Sales of Wi-Fi-enabled devices have increased 64% this
year and will exceed 120 million units before the year is out,
according to research firm In-Stat. But analysts said many
organisations are still wary of the technology.
Wi-Fi is a wireless networking technology covering the various
802.11 wireless local area network standards, which use radio
frequency to transfer data.
A study by In-Stat on behalf of industry group the Wi-Fi
Alliance said 2,200 products have been given Wi-Fi accreditation
since 2000.
In-Stat senior analyst Gemma Tedesco said, "This is a
significant milestone for such a young technology." With demand for
laptops equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity growing fast, analysts
expect that almost all mobile PCs will be bundled with the
technology in about a year.
Analyst firm Gartner predicted that by the end of this year half
of all laptop PCs in use will have Wi-Fi capabilities either built
in or added using PC cards.
The Docklands area of London around Canary Wharf recently became
Europe's biggest Wi-Fi-enabled area. Employees and visitors have
access to a public Wi-Fi network from parks, shops, restaurants and
offices.
Fast food chain McDonald's is to implement a mobile inspection
system for its restaurants around the world. It will allow
inspectors to transmit data by GPRS or Wi-Fi to head office
systems.
Microsoft plans to build an enterprise wireless network, serving
25,000 simultaneous users in 277 buildings across 60 countries
using Wi-Fi phones.
Yet despite these high-profile Wi-Fi projects, many
organisations still have reservations about implementing the
technology and allowing staff to use it.
Gartner research vice-president Delia MacMillan said, "Many
firms forbid staff from using hotspots, not only because of data
security concerns, but also because they have no way of managing
the cost of employees using hotspots."
But she added, "As more PCs come with built-in Wi-Fi antennas,
many workers are likely to try the technology at home. This will
mean they need to be educated about acceptable corporate
usage."
Barriers for business travellers
A Gartner survey of more than 2,000 business travellers in the
UK and US this summer found that they used Wi-Fi hotspots
relatively little and that barriers to more extensive use
remained.
Gartner research vice-president Delia MacMillan said users
remain uncertain about what equipment they need, how they can
connect and what they will be charged.
"This may change as mobile devices with built-in Wi-Fi radio
antennas become more common, but hotspot providers still have to
encourage usage by ensuring adequate coverage and making it simpler
to pay for," she said.