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PBI Media INFOTECH REPORT: CONVERGED VOICE AND DATA PRODUCTS WILL DRIVE GROWTH IN THE IN-BUILDING WIRELESS MARKET November 21 - In-Building Wireless PARSIPPANY, NJ, November 21, 2000 - In-building wireless revenues are expected to soar from $161 million in 1999 to more than $817 million in 2004, according to a new report from PBI Media-InfoTech, the world's leading provider of information and strategic consulting to the communications industry. Driving the growth of the market are converged voice and data technology solutions which will capture 50 percent of in-building wireless handset shipments in 2004, up 42 percent from 1999. In-building wireless systems allow workers to utilize portable phones within a building or campus and still receive all the functionality of a corporate PBX, Key/Hybrid or Internet Protocol (IP) telephony phone system. In-building wireless - because workers can move freely throughout their work environment receiving and placing calls -- is especially attractive to the education, healthcare, retail, and manufacturing sectors that have highly mobile employees. Converged voice and data technology products piggyback on wireless LAN access points to deliver mobile voice communications along with data traffic. These products enable companies to have one wireless infrastructure for both voice and data. "The tremendous growth in the wireless LAN industry is driving interest from companies in products that expand the functionality of their wireless LAN infrastructure", says Shelly Tyler, senior analyst at PBI Media-InfoTech, based here. Recent partnership announcements like the one between Nortel Networks (NYSE/TSE: NT) and Symbol Technologies (NYSE: SBL) demonstrate vendor interest in converged voice and data products. Nortel Networks and Symbol announced that they have formed a strategic alliance to jointly develop and market advanced voice and data solutions. These solutions will be built around Symbol's wireless LAN infrastructure, converged information appliances and vertical market solutions, and Nortel Networks' telephony and data networking, enhanced network security and management, and integrated voice and data applications. "I foresee a lot of development in converged voice and data products during the next two years including increases in system capacities, improvements in quality of service (QoS) and expansions in product functionality. Currently these products are targeted at retail; however, I believe a wide variety of companies will be interested in these products in the future," said Tyler. In addition to Symbol Technologies' relationship with Nortel Networks, they also have a marketing and technology agreement with Mitel (NYSE: MLT) (TSE: MLT) to offer a converged voice and data product that combines Mitel's Ipera voice gateway with Symbol's Spectrum24 wireless LAN and NetVision voice-over-IP mobile phones. This product is expected to have general availability in early first quarter of 2001. SpectraLink Corporation (NASDAQ:SLNK) also offers a voice over wireless LAN product, the NetLink Wireless Telephone System. SpectraLink Corporation (NASDAQ:SLNK) has formed partnerships with wireless LAN vendors including: Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO), BreezeCOM (NASDAQ: BRZE), Intermec Technologies Corp., Proxim Inc. (NASDAQ:PROX), Teklogix and Telxon Corp. (NASDAQ:TLXN) to provide their access points while Symbol uses their own Spectrum24 wireless LAN access points for their voice over IP over wireless LAN product. More information about PBI Media - InfoTech's market intelligence reports and programs is available by calling 973-884-0100 or via e-mail to infotech@accessintel.com. PBI Media-InfoTech (www.pbimedia-infotech.com), a global professional services company with offices in Parsippany, N.J., London and Washington, D.C., specializes in market intelligence for the telecommunications and information technologies industries. In addition to conducting primary research studies, the company offers a comprehensive range of professional services, including custom consulting, InfoTracks and TelecomTactics market intelligence programs, professional conferences, and custom marketing programs. |
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