A new report from Frost
& Sullivan, "The Global Market for 5GHz Wireless Technology,"
says that the market for 5 GHz fixed wireless equipment will will leap
from $0.01 billion in 2001 to $4.75 billion in 2005.
The report predicts that increasing miniaturisation of 5Ghz silicon technology,
plummeting costs, lower power consumption, and wider availability, will
help the market to gradually become more established, and eventually enter
the mainstream.
The report further predicts that by 2005, 5 GHz equipment will be competing successfully with 2.4 GHz equipment.
Jan ten Sythoff, Programme Manager at Frost & Sullivan, noted that regulation
is holding back the 5 GHz market. "There are different regulations
governing 5 GHz technology in different parts of the world," he explains,
"and consequently, inconsistent standards have been introduced to
accommodate these rules. The lack of standardisation will continue to
inhibit growth in the 5G Hz space."
5 GHz technology is also strongly backed by a number of globally-influential
corporate behemoths (such as Cisco, Intel, Ericsson and NTT East) from
different parts of the value chain.
The report concludes by noting that if 3G technology is deployed, 5 GHz
technology will benefit from the new opportunities for wireless LANs the
3G technology will enable.
As to other wireless technologies, the report is not optimistic about
Home RF. However, internetnews.com
reported on May 3, 2001 that a new standard, HomeRF 2.0, will increase
the speed of Home RF to within 10 percent of the speed of Wi-Fi. Home
RF 2.0 is supported by a number of companies, including Compaq, Intel,
Motorola, Proxim and Siemens. Apple Computer, Cisco Systems, 3Com, Lucent
Technologies sell products that support the Wi-Fi wireless standard.
The study is optimistic about Bluetooth, and predicts shipments of Bluetooth-embedded
products to shoot up from its current level of 11 million to 600 million
units in 2005.
