Advances in chip design and manufacture are making it possible to turn the possibilities of single device, mobile operations into a reality, and fully functional convergence is not just around the corner ­ it is already here.

In February, the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona was the focus for more discussion about the realities of convergence, with firms such as Nokia announcing record sales of camera, music and GPS-enabled phones, and predicting even greater expansion in the GPS market during 2008.

The event reflected the growing demand by users for high-end communications devices that simplify the way we do business, deliver demonstrable return on investment (RoI), facilitate a more flexible approach to work and offer a robust alternative to the traditional trio of laptop, phone and organiser.

A similar trend is emerging within IT procurement. Customers now increasingly demand access to single sources of flexible, robust finance that can simplify their financial position, deliver visible RoI and encompass a range of different acquisitions under one agreement.

At Syscap, we are working closer than ever with our ISV partners and VARs to develop the kind of convergence finance models that customers are looking for.

This means offering single sources of funding for multiple transactions, including hardware, software and services; developing total cost of ownership models to make budgets more manageable; offering upgrade opportunities without greater monthly costs; providing one-to-one consultations and tailored services; and delivering contracts that fund managed services.

This is an exciting time for convergence, which is on the brink of being able to offer the kind of functionality and service offering that could transform the way we all do business. Likewise, comprehensive finance programmes can now offer a much more coherent way for customers to pay over time, offering far greater business benefits in a simplified and straightforward way.

Philip White is chief executive of Syscap