The Wall Street Journal Online reports that major U.S. companies are spending relatively little to provide wireless data access for their employees, and their spending may not accelerate significantly in coming years, according to a new study by research firm Jupiter Media Metrix.

Jupiter surveyed 57 information technology managers at U.S. companies with more than 1,000 employees. About 60 percent said their companies allocate less than $250,000 to support wireless access. About 61 percent of the IT officials surveyed also said they still expect to be spending less than $1 million by 2004. Further, 22 percent said they expect to allocate less than $250,000 by that time.

Slower corporate investment in wireless services may hurt the makers of handheld devices such as Palm Inc., Handspring Inc. and Research In Motion Ltd., as well as Symbian PLC, which makes operating systems for the devices.