Wi-Fi certification helps wireless LANs come of age

The wireless LAN market has come a long way in recent years and is poised for even greater growth. A study, "Wireless LANs: Market Demand and Opportunity Assessment," released in May by The Phillips Group's Infotech Division, predicts the market will reach $1.7 billion by 2004, an increase over posted revenue of $300 million in 1999.

To really understand why the industry is starting to grow so rapidly, it is crucial to grasp the importance of interoperability between vendors' products across the enterprise, home and frequently traveled areas such as airports and hotels.

For wireless LANs to become a viable extension of, or alternative to, their wired counterparts, two things were required: the ability to support a data rate of 10M bit/sec or higher and true out-of-the-box interoperability. The IEEE 802.11b high rate standard, approved last fall, let wireless networks support data rates of up to 11M bit/sec, but interoperability challenges persisted because of variables and subtleties associated with radio-based products compared to wired ones.

It became clear interoperability needed to be as simple as opening the boxes of two vendors' products, plugging them in to a laptop or PC and voila -they'd work. That is precisely why the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA) was formed: to certify interoperability of different vendors' products. Products that pass WECA's rigorous two-day battery of tests, performed by Silicon Valley Networking Laboratories, receive the right to bear the Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) logo of interoperability.

Industry acceptance has been dramatic. Currently, more than 50 leading technology firms from around the world have joined WECA since July 1999. Results have been equally impressive, with more than 30 products from 15 vendors receiving Wi-Fi certification since April.

Meanwhile, wireless LAN hardware prices have decreased. One factor that helped bring this about was Apple's decision to include Wi-Fi-based wireless LANs in its iBooks and iMacs at an unprecedented price of $99. This move has forced the PC makers to include such an option in their products.

The next step is for the wireless LAN industry to resolve some security issues that are currently hindering additional interoperability; specifically, the need for security standards. Once that happens, the sky's the limit, especially in the enterprise market.

Beyond that, the only thing users can expect in the future is speed, which could reach 22M bit/sec in the 2.4-GHz band in the near future.

These greater speeds, coupled with solutions to the security issues, will boost sales and help the industry reach into two key horizontal markets: enterprise and consumer. Once these markets open up, costs should come down, making wireless LANs as common as the cordless phone. The foundation is in place; it's only a matter of time before the building is completed.

Belanger is chairman of the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance, a nonprofit organization formed in 1999 to certify interoperability of Wi-Fi products and to promote Wi-Fi as the global wireless LAN standard across all market segments. He can be reached at phil@wayport.net.