Business lags behind home for Wi-Fi

Mobile users are much more likely to take advantage of wireless networking at home than in the office, according to research.

In a survey conducted by IDC, a third of respondents said that they used 802.11 wireless local area networks (Lans) at home, compared to just over a quarter who said they did so at work.

The analyst said the results show that although wireless is being used more frequently by highly mobile individuals, business use is lagging behind home use.

IDC's vice president of personal technologies and services, Randy Giusto, said in a statement: "In lean economic times, providing a wireless Lan is a low priority for many IT organisations, while lower price points on wireless access points has spurred increased use of wireless Lan in the home.

"Even if an employer does not offer wireless on campus, the rise of affordable wireless-enabled computing devices, coupled with low-cost wireless home networking solutions and increasing hotspot availability, is driving the use of wireless beyond the office, and especially at home."

But the analyst predicted that, as mobile workers become dependent on electronic forms of communication, user demand and potential increases in productivity will drive businesses to implement wireless networks.

The IDC survey, Mobile Usage Patterns 2003, also found that personal wireless hotspots are growing as people share their wireless Lans at home with friends and family.

In contrast, the perception of public hotspots was found to be mixed, with users expressing concern over pricing. Unsurprisingly, the top hotspot locations were found to be in travel locations and coffee shops.