Analyst: '09 was the year of 802.11n

Skyrocketing sales of 802.11n equipment contrast a double-digit decline for 802.11g gear.

June 22, 2010

Last year, in which the IEEE ratified the 802.11n wireless LAN standard as the world slumped through a significant recession, volume shipments of 11n gear soared. So reports research firm In-Stat in its report 4Q09 Wireless LAN Tracker.

"The wireless LAN market continued to grow in 2009 despite the decline of the worldwide overall market," according to In-Stat analyst Vahid Dejwakh. 802.11n devices grew 76 percent year-over-year in 2009, compared to a year-over-year decline of 14 percent for 802.11g gear.

Other information in the In-Stat study includes the following.

Worldwide WLAN revenue was up 5.2 percent in 2009 compared to 2008
A total of 68.5 million WLAN units shipped in 2009
In Q4, North America accounted for 46 percent of WLAN shipments

The report, available for $3,495, includes market share information for enterprise and SOHO/consumer vendors for Q4. Data is segmented by technology, equipment category and geography.