The market for broadband wireless access in the form of WiMAX is expected to grow at 130 per cent a year, reaching $2bn in 2009.
That is according to a report from Forward Concepts. The report, "Beyond Wi-Fi: 802.11n, VoWi-Fi & WiMAX", suggests WiMAX is set for huge growth from a base of just $72m in 2005.
"We view WiMAX as complementary to both Wi-Fi and 3G cellular. Fixed 802.16d systems can provide backbones for Wi-Fi hotspots where DSL or cable is unavailable or impractical," said Carter Horney, the report's author.
"When emerging 802.16e provides a mobility WiMAX capability, it will augment the Wi-Fi infrastructure that will remain dominant for several years."
Existing wireless LAN is also set to grow, said Horney, as new developments such as IEEE 802.11n and voice over WLAN are introduced.
"The growing WLAN market is a classic example of how a market can continue to expand as costs and prices ride down the learning curve, opening up new applications and market opportunities," he said.
"Specifically, in spite of a predicted 23 per cent average selling price drop, worldwide shipments of WLAN equipment products will increase six per cent to the $5.2bn level in 2005."
Forward Concept's 392-page report is priced at $3,650 in North America. A global enterprise license for the electronic version is priced at $7,300.
www.fwdconcepts.com/wirelan5.htm
See also: Electronics Weekly's roundup of content related to WiMax