Wi-Fi Mesh Network Access Point Shipments To Double By 2010

Wi-Fi meshing, which allows wireless access nodes to achieve a longer range by using each other as repeaters, is becoming increasingly common in several markets, reports In-Stat. More than 50,000 Wi-Fi mesh AP unit shipments are expected in 2006, with almost 100,000 unit shipments expected in 2010, the high-tech market research firm says. Incompatibility among systems, however, is a potential hurdle for the growth of the technology.

"There is no industry standard for mesh networking, yet, so interoperability between mesh vendors continues to be problematic; customers must purchase their Wi-Fi mesh networking gear from one vendor," says Gemma Tedesco, In-Stat analyst. "However, Wi-Fi clients are standardized and prolific, providing a ready and waiting installed base for Wi-Fi mesh networks."

Recent research by In-Stat found the following:

* Although Tropos has the largest mindshare in municipal mesh networking, Nortel, Strix, BelAir, and SkyPilot made aggressive pushes into the market in 2006.
* Cisco is perceived as a wildcard in this market, as it just launched Wi-Fi mesh APs in late 2005, but it is using its strong IT channels into businesses and government networks.
* Throughout 2006, most Wi-Fi mesh vendors tied their growth to municipal network buildouts.

The research, Wi-Fi Goes Long: The Wi-Fi Mesh Equipment Market, covers the market for Wi-Fi mesh technology. It includes an overview of the technology and profiles of major vendors. It also contains forecasts for AP unit shipments and revenue through 2010.