees may purchase their own applications without IT’s knowledge, leading to duplicate subscriptions, unknown tools, and security gaps — Shadow IT runs rampant, consuming as much as 40% of IT costs.
- Devices not in compliance with acceptable use policies can experience glitches and data silos, increasing support tickets and labor costs for IT teams already stretched thin.
- Employees leave and take their devices with them, and the company may still be paying for associated costs.
For cost reasons alone, many companies that try BYOD usually end up reversing their decision quickly. That’s what we’ve witnessed more and more here at Tangoe.
BYOD gives employees more freedom but gives IT more hassle.
For example, without specific technologies to do so, IT has no direct control over whether employees keep their personal devices updated, patched, or in good working condition. Some employees may delay critical security updates or use outdated operating systems. Others may neglect basic device health like updating antivirus software or replacing aging hardware. All of this can happen while IT is in the dark.
Managing stipends and reimbursements for personal devices can also become an administrative headache, especially for global organizations with varying carrier agreements and a slew of providers. Between verifying claims, managing expense reports, and ensuring compliance with tax regulations, what should be a cost-savings strategy turns into an operational burden.
With a corporate-liable approach, you own the devices, you set the rules, and you stay in control. Productivity remains high for all employees – mobile end-users and the mobility teams managing their devices.
How to Start Walking Back BYOD
Here are three essential first steps to make the transition smoothly:
- Know what you need: Take stock of your device requirements and compare costs between unlimited data plans and pooled options to maximize savings.
- Calculate TCO: Factor in software licenses, support costs, and repairs. Calculating total cost of ownership (TCO) over the device lifespan helps you make smarter investments.
- Make security the priority: Ensure corporate data is securely wiped from old BYOD phones following NIST guidelines and protect your business with proper end-of-life practices.
Want the full step-by-step strategy? Get it in Tangoe’s 2025 IT Expense Management and Savings Recommendations report.
Corporate-owned or BYOD: Why Companies Trust Tangoe for Mobility Management
Your Mobile Strategy Intelligently Redesigned
Tangoe has a team of 60 mobile consultants that can help you rethink mobility, evaluating the current cost and security risks of your program, envisioning your future corporate-owned strategy, and designing and executing a plan to get you there. With insights into the latest market pricing for hardware and services, Tangoe’s experts help companies of all sizes cost-effectively transition. Learn about Advisory Services for mobile.
Ordering, Reimagined
Tangoe’s Mobile Store is a sleek, self-service platform that lets employees shop for pre-approved devices and accessories within a controlled purchasing ecommerce experience that aligns with corporate policies. Automated device provisioning ensures that devices are secure and ready to use the moment they reach employees.
Tech Refresh Services
Looking to move away from BYOD? Simplify your transition to a corporate-owned model with Tangoe’s one-time tech refresh services. We’ll help you deploy an entirely new fleet fast and efficiently.
End-to-End Mobile Management
Whether it’s deploying thousands of new devices, maintaining an approved list of devices, or handling repairs and replacements, Tangoe can manage your fleet across every phase of the device lifecycle – providing visibility and control regardless of ownership model.
Expansive Integrations
Tangoe’s customized solutions turn corporate mobility into a strategic advantage. We enable seamless integration across the enterprise ecosystem, from HR and IT to UEM, finance, and travel systems. This unlocks real-time data synchronization, cost optimization insights, and automated workflows that supercharge productivity, control expenses, and streamline operations end-to-end.
Smarter Cost Management
Smarter mobility demands smarter expense management, and that’s where Tangoe shines. Our Managed Mobility Services (MMS) solution includes built-in expense management to help companies cut costs and gain financial control. From simplifying BYOD payments to automating invoice capture, reconciliation, and bill pay, we take the hassle out of mobility spending so IT and finance teams can focus on strategic growth initiatives.
Dynamic Endpoint Management
From Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) platform upgrades and updates to handling complex multi-vendor environments, Tangoes does it all. Our solutions work seamlessly across all major UEM platforms, device types, and operating systems so you can maintain security, compliance, and control. Choose standalone UEM services or bundle them with Tangoe’s MMS solutions for a fully integrated approach.
Unmatched Technical Support
Our Help Desk operates in 11 languages and is available across multiple convenient channels, ensuring any device and user gets expert attention wherever in the world they happen to be. Tangoe handles over 240K Help Desk cases each year as the global leader in mobile tech support services.
Ready to get your BYOD transition started? Contact Tangoe for a free consultation.