Wi-Fi Chipset Sales to Surpass 120 Million in 2005

The Wi-Fi industry hit a major milestone this week, as sales of Wi-Fi chipsets surpassed 100 million for 2005. According to a news release from the Wi-Fi Alliance, supported by data provided by In-Stat, the 100 million mark is evidence that Wi-Fi is “now a staple of computer networking and a powerful presence in millions of homes and businesses” around the world. “This is a significant milestone for such a young technology, and the Wi-Fi Alliance has played a strong role in helping Wi-Fi gain traction,” said Gemma Tedesco, senior analyst at In-Stat, a market research company to the telecom industry. Tedesco predicted that Wi-Fi chipset sales will exceed 120 million for 2005. “The 64 percent average yearly growth rate [in Wi-Fi chipset sales] reflects the transforming nature of Wi-Fi and the value of interoperable, standards-based technology,” the news release states. The Wi-Fi Alliance provides testing and certification programs to ensure the interoperability of products based on the IEEE 802.11 standard. More than 2,200 products have been Wi-Fi certified since March 2000. ”Wi-Fi has truly come of age,” said Frank Hanzlik, managing director of the Wi-Fi Alliance. “Today more than 90 percent of notebook computers are Wi-Fi enabled, and as we look ahead, there are seemingly limitless opportunities, due to the insatiable consumer and enterprise demand for the technology.”