|
|
|
WiFi CELLULAR SET TO EXPLODE |
|
|
|
Written by Adam Gosling
|
|
Thursday, 21 July 2005 |
Infonetics Research has predicted that WiFi enabled handsets are about to explode and expects revenues to reach as high as US$3 billion worldwide by 2009.
The latest results from Infonetics sized the global WiFi VoIP handset market at US$54.7 million or just 143,000 phones last year. But the WiFi enabled mobile cellular market was even smaller with revenues world wide of only US$6.7 million last year. This breakdown will be turned on its head as WiFi becomes a standard feature in cellular phones says the researcher.
The WiFi VoIP handset market is set to grow to around half a billion dollars in the forecast period while WiFi cellular should blow out to some US$3 billion.
Meanwhile the company admits the WiFi VoIP handset market is still small globally, its potential in logistics and healthcare verticals mean VoWLAN’s momentum will ensure the devices become widespread throughout the enterprise as VoIP and wireless LAN adoption continue.
Infonetics also points out there is is potential for enormous growth in the consumer space, as VoIP services and wireless gateways are bundled with a broadband connection. Ultimately enterprise users will be able to roam from their corporate WLAN, across 3G cellular networks and WiFi hotspots when they are on the road and finally on their home networks, though the research puts no date on that one.
“Some challenges remain, such as QoS, roaming across different wireless platforms, and the relatively short range of WiFi signals, but with vendors currently addressing these issues, it is likely we’ll be at the foot of the adoption bell-curve by mid-2006,” said Richard Webb of Infonetics Research, author of the report.
Related news items Newer news items
Older news items |
|
|
