Hot New Trends Are Affecting Internet Access, 2-22-2007
The InfoTech revolution continues in the office as well as in the home. A large majority of the workforce uses a computer of some type on the job daily, in every conceivable application-from receptionists answering computerized telephone systems to cashiers ringing up sales at Wal-Mart on registers that are tied into vast computerized databases. This is the InfoTech revolution at work, moving voice, video and data through the air and over phone lines, driving productivity ahead at rates that we do not yet know how to calculate. According to the most recent report from Plunkett Research, Ltd., the hottest, most important trends of the InfoTech industry are:
- MIMO (802.11n) Is the High-Speed Wireless Wave of the Near Future. The latest leap in Wi-Fi technology is 802.11n (Multiple Input Multiple Output antenna technology-also known as "MIMO"). Its high speed means that MIMO could compete with traditional LANs, offering a true wireless alternative to wired local area networks in the office environment.
- WiMAX Extends Far Beyond Wi-Fi. A newer standard known as Worldwide interoperability for Microwave Access, or WiMAX (802.16), is adding considerable fuel to the wireless fire. WiMAX has the capability to deliver extremely fast Internet connections to wireless devices, such as notebooks and mobile VoIP telephones, with each WiMAX antenna having about a 30-mile broadcast range.
- The Future: Pervasive High Speed Connections. By 2012 to 2015, Plunkett Research estimates that as many as 100 million U.S. homes and businesses will have high-speed, broadband Internet access. Many will enjoy Fiber to the Premises (FTTP) as phone companies are now concentrating on local fiber connections. Ultra-fast broadband in the home will be essential for everyday activities ranging from children's homework, to managing financial accounts, from renewing a driver's license to filing an insurance claim. Online entertainment and information options will be vast.
To find out more about these exciting trends and more, check out Plunkett's InfoTech Industry Almanac 2007, just released, or go to www.plunkettresearch.com and sign up for a subscription to Plunkett's completely up-to-date online database!
About Plunkett Research, Ltd.
Plunkett Research, Ltd. is a leading publisher of complete business research and analysis resources, designed to enable professionals in marketing, research and finance to access complete trends analysis, statistics, technology analysis and financial analysis of the world's most exciting industries. For more information, visit www.plunkettresearch.com, or call 713.932.0000.