B2B E-COMMERCE M-Commerce: It's On The Way Software makers are busy developing products to enable wireless transactions.(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)

Byline: Murray Coleman

Don't say adios to keyboards and cables in the office just yet.

Wireless carriers are years away from completing next-generation upgrades. And that's causing corporate purchasing agents to remain fickle about using their cell phones and cordless devices for much more than instant messaging and schedule organizing.

But expectations are still high that within a few years business-to-business e-commerce will take off. While investors debate when that will happen, back-office software makers aren't taking any chances.

Microsoft Corp., for example, plans to spend $200 million this year on research and development of wireless products. And the No. 2 software maker, Oracle Corp., is expanding its wireless lineup to attract more business customers.

"The problem is that the mobile B2B market hasn't grown nearly as quickly as people thought it would," said Jack Gold, a Meta Group analyst. "People are deploying wireless applications, but it's mainly as pilot projects or in specific areas with critical mobility issues such as large sales and marketing departments."

Broad-scale use of so-called m-commerce, he says, is at least 18 months away. "Everyone realizes this is going to be a huge market at some point," Gold said. "The real question is: How much does a software company invest now in a market that might not see a big payoff for three to five years?"