11 mln Wi-Fi units sold in Q3 2004

In Q3 2004, Wi-Fi unit shipments increased 12% from Q2 2004. 10.99 mln units shipped in Q3 2004 compared to 9.82 mln units in Q2 2004, according to Instat-MDR.

Strong growth segments included 802.11g NICs and APs. The 802.11g standard is the faster successor to the popular 802.11b. An 802.11g access point will support both 802.11b and 802.11g clients. Similarly, a portable computer with an 802.11g NIC can access existing 802.11b access points as well as newer 802.11g access points. NIC unit shipments for 802.11g increased 32% from 2.83 mln units in Q2 2004 to 3.75 mln units in Q3 2004. AP unit shipments for 802.11g increased 30% to 3.55 mln in Q3 2004 from 2.74 mln in Q2 2004.

The multimode NIC market saw healthy growth as well. Multimode NICs are capable of operating at 2.4GHz or 5GHz. The multimode 802.11 technology is designed to promote interoperability. A user with a multimode NIC can roam freely among wireless LANs that have both 802.11a and 802.11g or 802.11b access points. Unit shipments for multimode NICs increased 17% from Q2 2004. Revenue for multimode NICs increased 14%.