Wireless cards are top trumps

Demand for wireless LAN and WAN access creates a surge in interest

Strong demand for wireless LAN and WAN access has created a surge in the demand for wireless cards.

A survey by researcher In-Stat/MDR found that 30 per cent of respondents who have a notebook computer use a wireless 802.11x PC card, and another 37 per cent plan to use one.

"PC card providers must understand users' willingness to pay," said Becky Diercks, research director at In-Stat/MDR.

"They should price products in the $50 to $100 range and distribute through carrier and consumer channels."

Users cited email and the internet as the main reasons for wireless adoption. But In-Stat/MDR warned that wireless modems will increasingly be built into devices.

Jess Thompson-Hughes, managing director of VAR React Technologies, said: "There's a plethora of cards out there that don't work with certain PCs or access points."

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