This IDC study examines the worldwide and U.S. market for enterprise wireless LAN (WLAN) equipment by vertical industry and company size segment. Although more than 50% of all U.S. enterprises have a wireless LAN implemented to some extent, the vast majority of large enterprise deployments serve mission-critical applications in specific vertical industries. These include education, retail, and healthcare. In this study, IDC analyzes 17 vertical market segments, providing market size and growth over the five-year forecast period, a discussion of current trends, and an indication of which trends will drive wireless LAN adoption in the future.

"As enterprise WLAN equipment continues its transformation into a mainstream feature of networking, it will become more eagerly adopted by new sectors and industries. Opportunities for deployment are rife within healthcare, retail, and the consumer and recreational services market, which includes hospitality. Opportunities in the financial services sector, professional services, and construction and resources, however, are expected to emerge later in the forecast period." - Dan Corsetti, IDC senior analyst, Vertical Markets