THE MARKET for Wi-Fi hotspots is entering a revival period thanks to renewed interest from communication providers, and increased usage by both business and leisure users, according to In-Stat.
In a report called Wi-Fi Hotspots: Cellular Handsets and Portable Devices Drive a Market Renaissance, the market research firm estimates that hotspot usage will increase in 2009 by 47%, bringing total worldwide connects to 1.2 billion.
“A market that appeared to be languishing due to revenue shortcomings has found a renewed life force,” said In-Stat analyst Frank Dickson, in the press release. “Mobile operators have become increasingly involved in the hotspot market globally as they assess the potential of hotspots to offload wireless data traffic from overburdened 3G networks. Also, mass market adoption of Wi-Fi-enabled smart phones has significantly altered hotspot usage, with these devices accounting for the majority of access sessions in some locations.”
Recent research by In-Stat also found the following:
– Total worldwide hotspot venues will reach 245,000 locations in 2009.
– AT&T is on course to experience 500% usage growth for 2008 vs. 2009.
– Asia-Pacific will experience the greatest growth in venue deployments over the next few years, largely driven by large-scale deployments in China.
– Survey results suggest that security concerns by individuals, not corporate users, are limiting hotspot usage.
