Western European WLAN Survey 2006

This study highlights the results of a business mobile user survey across eight European countries. In particular, it provides results and analysis of the acceptance of the use of WiFi for mobile data services among enterprises. Over the last few years the number of European hotspots continued to increase and although hotspot usage is growing the majority of hotspot locations lack large numbers of users. This study provides an insight into how the market is receiving WiFi propositions and what the penetration rates are of WiFi in medium and large organizations and in different industry sectors.

The focus of the study is a survey of 650 small, small to medium, medium, and large businesses operating in Europe, summarized in the study as small (50?99 employees), small to medium (100?499), medium (500?999), and large (>1,000). The countries covered by the survey were the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Denmark.

Over the past year the enterprise market has experienced further adoption of WiFi networks.

"Confidence in solving security issues and better management tools for IT managers resulted in an improved attitude towards WiFi for enterprise use. Although there are positive signs, only 18% of the enterprises have implemented a WiFi network for corporate use and only one third of the respondents say they are interested in WiFi hotspot services. Operators and equipment vendors need to continue to work together to explain to enterprises what benefits mobility could bring to them and how WiFi technology fits into the mobile picture, " said Evelien Wiggers, senior research analyst at IDC's European Telecommunications and Networking group.