"RTLS has historically been associated with RFID," says vice president and research director Stan Schatt, "and it's only recently that Wi-Fi has started to play in this arena. In the past, companies wishing to deploy RTLS had to buy proprietary RFID systems, including very expensive readers. But there is now such a large installed base of Wi-Fi equipment worldwide that Wi-Fi-based RTLS becomes cost-effective for companies that had never considered it before."
In comparison with RFID, Wi-Fi-based RTLS does suffer some disadvantages. It is somewhat less accurate, especially outdoors; it is less secure, and it can require the addition of up to 20% more Wi-Fi access points to a network. But for a company with a Wi-Fi network already in place, it needs no extra cabling; it is standards-based; and above all it is cost-effective: the RTLS functions are handled by specialized software, which forms the largest portion of the investment.
"This market is opening up to new software developers," says Schatt. "Wi-Fi equipment manufacturers are new to this kind of application, so they are reselling RTLS software solutions. Vendors would be well-advised to partner with experienced resellers who have been in the vertical market selling proprietary solutions, because it is a sophisticated solution that requires a knowledgeable reseller. I think there will be a good deal of competition for the most experienced resellers."
Cisco is clearly the current market leader, says Schatt, but Trapeze and Aruba are also very active in this market.
