The global wireless LAN (WLAN) equipment revenue rose 6 percent to $4.9 billion in 2014, said Infonetics Research, now part of IHS.
In Q4 2014, WLAN equipment sales rose 10 percent year on year and 5 percent quarter on quarter to $1.3 billion.
The WLAN report from Infonetics Research said that almost 1.2 million 802.11ac access points shipped in Q4 2014 — a quarter of all access points — cannibalizing 802.11n rather than the older 802.11a/b/g access points.
“A pullback in K–12 spending in the US has caused a significant slowdown in the WLAN market, which, after having grown at double-digit rates for several years, grew only 6 percent in 2014,” said Matthias Machowinski, directing analyst for enterprise networks and video at Infonetics Research, now part of IHS.
RFP activity from K–12 customers is accelerating in anticipation of new funding in 2015, and that, coupled with the introduction of 802.11ac wave 2 access points, will drive renewed growth in 2015.
Though demand for Wi-Fi connectivity continues unabated access point shipments rose 22 percent in 2014.
There was demand for Wi-Fi phones in 4Q14, influenced by a large number of deals, but this isn’t expected to be sustained in 2015.
EMEA was the fastest-growing major region in 2014 with 9 percent growth.
editor@infotechlead.com
