In the last year, interest in phones that combine cellular and VoIP using WLAN technology has grown at a fevered pitch, according to consumer surveys by In-Stat -- A large percentage, 84.6%, of respondents in a new survey were at least somewhat interested in the prospect of using a VoWLAN/Cellular phone, and exactly half of these respondents were very interested or extremely interested in the prospects of such a phone. The survey uncovered the following key points: Better in-building coverage and the prospect of being able to make unlimited local calls while at home had the biggest importance. PBX-type features and the need to only carry one phone at work, home, or elsewhere received very positive responses, but nowhere as high as free local calling at home or better in-building coverage. The survey gives some credence to the ability of cellular carriers to potentially further displace wire-line carriers.
The industrial sector is on the eve of a wireless transformation, driven by an urgent demand for greater network capacity, reliability, and deterministic performance. Historically, manufacturers and mission-critical operations have relied on wired networks — favoring their predictability — because spectrum congestion in legacy 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands limited confidence in wireless for operational technology (OT) environments. However, with the introduction and rapid adoption of the 6GHz spectrum, compounded by significant advances in Wi-Fi standards, industrial facilities are now poised to embrace wireless LANs as the backbone for automation and digital innovation. Industrial WLAN Market Development Recent research from ABI Research forecasts that over 70 percent of industrial-grade wireless LAN access points (WLAN APs) shipped in 2030 will support the 6GHz band. This is a leap from 2 percent in 2023, highlighting a rapid and profound technological shift. The market for ruggedized indust...