WLAN market heats up in Q4

Latest report from Infonetics Research highlights wireless LAN as the hottest area in enterprise networking

The global wireless LAN (WLAN) market hit a quarterly high in Q4, according to the latest research from Infonetics.

In a report entitled Wireless LAN Equipment and WiFi Phones and Ethernet Switches, the analyst said the market increased one per cent to $893m (£564m) in Q4, compared with the previous high of $880m in Q3.

Infonetics also claimed 2011 demand for wireless LAN equipment sales was "well balanced" across all global regions, posting 20 per cent growth. Sales of wireless LAN equipment have now had double-digit growth for nine consecutive quarters.

Access point shipments grew stronger than revenue in 2011, leaping 32 per cent and crossing the seven-million unit mark, the analyst said.

In addition, Infonetics said the "torrid" growth rate of the WLAN market will slow, but pick back up in 2015 with the adoption of 802.11ac technology. Cisco maintained its number-one position, accounting for nearly 50 per cent of the market, with Aruba comfortably in second place, and HP and Motorola battling it out for third place.

Matthais Machowinski, directing analyst for enterprise networks and video at Infonetics Research, said: “The results are very clear: enterprises are racing to upgrade their infrastructure to support the wave of wireless devices hitting their networks.

“While the bulk of expenditures still goes towards wired Ethernet switches, and will for some time to come, the growth is coming from wireless networking gear – up 24 per cent in 2011, compared with flat sales for Ethernet switches.”

He added: "With wireless taking up an ever larger share of the expenditure pie, vendors must have a well-developed wireless strategy to address the evolving requirements of their customers."