Wi-Fi sales resilient in wake of documentary

Resellers have reported record Wi-Fi sales in June, despite a recent Panorama documentary suggesting the technology increases radiation levels in schools.

Jess Thompson-Hughes, managing director of wireless distributor React Technologies, admitted that sales had “hiccoughed” in May as schools held off purchases until they had viewed the controversial programme.

But with the documentary’s scientific rigour questioned by several experts, Thompson-Hughes claimed many schools have opted to push ahead with campus-wide Wi-Fi deployments since the BBC programme aired on 21 May.

“Not only was the documentary a damp squib, it also catapulted sales of Wi-Fi,” said Thompson-Hughes.

“There were about two weeks where we thought it was the end of the line. But once schools realised that it was such a ridiculous and ill-informed programme, they pushed ahead with full deployments. It actually spurred them on,” he added.

Thompson-Hughes claimed React took a record £500,000 worth of Wi-Fi orders in June, more than double its previous record monthly haul.

Keith Reading, managing director of Trapeze reseller QoLcom, said he had also taken record sales in June.

“The Panorama programme insulted the intelligence of our customers,” said Reading.

David Caughtry, director of e-business at Aruba distributor Computerlinks, said: “The issue of Wi-Fi and its impact on radiation has been around for some time, but the documentary brought things to a head by increasing awareness of the issue in the wider community.

“However, it has not stopped projects from happening and we have seen a gradual increase in our wireless business over the past three months.”

Wi-Fi safety concerns are ‘melodramatic’