Market research firm Infonetics Research released excerpts from its 3rd quarter 2012 (3Q12) Wireless LAN Equipment and WiFi Phones market size, market share, and forecast report, which tracks access points, wireless LAN (WLAN) controllers, and WiFi phones for the enterprise.

ANALYST NOTE

“Coming on the heels of a 16% jump the previous quarter, WLAN equipment revenue grew another 6% quarter-over-quarter, passing the $1-billion mark for the first time,” notes Matthias Machowinski, directing analyst for enterprise networks and video at Infonetics Research. “The usual demand drivers—wireless devices, BYOD, mobility—were in play, but there was also an acceleration of carrier WiFi deployments, with sales of outdoor access points doubling over the past year.”

Machowinski adds: “Wireless LAN is a real bright spot in the networking industry, achieving record sales despite ongoing economic uncertainty.”

3Q12 WIRELESS LAN MARKET HIGHLIGHTS

• Global demand for WLAN gear is well balanced, with 3 major regions (North America, EMEA, and Asia Pacific) seeing ~20% year-over-year revenue growth
• Interactive access point revenue grew strongly in 3Q12, as businesses move to centrally managed WLAN architectures
• The transition to 802.11n is coming to an end, with 84% of access points shipments now based on the standard; next-generation 802.11ac products will start shipping in the summer of 2013
• In 3Q12, Cisco added to its strong 2Q12 performance, growing another 2% sequentially to hold on to 1st place for WLAN equipment; Ruckus grew 78% year-over-year and moved into the #4 spot
• Vocera stayed in the lead for WiFi phone market share in 3Q12, thanks to its success in the health care market

REPORT SYNOPSIS

Infonetics’ quarterly WLAN equipment and WiFi phones report provides worldwide and regional market size, vendor market share, forecasts, analysis, and trends for WLAN infrastructure including access points (interactive, independent, outdoor, 802.11a/b/g, 802.11n, and 802.11ac), WLAN controllers, and enterprise single-mode WiFi phones. Companies tracked include Alcatel-Lucent, Aruba, Brocade, Cisco, D-Link, Enterasys, Extreme, Juniper, Meru, Motorola, NETGEAR, Polycom, HP, Ruckus, Vocera, Xirrus, and others. To buy the report, contact Infonetics Sales: http://www.infonetics.com/contact.asp.

RELATED RESEARCH

• Infonetics’ latest Enterprise Networking research brief: http://bit.ly/XXykg8
• Weakness in Europe, softness in public sector braking enterprise switch growth
• Low-end/SOHO routers lone bright spot in enterprise router market
• Enterprises planning major wireless LAN upgrades
• $25 billion opportunity for network manufacturers providing services to enterprises
• Cisco gains enterprise router share; North America posts strongest year-over-year gains
• Ethernet switch buyers looking at alternative vendors
• Unified communications survey highlights enterprises’ shift towards mobility

RECENT AND UPCOMING RESEARCH

Download Infonetics ENTERPRISE NETWORKING report highlights, tables of contents, prospectuses, market research brochure, and events brochure at http://www.infonetics.com/login.

• Enterprise Networking & Communication Vendor Leadership Scorecard (Nov. 5)
• Infonetics CRS Report: Huawei 2011 Revenue Reconciliation (Nov. 19)
• Total Enterprise and Service Provider Routers Pivot (incl. China & Japan) (Dec. 12)
• Total Enterprise and Carrier Ethernet Switches Pivot (incl. China & Japan) (Dec. 14)
• Enterprise Telepresence & Video Conferencing Equipment Market Forecasts (Dec. 14)

UPCOMING INFONETICS WEBCASTS

• WEBINAR: Core Routers Move to the Metro (Apr. 2013)
• WEBINAR: Architecting Wireless LANs for a BYOD World (TBA, sponsorships available)
• WEBINAR: Evolving Routers for a Cloud-Based World (TBA, sponsorships available)
• WEBINAR: The Future of Telepresence (TBA, sponsorships available)

TO BUY REPORTS, CONTACT:

N. America (West), Asia, Latin America: Larry Howard, larry@infonetics.com, +1 408-583-3335
N. America (East), Texas, Midwest: Scott Coyne, scott@infonetics.com, +1 408-583-3395
Europe, Middle East, Africa: George Stojsavljevic, george@infonetics.com, +44 755-488-1623
Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan: http://www.infonetics.com/contact.asp

ABOUT INFONETICS

Infonetics Research (www.infonetics.com) is an international market research and consulting firm serving the communications industry since 1990. A leader in defining and tracking emerging and established technologies in all world regions, Infonetics helps clients plan, strategize, and compete effectively. View Infonetics’ About Us slides at http://bit.ly/QUrbrV.

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