Report Says Wireless Networks at Home Growing Rapidly
May 20, 2003		  Print this page
Wireless technology is now the driving force in the actual adoption of home networking, according to Parks Associates' latest consumer research. The firm found that nearly 2 million households added wireless connectivity between late 2001 and early 2003, and that Wi-Fi solutions are now found in as many as one-fourth of all households that have a data network.

"The popularity of wireless networks has provided a tremendous boost for home networking in general," said Kurt Scherf, vice president of Research, noting that approximately 10 million U.S. households now employ data networks. "The rapid growth of laptop computers used inside and outside the home accounts in large part for the high numbers of wireless products purchased. In fact, it was among multiple-PC households with at least one laptop where penetration of home networks increased most rapidly in the last 18 months."

According to Parks Associates, nearly 30 million U.S. households will employ data networks by the end of 2007. Mr. Scherf said that wireless and hybrid solutions (bridging Ethernet, powerline, and/or wireless solutions) will be the predominant networking media, as end users will want to connect both computer platforms and multimedia networking products. Wireless nodes will account for 40 percent of all devices connected on data networks by the end of 2007, the research firm said.

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