AUSTIN, Texas - June 26, 2006 - The enterprise market for Wi-Fi technology in China is expected to increase fourfold, with a 45% annual growth rate for the market as a whole, over the next 3 years according to a new white paper sponsored by the Wi-Fi Alliance. Developed by Chinese research firm Analysys International, the report describes a new wave of Wi-Fi expansion in China, fueled by increased broadband penetration and less expensive Wi-Fi-enabled laptops, bringing Wi-Fi to homes, offices and public spaces. The market for non-embedded Wi-Fi equipment, such as access points and external network cards, is expected to exceed RMB 10 billion by 2008.
"China is already an important strategic market for our industry, and we believe it presents a very attractive growth opportunity in the coming years," said Wi-Fi Alliance Managing Director Frank Hanzlik. "The enterprise networking and voice application segments are particular areas of opportunity, and our Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ programs help ensure that Chinese Wi-Fi users have the very best experience with Wi-Fi devices as adoption becomes more widespread."
Among the key findings:
"Wi-Fi is strongly positioned for indoor coverage. With the expected 3G development in China, operators will pay more attention to promising FMC (Fixed Mobile Convergence) services. Wi-Fi and 3G will be a good choice of China carriers in the initial stage of FMC," Zhang added.
In the rapidly-growing Chinese market, Wi-Fi technology will be complementary to cellular 3G and WiMAX™ networks. "With its affordability, versatility, and high data rate, Wi-Fi will continue to be an important part of the larger wireless ecosystem in China," said Hanzlik. "Chinese consumers are coming to demand seamless connectivity on devices ranging from laptops to home entertainment gear, and Wi-Fi has a major role to play in keeping all of those devices connected."
The Wi-Fi Alliance has several member companies in mainland China, as well as an Authorized Test Lab in Beijing at the China National Telecommunication Metrology Station, which conducts interoperability testing for all Alliance certification programs.
English and Chinese versions of the white paper, entitled "The Market for Wi-Fi in China: Opportunities, Enablers and Challenges," are available for free download at www.wi-fi.org.
About the Wi-Fi Alliance
The Wi-Fi Alliance is a global, non-profit industry association of more than 250 member companies devoted to promoting the growth of wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs). With the aim of enhancing the user experience for mobile wireless devices, the Wi-Fi Alliance's testing and certification programs ensure the interoperability of WLAN products based on the IEEE 802.11 specification. Since the introduction of the Wi-Fi Alliance's certification program in March 2000, more than 2,500 products have been designated as Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™, encouraging the expanded use of Wi-Fi products and services across the consumer and enterprise markets.
Media contact: Michael Diamond, Edelman for Wi-Fi Alliance, michael.diamond@edelman.com, +1 650-429-2772.
About Analysys International
Analysys International is the leading Internet based provider of business information about Technology, Media and Telecom industry in China. We provide data, information and advice to 50,000 clients worldwide representing 1,500 distinct organizations, deliver over 150 consulting engagements a year, and hold more than 20 events that draw in over 8,000 attendees. Our clients include executives from companies as technology vendors, vertical information technology users, as well as professionals from professional service companies, the investment community and government agencies.
"China is already an important strategic market for our industry, and we believe it presents a very attractive growth opportunity in the coming years," said Wi-Fi Alliance Managing Director Frank Hanzlik. "The enterprise networking and voice application segments are particular areas of opportunity, and our Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ programs help ensure that Chinese Wi-Fi users have the very best experience with Wi-Fi devices as adoption becomes more widespread."
Among the key findings:
- Some ten thousand Wi-Fi hotspots and the world's largest population of mobile phone subscribers make China a key long-term market for Wi-Fi-enabled consumer and enterprise devices.
- The enterprise segment is adopting Wi-Fi at the fastest rate in China, especially for internal use, and the market for enterprise Wi-Fi equipment is expected to reach four times its current size by 2009.
- Chinese telecom operators, who invested heavily in hotspot deployments, are now also focusing on providing home Wi-Fi networks as a value added service to basic broadband access. This new growth will be accelerated by China's current building boom with developers expected to equip homes with Wi-Fi.
"Wi-Fi is strongly positioned for indoor coverage. With the expected 3G development in China, operators will pay more attention to promising FMC (Fixed Mobile Convergence) services. Wi-Fi and 3G will be a good choice of China carriers in the initial stage of FMC," Zhang added.
In the rapidly-growing Chinese market, Wi-Fi technology will be complementary to cellular 3G and WiMAX™ networks. "With its affordability, versatility, and high data rate, Wi-Fi will continue to be an important part of the larger wireless ecosystem in China," said Hanzlik. "Chinese consumers are coming to demand seamless connectivity on devices ranging from laptops to home entertainment gear, and Wi-Fi has a major role to play in keeping all of those devices connected."
The Wi-Fi Alliance has several member companies in mainland China, as well as an Authorized Test Lab in Beijing at the China National Telecommunication Metrology Station, which conducts interoperability testing for all Alliance certification programs.
English and Chinese versions of the white paper, entitled "The Market for Wi-Fi in China: Opportunities, Enablers and Challenges," are available for free download at www.wi-fi.org.
About the Wi-Fi Alliance
The Wi-Fi Alliance is a global, non-profit industry association of more than 250 member companies devoted to promoting the growth of wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs). With the aim of enhancing the user experience for mobile wireless devices, the Wi-Fi Alliance's testing and certification programs ensure the interoperability of WLAN products based on the IEEE 802.11 specification. Since the introduction of the Wi-Fi Alliance's certification program in March 2000, more than 2,500 products have been designated as Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™, encouraging the expanded use of Wi-Fi products and services across the consumer and enterprise markets.
Media contact: Michael Diamond, Edelman for Wi-Fi Alliance, michael.diamond@edelman.com, +1 650-429-2772.
About Analysys International
Analysys International is the leading Internet based provider of business information about Technology, Media and Telecom industry in China. We provide data, information and advice to 50,000 clients worldwide representing 1,500 distinct organizations, deliver over 150 consulting engagements a year, and hold more than 20 events that draw in over 8,000 attendees. Our clients include executives from companies as technology vendors, vertical information technology users, as well as professionals from professional service companies, the investment community and government agencies.